Route Development & Rumours

[White Heather]

Lets hope they do, and that they are all year round, rather than summer only.

Any bets on whether it is operated by a Dash 8 or an Embraer? I wondered if they might cover the LBA route using the DSA based Embraer operating a W leg? Frankly I would have thought the route suited an Dash 8 better - and that applies to the DSA route too.

 

[lbaspotter]

Lets hope they do, and that they are all year round, rather than summer only.

Any bets on whether it is operated by a Dash 8 or an Embraer? I wondered if they might cover the LBA route using the DSA based Embraer operating a W leg? Frankly I would have thought the route suited an Dash 8 better - and that applies to the DSA route too.

Heather I understand that the 2x Embraer 190's based at Donny along with the 1x Embraer 190 based at Newquay are fully utilised during the summer months so there will be no where to fit in a w-leg to Leeds-Bradford.

My own gut feeling is that they will use one of the Belfast City based Dash 8-Q400's and crew that visits and it will most likely mean the rescheduling the daily mid-morning BE731/732 rotation so for it to operate BHD-LBA / LBA-NQY-LBA / LBA-BHD.
They did the same thing a few years ago when they operated the summer Saturday afternoon Innsbruck service for Inghams Holidays as the Dash 8 operated BHD-LBA / LBA-INN-LBA / LBA-BHD.

 

[lbaspotter]

Had a direct chat with Flybe on facebook just now and got a very interesting reply regarding the Leeds/Bradford - Newquay route.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/Flybe/post...94178877321628&ref=notif&notif_t=feed_comment

I initially sent the following message:

‎Ross Bailey‎ to Flybe
16 mins · Stanningley ·
Saw the article in the travel trade gazette yesterday stating you are staring a new route from Newquay to Leeds/Bradford from June 1st 2016, Can I ask you when will the new flybe flights be put on sale?

And they replied very quickly with the following positive message:

Flybe
Hi Ross, thank you for writing in. These flights should be put on sale in the next few months or so; if you want to be the first to know, please subscribe to our newsletter at http://www.flybe.com/subscribe. Thank you, and I hope this helps. Will.

 

[jason1-11]

Liverpool and Glasgow to Newquay announced by Flybe this morning. No sign of Leeds at this point in time.

 

[Aviador]

I hope the apparent spat with LBA isn't going to prevent the route from starting.

 

[lbaspotter]

The new routes to Glasgow and Liverpool announced from Newquay today are both operating 1x weekly SAT on a summer only basis. It is just utilising a Dash 8 which that up until now was scheduled to sit on the deck for the afternoon, But it will now operate GLA-NQY / NQY-LPL-NQY / NQY-GLA

I hope the apparent spat with LBA isn't going to prevent the route from starting.

The Newquay - Leeds/Bardford route will operate on a year round basis with 3x weekly MON/FRI & SUN in Winter and 5x weekly MON/WED/FRI/SAT/SUN in the Summer. I understand the schedule is to finalised as all parties are still involved in negotiation regards the Governments 3 year "Regional Air Connectivity funding deal", this why its taking bit longer to get confirmed. Its also worth pointing that non of the other approved Regional Air Connectivity funded routes have had schedules confirmed yet, so we not on our own.

 

[Aviador]

Thanks, that's good to know. Fingers crossed (and toes)

 

[lbaspotter]

Been talking to Newquay Airport again on Twitter this morning and the've come back with a positive reply and somewhat backs up what I posted earlier on here.

Source: https://twitter.com/Newquay_Airport/status/690150365208133637

Ross Bailey ‏@rossbaileyleeds 2h2 hours ago
@Newquay_Airport any news on when the new @flybe year round schedule route to @LBIAirport will be confirmed and flights released for sale?

And here's the reply.

Cornwall Airport NQY ‏@Newquay_Airport 32m32 minutes ago
@rossbaileyleeds Soon Ross, very soon. Just waiting on some dotted i's and crossed t's. We will let you know as soon as we do ourselves!

 

[LBAYORKIE]

Not really, they are mostly of pakistani origin.

 

[Seasider]

Not really, they are mostly of pakistani origin.

Can you enlighten me on this post?

 

[LBAYORKIE]

Well......I thought I was replying to a post in which someone commented on the appeal of flights to India to the residents of Keighley. But either it was in another thread, or im going mad, probably both!

 

[lbaspotter]

Interesting article appeared today on the Business Quarter website. Looks like Tony Hallwood has more new routes lined up for LBA with announcements over the next few months.

Source: http://www.bqlive.co.uk/2016/05/03/looking-to-the-future-of-leeds-bradford-airport/

Tuesday 3 May 2016 07:00
Looking to the future of Leeds Bradford Airport

Currently embarking on a new 'route to 2030' scheme, as well as boosting its routes on offer, the future looks bright for Leeds Bradford Airport. Tony Hallwood tells us more...

Tony Hallwood, Leeds Bradford Airport's Aviation Development Director

Located at the heart of the largest metropolitan region outside London, Leeds Bradford Airport is witnessing an increasing appetite for flying both on business and for pleasure as we deliver a growing network of flights for the Yorkshire region.

This year LBA will deliver in excess of 3.5million passengers for the first time in the airport’s history, as travellers choose to fly close to home across our increasing range of new destinations and flight frequencies.

Recently we have introduced new routes to Guernsey, Newquay and Cork alongside additional frequencies to Barcelona and Malaga.

Looking forward to 2017, LBA will be introducing new services to Warsaw, Faro and Las Palmas. We are confident of additional services being announced over the coming months.

In order to secure an even greater proportion of Yorkshire's traffic, Leeds Bradford is working closely with regional transport providers and decision makers to ensure that surface access improvements to the airport are realised.

This is necessary as we can see an increasing number of Yorkshire travellers shunning the M62 to avoid road delays and deciding to fly locally from Leeds Bradford Airport.

The airport's new Masterplan, which was formally launched for consultation last month, highlighted the opportunities to deliver road and rail access enhancements to the airport as part of improving Leeds City region’s transport infrastructure - especially prior to arrival of HS2.

The introduction of a new Parkway station on the Leeds to Harrogate line could deliver a station located only a mile from our terminal and would be linked by a shuttle bus service.

Meanwhile, road improvements surrounding the airport will also be welcomed in reducing travel times. We could deliver a park and ride scheme linked to the Parkway opportunity, releasing the pressure on our congested roads into Leeds.

Delivering a high level of customer service is also a top priority for the airport as we continue to grow. Recent CAA statistics confirm that Leeds Bradford delivered the best on time performance of all UK airports in Q3 and Q4 2015.

Alongside investment in our passenger facilities it is, therefore, no surprise that LBA is being chosen as the airport of choice in West and North Yorkshire.


We also expect to see increasing demand from regional businesses looking to locate close to the airport as we develop our "economic hub" as part of our Masterplan.

Construction of a new hotel adjacent to the existing terminal would also support the growth of inbound business and leisure visitors. This will be one of a number of projects on site delivering an increasing range of new jobs to the region.

Leeds Bradford Airport is also proud to raise the profile of our fantastic region on the world's stage.

We have an increasing number of hub airports now, including Heathrow with BA, Amsterdam with KLM, Dublin with Aer Lingus and Barcelona with Vueling; meaning that passengers can easily connect onto a wide range of worldwide destinations.

We now confidently expect regional businesses taking advantage of the ease and convenience of flying from Yorkshire's gateway airport.

We now have over 60 direct destinations serving more than 20 countries and offering fights with 12 major airline partners.

Therefore, we can look forward to Leeds Bradford playing a central role within the Northern Powerhouse.

Here at Leeds Bradford Airport, we believe that as a region we are too reserved in our approach to secure new business; especially from within Europe.

The time has come for the city region to invest in a range of marketing initiatives to promote Yorkshire, redirecting tourism and business demand from the EU that is presently being attracted to other major cities and regions of the UK.

With our trading strengths across major business sectors and with tourism playing an important role in delivering jobs, we need to create more awareness of the Leeds City Region and Yorkshire across our EU partners.

We have a great story to tell, so let's all work together in ensuring that message is received loud and clear.

 

[White Heather]

Interesting that Tony openly refers to the Parkway Station - an option LBA previously didn't openly support! Also to the possible attachment of a park and ride at such a Parkway Station - something not discussed at Consultative Meetings until I raised it as an option at the last one - pointing out that such a park and ride scheme was only viable if Option A was picked as the Airport Link Road. I am in danger of believing that for once, all these things might actually happen and there just may be a co-ordinated approach. That would be nice after (in my case) far too many years of waiting. Had such things happened 20 years ago, I firmly believe LBA would already be carrying well over 5m pax per year. Invest in transport links and watch your airport grow. Don't invest and watch it grow much more slowly - or not at all.

 

[airforced]

As one of the over 90% of people who fly from LBA who travel to the airport by car or other private transport, as no viable alternative exists from the east coast, I would question how much difference a Parkway station or other similar option, would help reduce the number of people, in percentage terms, using private transport as their initial mode of transport when flying from Leeds.

Not knocking the idea as every little helps but it seems to me that it would only contribute minimally. Interested to hear others thoughts though.

 

[rmac]

I would have thought that a Parkway station would be great help coming from the east coast in that it would be possible to travel to the Parkway station via Leeds and then the shuttle bus to the airport meaning you could leave the car at home. Alternatively getting a lift to Leeds or even the Parkway station, or Horsforth for that matter would mean that your driver would avoid the drop of charge and turn around for home more quickly. Obviously there would be a charge for the last leg of the journey, ie the Parkway to airport, but the overall experience, I think, would be easier as you would be dropped off at the terminal entrance.

 

[White Heather]

It isn't necessarily the case that they would charge for any shuttle bus from a parkway station to the terminal. Do they charge from the long stay car parks to the terminal? It would be the same shuttle bus, with its route extended to the rail station. LBA would be on the rail network as a destination and accessible to anyone from anywhere in the region/country. Remember too that by then, there will be up to 8 trains a day to Kings Cross via Leeds so it may be possible that some of those at least could stop at the airport rather than at Horsforth (unlikely to be both given the two stations would be only a mile apart). I would think therefore that there would be a gradual and healthy increase in the number of LBA pax who would travel by train - provided the trains operate at hours that are suitable. No good if you land at LBA from Tenerife at 1am and can't get a train, so they would probably still travel by car.

 

[Aviador]

Like airforced I belive a direct rail link is the only truly viable option so far as the airport is concerned.

If a parkway can be used by local commuters it may still prove popular but fewer airport passengers would take up the option.

 

[rmac]

But you hear comments "I prefer to get the train to Manchester (from Leeds, etc) -it only takes an hour +.
So a train from Leeds to the Parkway station taking about 9-10 mins, and then, and preferably/probably a free shuttle to the terminal in a few minutes would, to me seem an excellent choice. Especially with those busy roads around the airport ! Imagine Doncaster to Harrogate trains direct to the Parkway ??

 

[Aviador]

But you hear comments "I prefer to get the train to Manchester (from Leeds, etc) -it only takes an hour +.
So a train from Leeds to the Parkway station taking about 9-10 mins, and then, and preferably/probably a free shuttle to the terminal in a few minutes would, to me seem an excellent choice. Especially with those busy roads around the airport ! Imagine Doncaster to Harrogate trains direct to the Parkway ??

I completely agree, anything that musters up some extra passengers has to be a good thing. A parkway would be the cheapest option but if that's what LBA ends up with I just hope it's with a view to building a fixed direct link to the airport at a later date rather than it just becoming "a make do option".

 

[whoshotjimmi]

But you hear comments "I prefer to get the train to Manchester (from Leeds, etc) -it only takes an hour +.
So a train from Leeds to the Parkway station taking about 9-10 mins, and then, and preferably/probably a free shuttle to the terminal in a few minutes would, to me seem an excellent choice. Especially with those busy roads around the airport ! Imagine Doncaster to Harrogate trains direct to the Parkway ??

This wouldn't necessarily change anything. A rail link is likely to appeal more to people coming from further afield than in the local area although, I'm sure, it would tempt some locals who live near railway stations. This then leaves the following problem: those coming from further afield will have the choice of travelling to Leeds or Manchester by rail. For many, it is a no brainer. The facilities and services available at Leeds would still be no match to what is on offer over the hill. The hope would be that a link would encourage growth and development and turn it into a viable alternative. The further possibility being that people looking for value and convenience would start to consider Leeds as a viable alternative in the same way that we regular posters talk about how we use the likes of MAN, DSA, LPL etc.

I just want to quickly comment on the interview with Tony Hallwood. I can understand why folk would read it and start to get excited. He mentions a lot of potentials being in the pipeline. However, he is very vague with details and seems to be talking more out of hope than genuine optimism. After all, there was genuine optimism that Flybe would set up shop at LBA and they didn't. Even the above station is only at a consultative stage and comes not long after the official study into the provision of new railway stations in Yorkshire stated that a station on the proposed Airport Parkway site was NOT viable.

I think perspective is needed and I maintain that, when it comes to route development, LBA needs to be working hard to entice the flights that will help raise the passenger numbers (having missed out on Flybe and Wizz) which will make the whole thing - new stations, new roads, new terminal, further influx of services - much more realistic.