Leeds Bradford: EasyJet Flights, New Routes & Schedule Updates

[White Heather]

A Ryanair Uk route to Belfast must surely be on the cards. A base at both ends. They can do Dublin so should be able to make money on Belfast International if they do it say 4 times a week.

 

[Finger66]

Much as we would like the route reinstated I don't see Jet2 being interested, other than perhaps a way to move aircraft between bases. I think Ryanair is a better hope and they may just see an opportunity because the pax base is already there - it's not a build from scratch

 

[Stagman]

Shame after all the strong rumours of an eventual base, but I suppose if the flights weren’t selling as expected then there’s no loyalty. Does seem strange to abandon all routes though, makes me wonder whether the allure of DSA possibly reopening has given them options to serve Yorkshire without having to go head to head with Jet2/FR at LBA. Ultimately though it’s quite surprising given the recent purchase of the controlling shares by AENA.

Be interested to know what’s actually happened here, most likely just a slimming down of the network under the new ownership.

I don't think it would be DSA, as that is still two or three years minimum away from reopening if ever, especially if the money runs out next month.

 

[Starflyer]

Much as we would like the route reinstated I don't see Jet2 being interested, other than perhaps a way to move aircraft between bases. I think Ryanair is a better hope and they may just see an opportunity because the pax base is already there - it's not a build from scratch

The only reason I think Jet2 might give this a passing thought is that a lot of their recent development has been based on short sectors to build aircraft utilisation - the various routes to Paris, Jersey etc. OK - they all have citybreak and holidays potential in a way that LBA/BFS probably doesn't once everyone has seen the Titanic museum once. However their developments so far this year have been quite concentrated on building short sectors ...

Just BTW that's me making an observation rather than any hidden hint that I know anything, which I don't. But LBA has known about this incoming issue with easyJet for a little while before today's announcement so if there is any alternative operator to tee up for the routes, they've had chance to have those conversations.

 

[White Heather]

Looking on the bright side, there's an opportunity here for AENA to demonstrate their power by attracting other airlines.

Ryanair UK to Belfast
Vueling back on Barcelona
Air France/Hop on Paris CDG

Time to wake up now.

 

[Len Fish]

If EasyJet pulling out of LBA demonstrates one thing it’s that it needs a brave, committed airline to attempt to break into the Jet2/Ryanair duopoly. Unfortunately EasyJet were neither of those things and given their overall poor financial position were never likely to be.

 

[jackLBA]

I remember hearing that LBAs priority was growth with EZY and Wizz? Both have failed dramatically, even with SunExpress, still heard nothing of a ‘replacement’ carrier. It does make the wonder, what is restricting our airport compared to others? I no longer believe the excuse of it being the regeneration project, I am concerned regarding the route development team.

 

[gulftraveller]

When Jet2 last operated the route it was a true low cost airline. It is now an IT airline so a route to BFS is not realistic. Ryanair is the best bet here.

 

[White Heather]

If anyone is wondering whether Easyjet's decision is due to a breakdown in the business relationship with LBA, I am assured it isn't. Easyjet themselves refer to the relationship and I have had further contact with LBA management in which they admit to disappointment but state ''the relationship (with Easyjet) is still there''.

As we know, there was a mutual intention to work towards opening a base. LBA have said as much in their statement. We are told that following a fleet review, no new bases can open before 2030 (although I doubt new bases would be announced anyway with a pending takeover). This may be due to the offloading of A319s and delays in delivery of new A320NEOs, but obviously only Easyjet know the full story.

So it appears that LBA not yet being a base led to its downfall at this time with cost pressures arising from the Middle East War. The relationship between airline and airport is intact and it is important to note that LBA say that activity working towards a base is 'paused', not ended.

Lets just hope that we see them back, but much might depend on what direction they take after the takeover.

 

[Aviador]

I agree. There are far too many macro factors at play internationally to place the blame on LBA here. Network decisions like this are being driven by aircraft fleet renewal schedules, ongoing geopolitical tensions, fuel price volatility and hedging strategies, alongside easyJet’s wider corporate restructuring.

 

[LBA4EVER]

With airlines pulling out, reducing services and no new airlines and routes secured for quite literally years now pressure may be happening at the top within management and the marketing team esp with new owners AENA onboard. I can certainly think of a few members on here that probably could do a decent job! 💪

 

[LBAYORKIE]

Easyjets statement included the following sentence:

'Our focus is on maintaining and developing routes which prove most popular with customers'

This suggests bookings werent good. Whether Easyjet really believe this or not is debateable but many of the flights had poor timings and as has been said they were poorly promoted.

The rest of the statement just seems to be waffle, being polite, not burning bridges but not offering any real hope for the future.

 

[Aviador]

With airlines pulling out, reducing services and no new airlines and routes secured for quite literally years now pressure may be happening at the top within management and the marketing team esp with new owners AENA onboard. I can certainly think of a few members on here that probably could do a decent job! 💪

Having the REGEN project and new facilities fully operational will help. It’s been said many times before and LBA management made it clear from day one that these terminal upgrades were an absolute necessity, regardless of how the night flying quota situation plays out.

We are all too aware of the severe bottlenecks caused by the old fragmented piecemeal layout, and you can bet every airline network planner was well aware of them too. Expanding processing capacity, modernising security, and improving passenger flow removes a massive commercial barrier. Once REGEN is fully delivered and bedded in, only then will we see if updated infrastructure alone is enough to land new airlines and unlock the next phase of growth.

While it's frustrating to see the industry slow down and the loss of EasyJet from Leeds, new opportunities will come, but it is best these opportunities are from a completed terminal so the airline and it's passengers get the best possible start from LBA.

 

[YorkshireLad]

I have noted previously, I think the sun routes they tried (Malaga, Palma) had very poor chances to succeed, Malaga at 2X weekly was never going to succeed against 23X weekly (off the top of my head) by Jet2/Ryanair, and 4X weekly to Palma is just a drop in the water, Jet2 alone do that many flights most days. They needed higher frequency, therefore higher commitment, which they didn't give

I recall people being mildly surprised they didn't go for Faro or Alicante. Same reasons apply here, I'd say more acutely though

 

[White Heather]

With airlines pulling out, reducing services and no new airlines and routes secured for quite literally years now pressure may be happening at the top within management and the marketing team esp with new owners AENA onboard. I can certainly think of a few members on here that probably could do a decent job! 💪

No new routes?

In the past year or two we have had new routes to Jerez, Agadir and Marrakech at least. Next year you can add to that Sharm el Sheikh, Hurghada, Tivat (Montenegro), Preveza, Santorini and Enfidha. That's 9 new routes over a 2 or 3 year period.

 

[LBA4EVER]

No new routes?

In the past year or two we have had new routes to Jerez, Agadir and Marrakech at least. Next year you can add to that Sharm el Sheikh, Hurghada, Tivat (Montenegro), Preveza, Santorini and Enfidha. That's 9 new routes over a 2 or 3 year period.

And which airline is operating these 9 new routes, jet2 of course! Yet from all other carriers nothing and no interest in the airport, very Frustrating! 😕

 

[paully]

Thinking aloud but....Route planners are the first to see if holiday trends are changing as they always do..My son and family are preferring Legoland and are there now, travelling by ferry Hull Rotterdam earlier this week and showing the kids Germany as well as Denmark...The ferry was,rammed with pax and freight and according to crew has been all season long..
If you are held up in passport control you are likely sat down in air conditioned comfort..Kids have drinks, snacks and ipads to hand..These ferries start boarding 4hrs before departure..all geared up to an approach different to any airport..

Many people these days arnt interested in spending 2 weeks on a beach but looking for something different 🤔 ..
I'm playing the devil's advocate here, unashamedly, but I wonder if such thoughts are occupying minds..makes you think..

 

[White Heather]

Emerald need larger aircraft and lower fares to replace Easyjet on BFS.


'Our focus is on maintaining and developing routes which prove most popular with customers' says quite lot.

If they just operate 2 or 4 times a week often with poor times, on routes where Jet2/Ryanair already fly more in a day than they did in a week, and you don't bother advertising the fact, it isn't really surprising that flights weren't as well booked as they would like, but, it has always been the case that airlines expect new routes to take a year or two to become profitable. Easyjet haven't given them that long. They have even axed Belfast that does have good loads and Paris too, abd Barcelona that was doing ok.

Something has clearly changed at Easyjet with a plan to gradually increase their presence towards a base, suddenly shelved, amid a statement which makes clear they don't have the aircraft to open another base before 2030. If they are short of aircraft in the next few years, it is inevitable that non based flying will be first up for the axe. Their exposure to high fuel prices as well has probably turned their LBA operation from marginal (as expected) to loss maker, and a reported 70% drop in profits has probably forced them to

And which airline is operating these 9 new routes, jet2 of course! Yet from all other carriers nothing and no interest in the airport, very Frustrating! 😕

They are still new routes. You can't claim we haven't had any new routes in years, because clearly, we have. What we need though are new routes that are not necessarily bucket and spade routes, which would be operated by other carriers. The likes of Istanbul, Athens, Berlin, Lisbon, Madrid, Valencia, Munich, Frankfurt, Milan, Cork etc. These 'other carriers' are precisely those who won't entertain LBA until terminal regen is finished.

 

[Bigman]

Totally with you White Heather. We haven't lost any destinations out of this. Either Jet2 or Ryanair will surely take up the slack. The orange mob are the losers here as they are pretty giving the impression that they can't compete which is not good for your public image

 

[Finger66]

I just wonder here too, if LBA had some warning this was coming and no immediate chance of a U2 base, if this contributed to the pausing of building more new stands. Come on Jet2, you know you want to with the A21N. Time to get up now as the saying goes.......