Leeds Bradford: Passenger Reviews, Q&A, and Travel Advice

[Pudseylad]

Thanks for that Aviador.
Travelling to Madeira in a few weeks. Sadly, I'm led to believe the new CZS won't be open by then but hoping that the new duty free area will be finished.
I flew to Naples in April, ashamed to say it was from the airport over the hill with TUI. I also experienced the shortcomings of NAP both on arriving and departure. It's when you experience airports like that you realise that our little airport isn't anywhere near as bad as the naysayers would have us believe.
I hope you had a good holiday, we stayed in Sorrento which was great.

 

[White Heather]

Thanks for that Aviador.
Travelling to Madeira in a few weeks. Sadly, I'm led to believe the new CZS won't be open by then but hoping that the new duty free area will be finished.
I flew to Naples in April, ashamed to say it was from the airport over the hill with TUI. I also experienced the shortcomings of NAP both on arriving and departure. It's when you experience airports like that you realise that our little airport isn't anywhere near as bad as the naysayers would have us believe.
I hope you had a good holiday, we stayed in Sorrento which was great.

As you access the new duty free from the top of the escalators leading up from the new CZS, I would think both will 'go live' together.

 

[Aviador]

Thanks for that Aviador.
Travelling to Madeira in a few weeks. Sadly, I'm led to believe the new CZS won't be open by then but hoping that the new duty free area will be finished.
I flew to Naples in April, ashamed to say it was from the airport over the hill with TUI. I also experienced the shortcomings of NAP both on arriving and departure. It's when you experience airports like that you realise that our little airport isn't anywhere near as bad as the naysayers would have us believe.
I hope you had a good holiday, we stayed in Sorrento which was great.

Yes thank you. Sorrento was lovely. We stayed at Vilaggio Verde so only a short walk to the centre.

 

[Seasider]

Had a day trip to DUB yesterday (half day actually). Arrived at the airport at 6.55am with the security queue at the door. It reminded me why I don't travel at peak times. We were through in 30 mins and I made my way to new part of departure lounge to see "the activities" on the apron. There were plenty of people seated with spare seats and it seemed to me that there were a lot more seats then when I last travelled through in April.
Flight was full on a Max, non eventual and arrived DUB 10 mins early. What a hike it is from the Ryanair gates to exit the Terminal. Since I only had 3.5 hours, I didn't go to the viewing area and as well, they were landing from the west.
Stayed in the terminal at the end of the Ryanair gates and watched the action, photos not too good through glass. The flight back was not quite full, but again landed LBA 15 mins early. There was a delay to disembarking as we were parked next to an outbound International flight and we could not mix. Since I was on row 2 I was quickly off, through the terminal and on the way to the car.

I hope it isn't as busy in 3 weeks time when I go on my next trip.

 

[LBA4EVER]

Flew LBA - ALC this evening FR9079, used gate 11 the old portacabin after a walk down the last remaining part of the old bus shelter, didnt realise this was in use still. Flight was only 50% full if that, my seat was 29a but a member of cabin crew had taken my seat so was asked to sit in the emergency exit seats in front which is row 28 on the max8. After takeoff sat in seat 27a as always like the window seat which was why id picked 29a in the first place, id paid for a seat but it was taken by a cabin crew member, thats a first! My plane had flown alc-lba lba-alc alc-pmi pmi-alc alc-lba and my flight lba-alc so think it was crew rest from what i over heard, Anyway flight was good,non eventful landing just 20mins late.

 

[Severn]

I’d be curious to know the load factors for LBA-ALC during peak summer months, especially considering your report that your flight was only half-full (I appreciate that doesn't mean every flight is 50% full).

Yesterday (Monday 31st August), there were six departures from LBA-ALC: three by Ryanair and three by Jet2. Surprisingly, their flights departed within 20 minutes of each other every time!

Here are yesterdays departures:
- LBA-ALC - Ryanair B38M - Departure time 08:10
- LBA-ALC - Jet2 B733 - Departure time 08:30

- LBA-ALC - Ryanair B38M - Departure time 15:50
- LBA-ALC - Jet2 B733 - Departure time 16:05

- LBA-ALC - Ryanair B38M - Departure time 18:25
- LBA-ALC - Jet2 B733 - Departure time 18:30

In comparison, other UK airports (most larger than LBA) saw fewer flights to and from ALC yesterday:
8x MAN-ALC
5x BHX-ALC
5x STN-ALC
5x EMA-ALC
4x LTN-ALC
4x LPL-ALC
3x NCL-ALC

Now, let’s consider a new airline like easyJet entering the market at LBA. Would there be enough demand for three operators? Would Jet2 or Ryanair reduce their flights? It’s also worth noting that Jet2 will begin replacing their B733s with B738s at LBA next year. If they maintain their current schedule and the B733s are replaced with B738s on this route, that will significantly increase the number of seats available.

 

[Aviador]

That’s an interesting way to look at it, but what do the numbers look like when you compare available seat capacity instead of just movements? Switching out a 148-seat 737 Classic for a 230-seat A321 makes a massive difference in actual volume per departure.

 

[gulftraveller]

And Jet2 will time LBA flights to fit with flights from other airports so that they have adequate staff and bussing capacity to hotels at the destination airport.

 

[LBA4EVER]

Always amazes me how LBA can sustain x6 flights a day to alicante in the summer months and even during the winter the airport normally has 2 or 3 flights a day yet not a single flight to madrid, valencia, lisbon and the like. Also whilst watching what i believed to be a pretty full load on easyjets paris flight yest ,well next year will be quite a poor offering to paris with easyjet gone and no FR on beauvais now. Funny how LBA can offer so many flights to a handful of destinations ie alicante,malaga,dublin,palma,krakow and belfast altho bfs will drop next year sadly yet no one seems to want to offer routes that could be big winners!

 

[YorkshireLad]

I’d be curious to know the load factors for LBA-ALC during peak summer months, especially considering your report that your flight was only half-full (I appreciate that doesn't mean every flight is 50% full).

Demand and average loads are high. Some flights on every route at this frequency with RYR go out with sub-optimal loads (PMI is a big offender), though bear in mind I have no data for this August. All season the 3 RYR flights on Thursdays have been at least 90% full

Now, let’s consider a new airline like easyJet entering the market at LBA. Would there be enough demand for three operators? Would Jet2 or Ryanair reduce their flights? It’s also worth noting that Jet2 will begin replacing their B733s with B738s at LBA next year. If they maintain their current schedule and the B733s are replaced with B738s on this route, that will significantly increase the number of seats available.

easyJet wouldn’t be able to compete at the frequencies they do, they do badly enough on AGP which have fewer EXS and RYR flights