Leeds Bradford - General Thread

[tonysmith]

Date line 12 July this afternoon we were having a swim in the roof top pool of the hotel continental and there were plenty of airplanes coming over our heads taking off from budapest airport

 

[twevsmiff]

Airport could shut as passenger numbers 'not profitable' | ITV News

Bosses at Doncaster Sheffield Airport say it is no longer commercially viable. | ITV News Calendar

www.itv.com

Interesting

 

[HX3]

This would be a shame for the Yorkshire region as a whole if the closure happened, but I suppose it cements what we all know, that the core population is centred on Leeds and the West Yorkshire conurbation. So, whilst LBA may not be ideally situated, the main population of Yorkshire is at least on the doorstep- something DSA does not have.
I wonder if LBA management may feel their decision on the new terminal may be a little premature with this potential news?

 

[LBA4EVER]

Ive always said LBAs decision to cancel the new terminal was wrong, so since the terminal plans were cancelled we have DSA with possible closer, a cabinet reshuffle with Gove in a different roll and i believe we just had a ten year plan by the government looking at ways of making aviation cleaner (even tho aviation contributes just 2% of co2) a new eco terminal would of fit in nicely.
I stand by my case and always will.
We need to get wizz at LBA before no doubt MAN snaps them up which will give LBA no chance and reduce LPL flights.

 

[northsouth]

Sad news if it does eventually close but I can’t help but feel that it has always been a struggle to get and keep airlines, I know Tui seem to have set up a decent size base recently but they also too often over the years chopped and changed their programs ( at the expense of other airports & LBA). Also when this airport first opened in 2005 there was a lot of media hype that it will become Yorkshire no 1 gateway airport and all the continued media attention ever since.

But eventually continued losses that cannot be sustained and with all recent aviation issues is seems like the end is approaching for commercial aviation operations at DSA maybe LBA might be able to pick up some of their business

 

[White Heather]

As was pointed out by the other airports who objected to DSA, it was an airport being created where in truth, one was not necessary, sat between EMA, MAN, LBA and HUY. They pointed out that if DSA succeeded it would be at the expense of other airports not because there is an untapped demand. Despite its long runway it has failed to attract and hold on to any airline other than TUi and Wizz Europe, but has had and lost Ryanair, easyJet, Aer Lingus, KLM, Flybe, and probably others. This is despite getting it's link road and getting far more backing from the local council than LBA has done.
That said, now it's there, and now it employs local people, it's a shame that closure is being considered with all the resultant job losses on the aviation sector. No doubt Peel have other ideas for the site that might be viable and which might create more jobs of a different kind.
If it does close, it will be interesting to see what happens with Tui and Wizz Europe. Go to LBA or give up on the Yorkshire Region? Either way, LBA should expect more passengers if this happens as either these airlines fly from LBA or, if they don't, the demand for Jet2 and Ryanair will increase. Same at EMA and MAN to a degree.

 

[Aviador]

Now you just know the narative of our local media will be close LBA and keep DSA open.

 

[752]

The non based Wizz ops would be perfect for LBA, if you look at DSA arrivals / departures they're mainly late night 7-9 pm or early morning arrivals / mid morning departures. LBA need to get some more concreate down and try get the TUI base in

 

[HX3]

Given the fickle nature of Wizz and the perception of poor customer service, I personally wouldn’t want them cannibalising routes here at LBA. They would disrupt and dissapoint customers, as well as be detrimental to the airport and their current partner relationships, which are established and successful. I do accept though that the off peak timings would work well with restricted infrastructure.

 

[KARFA]

Now you just know the narative of our local media will be close LBA and keep DSA open.

Well frankly if you were starting from scratch and could only have one, you would choose the DSA site. No one in their right mind would build a commercial airport on the top of a hill nowhere near any major roads or rail, and with a short wrongly aligned runway where only one end could be Cat3.

 

[White Heather]

Well frankly if you were starting from scratch and could only have one, you would choose the DSA site. No one in their right mind would build a commercial airport on the top of a hill nowhere near any major roads or rail, and with a short wrongly aligned runway where only one end could be Cat3.

Nor would you build an airport serving Yorkshire just a few miles from the Nottinghamshire border, and remote from the major population centre it's meant to serve. There's a good reason why DSA has failed. Location.

The obvious location for Yorkshire would be in the area to the East of Leeds, central in the county, served by the M1 and A1 and M62, on flat ground, and ideally close to the main railway line. Such a location already exists, but was denied to us by the MoD back in the 70s, and although it's now an airport for Leeds, it's shrunk in size and is no longer big enough for a major regional airport. But something nearby could serve Yorkshire well.

Not going to happen though.... .

 

[KARFA]

Nor would you build an airport serving Yorkshire just a few miles from the Nottinghamshire border, and remote from the major population centre it's meant to serve. There's a good reason why DSA has failed. Location.

The point was if I had a choice and could only go with one. And yes I would choose DSA under those circumstances.

 

[blotbuc1]

As was pointed out by the other airports who objected to DSA, it was an airport being created where in truth, one was not necessary, sat between EMA, MAN, LBA and HUY. They pointed out that if DSA succeeded it would be at the expense of other airports not because there is an untapped demand. Despite its long runway it has failed to attract and hold on to any airline other than TUi and Wizz Europe, but has had and lost Ryanair, easyJet, Aer Lingus, KLM, Flybe, and probably others. This is despite getting it's link road and getting far more backing from the local council than LBA has done.
That said, now it's there, and now it employs local people, it's a shame that closure is being considered with all the resultant job losses on the aviation sector. No doubt Peel have other ideas for the site that might be viable and which might create more jobs of a different kind.
If it does close, it will be interesting to see what happens with Tui and Wizz Europe. Go to LBA or give up on the Yorkshire Region? Either way, LBA should expect more passengers if this happens as either these airlines fly from LBA or, if they don't, the demand for Jet2 and Ryanair will increase. Same at EMA and MAN to a degree.

Not only did objectors point out that there was no need for the airport, but John Prescot, the then Deputy Prime Minister, when approving the planning application following a public inquiry also stated that there was no need for the airport but that its development would bring significant regeneration benefits to the area. He appears to be correct in that DSA struggles to attract, and particularly retain airline operators.

Peel are primarily a property development company which owns airport sites as part of its extensive portfolio. The operation of its airports is secondary to the development of their wider sites. Their commercial development of the wider land holding at DSA appears to be successful. At Teesside didn’t they retain the wider site and leave the Mayor to heavily subsidise the airport operation.

 

[White Heather]

The point was if I had a choice and could only go with one. And yes I would choose DSA under those circumstances.

Well, living just a few miles from LBA, I certainly wouldn't. It would be LBA every time for me.

 

[KARFA]

Well, living just a few miles from LBA, I certainly wouldn't. It would be LBA every time for me.

Sure, and living in the north of Leeds I would say the same and agree with you completely.

But live in south Leeds or Wakefield, Huddersfield, Dewsbury, etc. etc. and all of a sudden LBA isn't quite as convenient unfortunately. However MAN sucks the air out of everything and has a huge amount of first mover advantage, so DSA really got squeezed.

 

[White Heather]

According to an article in Head for Points, the decision has already been taken to close DSA at the end of October, with staff having been told there is no way it will continue as a Commercial Airport after that. Unless, the Local Authorities buy it. It also states that the airport has lost £170m since it opened and is expected to lose a further £45m over the next five years. That's hardly likely to persuade cash strapped local authorities to buy the place at the market value, particularly given the potential value to Peel Holdings for redevelopment as a warehousing site, which the article states is what they are planning.

Interesting public comments including one from Yorkieflyer who states that LBAs ramshackle expansion is full of (quote) 'quite common people'!! I never realised DSA was an upper class airport for the snob element of society.

Anyway, chances are now that DSA is gone. Who in their right mind would now opt to operate there or book a flight or holiday from there after this?

This now makes the loss of the new terminal at LBA even more tragic and it even more imperative that they get that extension built sooner rather than later, otherwise the only beneficiary from this is likely to be MAN.

 

[LBA4EVER]

I will say it again, if we had a new terminal and extra apron space we would be laughing, its LBAs infrastructure thats letting it down, we are currently at bursting point,busier than LPL, EMA and now the same as NCL in terms of flight movements, adding an extension onto the current 1960s horrid building will help but no way will it cope if say TUI or Wizz set up base here, plus of course jet2 and ryan expansion. Its not good enough, the tories are literally done for but if they want my vote lets at least get a new terminal, nothing else is happening transport infrastructure wise in leeds, thats for sure!!

 

[LBA4EVER]

What's the sitution regarding freight at DSA big hub for it?

 

[LBAYORKIE]

What's the sitution regarding freight at DSA big hub for it?

According to the DSA thread they only have 20 cargo movements a month. Of course we dont know if these received a subsidy as well.

 

[Scottie Dog]

Can I suggest that you continue this discussion on the DSA forum?

Link is here https://forums4airports.com/threads/6078/