Leeds Bradford - General Thread

[oldendays]

Perhaps Hywel is moving on because his work here is done, IYSWIM.

 

[Heathrowflyer]

Yes, Hywel ( from the one time I met him) seemed very nice. It bemuses business partners ....the continual revolving door of Executives and staff.

Jet 2 has kept the same people for years.

Its just not good in terms of business continuity and relationship building.

Alongside the new broom, no doubt there will now be changes with other staff. I vote Heather, Aviador and Seasider to take over marketing. They would be brilliant.

 

[lbaspotter]

LBA have now issued there own press release.

https://lba-production.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/About-LBA/Press/lba-ceo-announcement-20012021.pdf

Sad to see Hywel Rees go as he seemed like a really nice guy when we meet him, but just maybe his time is up due to the pending decision from Leeds City Council.
If the new Terminal Development & extended opening hours gets the go ahead it will be his lasting legacy, if not we'll it will have being his downfall.

Vincent Hodder seemst to be more of an airline man, hopefully he can start to rebuild some of the business we've lost over the past few years what with the collapse of Monarch & Flybe, Covid-19 (loss of British Airways) and pullout of likes of Tui and cutbacks by Ryanair.

 

[White Heather]

It was Hywels decision from what I could gather not to build the extension already approved if the terminal project is rejected by our wonderful plans panel, so if the worst happens, it will be interesting to see what the new CEO does.

Nothing, appeal, or build the extension and give up on the new terminal and expand in time anyway, much to the chagrin of certain councillors and GALBA.

I would be so disappointed if the terminal is rejected, as it proves again that our Council are a joke when it comes to the airport, but part of me would absolutely love it, LOVE IT, (to quote Kevin Keegan), if the airport just went ahead with the extension, possibly both , at a fraction of the cost, and the airport grows as originally planned. However, they should definitely appeal in my view. Covid has set the airport back and they can probably afford to wait whilst an appeal is heard, then build the extension if that fails too - which it shouldn't as things stand.

Let's hope none if that is necessary and just for once, the Plans Panel do the right thing.

 

[Heathrowflyer]

This is all about return on investment and getting airlines in.

Investment is brilliant but its the airlines that need to be brought in to recoup the sizeable investment costs that will really matter for an equity company.

With the terminal investment we need 2 or 3 addiyional base airlines and more routes....that's why Hodder has been brought in...to attract the low cost airlines and the likes of the big orange. Good luck to him

 

[paully]

I`m not suprised..I don`t know if many of you are aware but AMP Group are in a serious mess following board room shenanigans down under. So much so that last June they put the whole group up for sale. The share price almost collapsed. Last October a bid was made, for the whole group, by an American Hedge Fund called Ares based in LA.The offer was welcomed by AMP.Turns out all they actually want is AMP Capital, which owns the airports and infrastructure and not the rest of the cabal. They are presently trying to get Aussie and Far East investment houses interested but Covid is making this difficult. Here is the latest I can find that isnt behind a paywall for you to have a read of:

Fund Manager Data, News & Analysis by Citywire

citywireasia.com

Most of the other Google stuff is months out of date. But certainly the whole group seems to be paralyzed at present. Certainly Mr Rees will know more about the ins and outs of this saga than any of us, all we can do is speculate.

 

[Bigman]

So is there a real possibility that the airport could go the wall, given the circumstances outlined above plus serious lack of revenue due to naff all flights?

 

[LBAYORKIE]

Makes me wonder if AMP are just wanting planning permission so they can sell the airport for a higher price and putting this new CEO in position until that happens.

How many CEOs have pledged their undying support for the airport only to leave after a couple of years? If LBA meant anything to him he would have stuck it out at least until the planning permission was resolved one way or the other.

My only dealings with the airport directors during Mr Rees' tenure were in connection with cargo operations and they were pretty poor.

Onwards and upwards!

 

[leedslad]

Does worry me slightly but key will be getting the planning permission approved. If that's successful at least there are no more excuses left besides funding/timing.

I can't see current or future owners wanting to put another scheme through the same process again... So it'll be do or die.

 

[LBA4EVER]

this development worries me because if id just successfully had a new terminal approved id wanna stick around and enjoy the success and all the positives that come with it! like ive stated before if it does get rejected i will not be holding back my words to LCC!!

 

[White Heather]

this development worries me because if id just successfully had a new terminal approved id wanna stick around and enjoy the success and all the positives that come with it! like ive stated before if it does get rejected i will not be holding back my words to LCC!!

The thing is - we don't know what AMP had in mind when they appointed Hywel Rees. It may always have been the intention that he came in, shook things up, got the new terminal option up and running, and then once he had done all he could, hand over to someone else who has more of a background in dealing with airlines. We can speculate all we like about the whys and wherefores, but its not likely to be made public whether this is an unexpected change forced on AMP or whether it was always planned this way.

 

[Starflyer]

Oh dear. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.

 

[Heathrowflyer]

Here's a thought...would Jet 2 buy LBA?

 

[White Heather]

I am assured that AMP and now the new CEO remain fully committed to the new terminal project. The change in CEO makes no difference to their plans.

 

[Finger66]

Human nature seeing the negative in everything. Have faith people!

 

[White Heather]

Just as well I don't have a gas oven to stick my head in!!

 

[Finger66]

Well I suppose the airport is close to cooker idge haha!

 

[Heathrowflyer]

In the period since Charlie Cornish has been CEO at MAG we have now had four CEO's. I think a key difference is that the board at MAG have predominantly made Manchester their home. The sign that a ceo is committed, long term, to a job is if they move their main residence or partner/family to the area. How many of the board at LBA live in the Leeds area?
I was heartened by Hywel Rees' comments when he joined the airport and talked about 'long term commitment' to the airport and the region and its sad that such a nice chap is now going.

Interesting quote in the Business Desk from Andy Clarke about Hodder; 'His experience at low-cost players and network players, across business and leisure travel, brings a varied perspective as we seek to develop new relationships with airlines'. My thought, who in the heck calls airlines 'players' who has any knowledge of the aviation sector. In fact, who has used the word 'player' since the 1980s.

According to travel press Hodder has been working as a consultant after leaving IAG's Level after 'just' a year.Lets hope he's committed to Leeds for the long term.

 

[Bigman]

Just seen his picture on the Wharfedale Observer website. Jeeeezzz, he is the spit of Gregg Wallace. Can we call the airport Greggs from now on?

 

[LBAYORKIE]

In the period since Charlie Cornish has been CEO at MAG we have now had four CEO's. I think a key difference is that the board at MAG have predominantly made Manchester their home. The sign that a ceo is committed, long term, to a job is if they move their main residence or partner/family to the area. How many of the board at LBA live in the Leeds area?
I was heartened by Hywel Rees' comments when he joined the airport and talked about 'long term commitment' to the airport and the region and its sad that such a nice chap is now going.

Interesting quote in the Business Desk from Andy Clarke about Hodder; 'His experience at low-cost players and network players, across business and leisure travel, brings a varied perspective as we seek to develop new relationships with airlines'. My thought, who in the heck calls airlines 'players' who has any knowledge of the aviation sector. In fact, who has used the word 'player' since the 1980s.

According to travel press Hodder has been working as a consultant after leaving IAG's Level after 'just' a year.Lets hope he's committed to Leeds for the long term.

I couldn't agree more with this.

As I said in my post yesterday I'm tired of incoming CEO's making hollow pledges/commitments and then leaving after a couple of years.

Something has to change.