Airport Security, Immigration & Border Control

[arry]

Thus was on LBA Twitter feed this morning. A useful and reassuring innovation.

 

[LBA787]

@LBA787 I don't suspect they'll move the whole operation splitting between those two airports. That is a lot to ask for for those airports.

What I suspect more will happen is the shorter flights (Palmas, Alicantes) will be moved whilst the longer flights will be kept at LBA. So what could happen is 2/3 737-300's be moved to relive some of the pressure on the system.

As highlighted however elsewhere this is only a small % of staff striking in in the total work force so won't affect much. Moving a couple 300's elsewhere maybe the relief the airport want considering 2/3 operate 6 there and backs per day - mostly covering Palma, ibiza, Reus etc.

Happy to be proven wrong.

As @LBAYORKIE points out there’s a distinct worry the staff not in the union will find a way out of work, usually through orchestrated sickness phone calls. I can only presume once this critical mass is achieved the airport is forced to close by the authorities.

The question is, if this was to happen who picks up the pieces if the entire Jet2 operation is scrubbed for upto 4 days?

I appreciate my view point seems rather negative however, sometimes you have to think the worst to plan accordingly.

 

[Sherburnflyer92]

As @LBAYORKIE points out there’s a distinct worry the staff not in the union will find a way out of work, usually through orchestrated sickness phone calls. I can only presume once this critical mass is achieved the airport is forced to close by the authorities.

The question is, if this was to happen who picks up the pieces if the entire Jet2 operation is scrubbed for upto 4 days?

I appreciate my view point seems rather negative however, sometimes you have to think the worst to plan accordingly.

Of course you have to plan accordingly. But your suggestion that the whole operation goes to two different airports in the middle of a summer season just doesn't make operational sense nor is something jet2 are going to do.

Moving the shorter flights would make sense, given, they are short by nature but also the available hours crew are able to work, these would make the most sense. And how are the airline going to move people to the airports? By coach or a simple "your flying to/from Newcastle". You then have to factor in most of the customers will be staying for 5 nights plus so will return to LBA the next week so has to be coach. So they will be moved by coaches and therefore the flights will leave the alternative airports late on the scheduled departure time.

The airline then have to move the crew somehow. A nightmare and has implications for the available crew hours they can work and also has to take into account any road delays etc. Or does the airline put up enough crew in hotels to cover the 'proposed' movement of the schedules in hotels near Newcastle/East Midlands.

 

[lbaspotter]

Ok Calm down everyone

Yeap has just reported that next week's strike has been postponed by the GMB Union after LBA has come forward with a revised deal.

Be warned the article is by our old friend Richard Beecham.

Next week’s three day strike at Leeds Bradford Airport postponed after improved pay offer

Next week’s planned strike action by security staff at Leeds Bradford Airport has been suspended to give members time to mull over an improved pay deal put forward by airport bosses today.

www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk

 

[LBA787]

Of course you have to plan accordingly. But your suggestion that the whole operation goes to two different airports in the middle of a summer season just doesn't make operational sense nor is something jet2 are going to do.

Moving the shorter flights would make sense, given, they are short by nature but also the available hours crew are able to work, these would make the most sense. And how are the airline going to move people to the airports? By coach or a simple "your flying to/from Newcastle". You then have to factor in most of the customers will be staying for 5 nights plus so will return to LBA the next week so has to be coach. So they will be moved by coaches and therefore the flights will leave the alternative airports late on the scheduled departure time.

The airline then have to move the crew somehow. A nightmare and has implications for the available crew hours they can work and also has to take into account any road delays etc. Or does the airline put up enough crew in hotels to cover the 'proposed' movement of the schedules in hotels near Newcastle/East Midlands.

It’s really not as difficult as you’re making out.

If LBA was to be partially or fully close then the operation moves… same as a weather diversion or planned departure point change.

Passengers would be coached to and from.

Crew would travel up, hotac, complete their rostered flights then travel back. Flight deck the same but could potentially position the a/c up and down

Ground staff could even support with temporary passes let’s face it they won’t be working at LBA if it’s closed. As we’ve seen year in year out everything would be done to get the 4 days worth of holidaying passengers to their destinations asap because there’s no recovery plan to scratch 4 days off the schedule.

I don’t think 737-300’s would move from LBA, the engineering support is here now and the likelihood of them not needing tlc for 4 days is frankly a joke.

Finally you mention the short sector flights. Why in your wisdom would you prioritise some of the highest frequency op’s with the lowest ratio of holiday/flight only customers over some of the more lucrative 100% holidays longer routes that operate once or twice a week?

I’m not sure if you work for the business, if you do I hope you’re rational is a little more fluid in the coming months/years.

Anyhow it’s postponed for now and hopefully they accept the offer on the table.

 

[Aviador]

Crewing hours @White Heather .

 

[White Heather]

Crewing hours @White Heather .

Sorry, not with you.

 

[jason1-11]

Family flew to AGP on the LS185 this morning. Queue at security was still over 1 hour which appears poor based on other recent airport experiences.

 

[Flightlevel330]

Not to call anyone a lier, but I flew on the FR ALC that left at the same time this morning and started my timer at the back of the queue and stopped it leaving security and got 42 minutes 39 seconds. The new screens with the wait times where fairly accurate to. I feel sometimes perceived time is dependent on the person/environment.

 

[jason1-11]

Not to call anyone a lier, but I flew on the FR ALC that left at the same time this morning and started my timer at the back of the queue and stopped it leaving security and got 42 minutes 39 seconds. The new screens with the wait times where fairly accurate to. I feel sometimes perceived time is dependent on the person/environment.

The time the flight leaves is irrelevant, it's the time you joined the queue that counts. For them it was 60+ minutes, so you must have been semi lucky with 42 minutes.

 

[KARFA]

it's clearly better at LBA now then it was earlier in the year, but it is clearly not back to normal either. 60 minutes is far too long.

unfortunately the security area at LBA was sub optimal prior covid, and although a little rejigged in the last two years it is still not ideal - i suspect that doesn't help.

 

[LBAYORKIE]

My son and his family arrived at the airport at 03.30 this morning for an 06.00 flight to Kos. Queue at security was no more than 5 minutes.

 

[marky810]

Flew out to Fuerte on Sunday morning just gone. Security was no more than 5 mins and the guy on the desk told me not to believe all you hear in the press! Great flight with Jet2 on G-JZBB.

 

[mdobuk21]

I flew out to Alicante 31/7 was dropped off 4pm was in the airport lounge with a pint at 4:45pm.

 

[LBAYORKIE]

I flew out to Alicante 31/7 was dropped off 4pm was in the airport lounge with a pint at 4:45pm.

I dont think there has ever been an issue with queues outside of the early morning peak. Given there was no queue at 03:30 today its probable the congestion doesnt start until later- say 04:00.

 

[White Heather]

I dont think there has ever been an issue with queues outside of the early morning peak. Given there was no queue at 03:30 today its probable the congestion doesnt start until later- say 04:00.

I doubt that the 'congestion' now at LBA with all lanes fully operational, are any worse than pre pandemic. It's just that now, the focus has been put on waiting times so much by the press that it's turned into an issue, whereas pre pandemic people just expected it and got on with it without moaning or contacting the press.
Other airports may well be far worse still but LBA has a similar number of early morning flights as pre pandemic with the same number of security lanes and now, even more staff to operate them.

 

[dmrodgers]

I dont think there has ever been an issue with queues outside of the early morning peak. Given there was no queue at 03:30 today its probable the congestion doesnt start until later- say 04:00.

Was dropping a relative off yesterday morning at 4.30am for the early morning Amsterdam flight, little or no queue at security I'm told so it does look like things are vastly improved at the airport. The acid test will be this Bank Holiday when more people will be travelling.

 

[White Heather]

Was dropping a relative off yesterday morning at 4.30am for the early morning Amsterdam flight, little or no queue at security I'm told so it does look like things are vastly improved at the airport. The acid test will be this Bank Holiday when more people will be travelling.

I suspect most flights are full or very nearly full with the exception of the LHR of course, and the number if early morning flights now and over the bank holiday is pretty much the same, so I can't see there bring a huge difference in numbers first thing in the morning. Not enough to make a big difference anyway.

If extra flights are operating later in the day , that's where the increase in numbers might well occur.

 

[LBAYORKIE]

Huge security upgrade at LBA will bring significant changes at passenger checkpoints

NEW SECURITY equipment will be installed at checkpoint lanes in Leeds Bradford Airport - with trays fed automatically to passengers and no need to…

www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk

 

[Len Fish]

I imagine this doesn’t come cheap, it’s an expensive business running an airport.