Leeds Bradford Airport’s Expansion Plans Under Public Inquiry

[cockpitking]

Leeds Bradford Airport’s ambitions to expand are under scrutiny as a public inquiry examines proposed increases in passenger capacity and changes to night-time flight regulations. The inquiry, initiated in March 2025, addresses appeals following enforcement actions by Leeds City Council regarding night-time flight limits.

Read the full report at: https://cockpitking.com/leeds-bradford-airport-expansion-public-enquiry/?amp=1

 

[The Pole]

Leeds Bradford Airport’s ambitions to expand are under scrutiny as a public inquiry examines proposed increases in passenger capacity and changes to night-time flight regulations. The inquiry, initiated in March 2025, addresses appeals following enforcement actions by Leeds City Council regarding night-time flight limits.

Read the full report at: https://cockpitking.com/leeds-bradford-airport-expansion-public-enquiry/?amp=1

Again crap reporting, we still have a LHR route!!!!!

 

[ZB757]

LTN now approved to expand to 32M, LGW second runway proposal coming into use, LHR 3rd runway approved, BHX night flight cap lifted.. DSA reopening (apparently) be hard for anyone objecting to have a leg to stand on.

 

[White Heather]

Leeds Bradford Airport’s ambitions to expand are under scrutiny as a public inquiry examines proposed increases in passenger capacity and changes to night-time flight regulations. The inquiry, initiated in March 2025, addresses appeals following enforcement actions by Leeds City Council regarding night-time flight limits.

Read the full report at: https://cockpitking.com/leeds-bradford-airport-expansion-public-enquiry/?amp=1

Thanks Cockpitking. Clearly a lot of work there and much appreciated.

Just a couple of points to note in response:

The 2019 planning consent did not include the refurbishment of the existing terminal, only the construction of the extension. The refurbishment due to start around now, was added as part of LBA Regen, and doesn't need planning consent as the works are internal.

LBA does not have BA flights to London Heathrow. They were terminated during Covid. That route has not been served since apart from a brief and hopeless attempt by Flybe mk2.

Jet2 operate precisely zero A321NEO routes out of LBA, nor are any scheduled for the foreseeable future. All flights are by 737 800 and 300 series.

Flights in the past on longer haul routes were not all charters, as suggested, and not all made fuel stops due to runway restrictions. PIA operated non stop to Islamabad on A310 equipment. So did Shaheen Airways before them. They were scheduled services.

Further back Wardair flights to Toronto did a split load, picking up at BHX, but operated direct inbound. On one occasion, a DC10, replacing the usual 747 operated both ways non stop. Britannia also operated non stop on some occasions to Bridgetown , so it can be done. LBA say the runway can now handle aircraft up to Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 size but this is yet to be tested, in part because the terminal cannot handle that size of aircraft (yet).

LBA deny they have exceeded the night movement limit other than the first year post lockdown. Leeds City Council took no action that year and so far have taken no action relating to last year either..They continue to enforce a planning approval from 1994, despite that approval indicating that updated NOTAMs (which update aircraft types permitted to operate at night) should be taken into account. If the intention was not to use updated NOTAMs, reflecting new technology , then it wouldn't be referenced in the planning approval.

The new stands are to be built at a rate of 2 per year for 5 years, 10 in total. All will be on what currently is grassed area around the existing apron.

Hope that helps

 

[Statto]

These reports look like to me they are AI generated and therefore subject to the quite common problem with AI known as ‘halucinations’ eg if they have a gap, they make stuff up !

 

[scousefowler]

Why can we not just lengthen runway 14 by 200M?

 

[Aviador]

Why can we not just lengthen runway 14 by 200M?

Long time no see @scousefowler !!! Welcome back.

 

[scousefowler]

Why can we not just lengthen runway 14 by 200M?

I just need to be reminded why......

 

[Finger66]

I just need to be reminded why......

Ask @LBA4EVER

 

[White Heather]

I just need to be reminded why......

At one end (Horsforth) there's a huge drop, including an old reservoir, and then a large housing estate. At the other end, (Yeadon) there's a big drop which isn't insurmountable, with landfill, but Yeadon Cemetary is alongside on higher ground, and it's too close to stay there. Big problem! The Chevin, a big hill a mile from the runway end, means the extension at end is of limited use given the need to maintain clearance height.

The other big problem of course is the city council plans panel that would have to give approval, and since they now seem to be under the influence of anti airport naysayers, that in itself might be troublesome..

Ultimately, LBA management, now and previous, all say that the cost v benefit calculations dont stack up. Millions in cost but for a relatively small number of additional flights. They have always said that new generation aircraft will make an extension unnecessary.

 

[Aviador]

I just need to be reminded why......

Sorry, I thought I'd posted this earlier but I mustn't have and I can see White Heather has already answered but I'll post it now anyway for a different viewpoint on the same matter....

One end has a cemetery, the other a housing estate. Although technically achievable at the housing estate end it would undoubtedly receive a significant backlash from local residents. It is technically feasible to bring back the threshold on the 32 end but that too would come at significant cost and would also require the moving of lighting and ILS equipment, and would potentially require planning approval.

The pain might not be worth it for the gain and as the airport is already investing £200m they are already close to the peak of their borrowing limits.

 

[LBA4EVER]

Sorry, I thought I'd posted this earlier but I mustn't have and I can see White Heather has already answered but I'll post it now anyway for a different viewpoint on the same matter....

One end has a cemetery, the other a housing estate. Although technically achievable at the housing estate end it would undoubtedly receive a significant backlash from local residents. It is technically feasible to bring back the threshold on the 32 end but that too would come at significant cost and would also require the moving of lighting and ILS equipment, and would potentially require planning approval.

The pain might not be worth it for the gain and as the airport is already investing £200m they are already close to the peak of their borrowing limits.

Moving the TDZs more to the start of the runway esp R32 is our best hope of attracting long haul ops esp to the ME and US, landing a quarter of a mile down a short to medium length runway aint going to entertain the airlines, simple as!

 

[Aviador]

Moving the TDZs more to the start of the runway esp R32 is our best hope of attracting long haul ops esp to the ME and US, landing a quarter of a mile down a short to medium length runway aint going to entertain the airlines, simple as!

So with cost vs benefit only recently been mentioned, do you think the airlines will be lining up to use Leeds with a runway extension? Do you think it will pay for itself?

I'm fairly certain you would benefit from attending one of these meetings with the airport.

 

[scousefowler]

At one end (Horsforth) there's a huge drop, including an old reservoir, and then a large housing estate. At the other end, (Yeadon) there's a big drop which isn't insurmountable, with landfill, but Yeadon Cemetary is alongside on higher ground, and it's too close to stay there. Big problem! The Chevin, a big hill a mile from the runway end, means the extension at end is of limited use given the need to maintain clearance height.

The other big problem of course is the city council plans panel that would have to give approval, and since they now seem to be under the influence of anti airport naysayers, that in itself might be troublesome..

Ultimately, LBA management, now and previous, all say that the cost v benefit calculations dont stack up. Millions in cost but for a relatively small number of additional flights. They have always said that new generation aircraft will make an extension unnecessary.

Thanks WH, well summarised.

 

[LBA4EVER]

So with cost vs benefit only recently been mentioned, do you think the airlines will be lining up to use Leeds with a runway extension? Do you think it will pay for itself?

I'm fairly certain you would benefit from attending one of these meetings with the airport.

Its alright all you lot laughing about my runway comments but i think some on here cant handle the truth
Our runway is marginal as it is but when you have TDZs set a quarter of a mile in at quite challenging sections of the runway plus of course our usual LBA weather then the longhaul airlines will question this. Many do live in fantasy land on here, qatar, emirates or any ME or US operator will not be on our runway until improvements are made.
And id love to attend one of the meetings of which i would actually put that question across regarding TDZs. In fact some more technical questions would no doubt be far more interesting than listening to the garbage from those that shall not be named!

 

[Aviador]

Its alright all you lot laughing about my runway comments but i think some on here cant handle the truth
Our runway is marginal as it is but when you have TDZs set a quarter of a mile in at quite challenging sections of the runway plus of course our usual LBA weather then the longhaul airlines will question this.

You're talking about the same constraints as Luton which this week received government approval to expand to 32m passengers annually. Their airport is also hoping to attract long haul flights from its short runway.

I do actually agree with much of what you say about the runway, but you need to take a realistic approach. Aircraft manufacturers are now focusing on building smaller aircraft than can uses smaller airfields. Both Airbus and Boeing are doing this. If you look at the BHX forum you will see many of the locals there question whether the runway extension there was worth it for the flights they have managed to attract. Arguably not.

 

[pug]

Its alright all you lot laughing about my runway comments but i think some on here cant handle the truth
Our runway is marginal as it is but when you have TDZs set a quarter of a mile in at quite challenging sections of the runway plus of course our usual LBA weather then the longhaul airlines will question this. Many do live in fantasy land on here, qatar, emirates or any ME or US operator will not be on our runway until improvements are made.
And id love to attend one of the meetings of which i would actually put that question across regarding TDZs. In fact some more technical questions would no doubt be far more interesting than listening to the garbage from those that shall not be na

Its alright all you lot laughing about my runway comments but i think some on here cant handle the truth
Our runway is marginal as it is but when you have TDZs set a quarter of a mile in at quite challenging sections of the runway plus of course our usual LBA weather then the longhaul airlines will question this. Many do live in fantasy land on here, qatar, emirates or any ME or US operator will not be on our runway until improvements are made.
And id love to attend one of the meetings of which i would actually put that question across regarding TDZs. In fact some more technical questions would no doubt be far more interesting than listening to the garbage from those that shall not be named!

Sorry but why would long haul airlines question the displacement? You do realise the limiting factor on long haul flights is TORA and TODA which is not impacted by the displaced threshold as they can use the overrun as part of TORA/TODA. Bigger aircraft tend to come over the hedge slower, the 737-800 is like an Exocet missile in comparison. Granted, the bigger the aircraft the greater the mass therefore the longer they may need to slow to taxi speed, but the types of aircraft LBA could realistically hope to have running any long haul flights in future would be unlikely to be deterred by the current LDA.

 

[HX3]

We are forgetting that there were direct flights to Islamabad which is a slightly longer flight than to Dubai/Doha/Abu Dhabi/Jeddah and New York is at a similar distance from LBA. So with the right aircraft, all are totally doable from LBA.

 

[pug]

We are forgetting that there were direct flights to Islamabad which is a slightly longer flight than to Dubai/Doha/Abu Dhabi/Jeddah and New York is at a similar distance from LBA. So with the right aircraft, all are totally doable from LBA.

They appear to be targeting airlines with 321xlr which would have no problem landing at LBA. Anyone hoping to see anything much bigger will be waiting forever, Manchester takes all that and will continue doing so.

 

[lbaspotter]

ITV Calander news reporting The results of a public inquiry are due to be published at the end of this month.