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Trip Review: Leeds Bradford (LBA) to Naples (NAP) & Sorrento
Having recently taken a trip out to Naples from Leeds Bradford Airport with Jet2, I thought I’d share a detailed review covering both LBA’s ongoing terminal transformation and what to expect on the ground in Italy.
Outbound Departure at Leeds Bradford
For anyone passing through LBA who isn't a local regular, the airport is currently mid-renovation, so it remains a bit difficult to paint a full picture of what the final layout will feel like once complete. We took full advantage of the Twilight Check-in service the evening before travel, which proved dead easy. We parked in the 1-hour free parking zone an easy five-minute walk to the terminal doors dropped the bags, and were set. Returning on the morning of our flight, we paid for Fast Track security. The queue was minimal, though in fairness, the standard security lanes were moving at a really impressive pace as well.
Once airside, there are still plenty of construction hoardings up, which is a bit of a shame for the peak summer period, but you can clearly start to see how the new layout seamlessly links the old building with the extension. The completed sections are well air-conditioned and comfortable. I should mention that the temporary WHSmith shops weren't as obtrusive as I had previously feared, though I still hope they remain strictly temporary for the layout reasons I've previously noted. Interestingly, we spotted some American passengers heading out to Amsterdam on the KLM feeder cooped up in the narrow temporary corridor; I couldn't quite understand why they didn't move down into the fully completed, spacious parts of the lounge while waiting. Boarding was handled via the old arrivals walkway down to Stand 5 or 6, leading to a prompt, on-time pushback.
Overall, seeing beyond the hoardings, I’d rate the current LBA departure experience as "Good". That said, for a first-time visitor who may not pass through again, their impression right now will likely lean towards "Poor" or "Average" purely because of the temporary routes and ongoing building site feel.
Arrival in Naples & Exploring Sorrento
Upon touching down at Naples, we were taken by bus to the terminal immigration area. Despite reading several negative reviews on TripAdvisor prior to the trip, passport control was busy but reasonably efficient, and we only waited a short period for our bags before heading off to Sorrento.
Sorrento turned out to be a fantastic, friendly base with incredible food, style, and character. Highlights from our stay included:
The Amalfi Coast: We booked a guided mini coach and boat trip with Roberto down to Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello. The vistas throughout both the drive and the boat legs were magnificent, surrounded by lemon, pomegranate, and fig trees, alongside beautiful cafes and authentic gelato shops. Roberto was brilliant throughout, sharing rich historical context across the entire journey.
Capri & Monte Solaro: Booked through our family-run hotel, we visited Capri and took their advice to ride the chairlift to the top of Monte Solaro, an absolute must-do that I would recommend to anyone. We even enjoyed fresh lemon soda served straight out of a lemon the size of a melon!
Pompeii: Staying in Sorrento made it incredibly easy to catch the local train straight to Pompeii. We hired a local guide named Gino, who was exceptional at navigating us through the vast ruins and bringing the history to life.
Return Departure from Naples (NAP)
On the return journey, we checked in using Jet2's dedicated check-in facility at Naples. From the outside, it looks somewhat like an apartment block, but it’s very stylish and modern on the inside. After checking in, there is a walk of about 100 metres over to the main terminal to take the lift or stairs up to first-floor security.
Security itself was quick and friendly, but from an aviation security perspective, the staff came across as dangerously relaxed talking and laughing with each other rather than paying attention to the scanners. While a positive working environment is great, there needs to be a happy medium so critical security work is carried out properly. Beyond security, you are funneled through a decent-sized Duty Free and a pleasant street-like shopping and dining strip.
As Jet2 uses Zone B for non-EU departures, we passed through passport control prior to reaching the gate. Unfortunately, the gate experience was poor, though not necessarily Jet2's direct fault. A bus collected the first half of our passengers and then vanished, leaving the rest of us waiting at the gate for the best part of an hour with zero communication from ground staff. Once on board, the Captain noted that while he frequently encounters issues at Naples, he hadn't been given a clear reason for the delay. We had missed our initial Eurocontrol slot and had to wait for a new one to be issued. The third-party gate handling agents came across as completely lackadaisical and appeared to prioritise larger flights over ours, leading to a departure roughly an hour late.
Arrival Back at LBA
We touched down back at Leeds about an hour behind schedule due to the Naples ground delays, parking back on Stand 5 or 6 where two buses were waiting for us. Despite arriving during a busy period, the new arrivals process at LBA was completely seamless and fast-moving. Baggage hit the carousel within a couple of minutes of us entering the hall, and we were out the door and on our way home almost immediately.
Having recently taken a trip out to Naples from Leeds Bradford Airport with Jet2, I thought I’d share a detailed review covering both LBA’s ongoing terminal transformation and what to expect on the ground in Italy.
Outbound Departure at Leeds Bradford
For anyone passing through LBA who isn't a local regular, the airport is currently mid-renovation, so it remains a bit difficult to paint a full picture of what the final layout will feel like once complete. We took full advantage of the Twilight Check-in service the evening before travel, which proved dead easy. We parked in the 1-hour free parking zone an easy five-minute walk to the terminal doors dropped the bags, and were set. Returning on the morning of our flight, we paid for Fast Track security. The queue was minimal, though in fairness, the standard security lanes were moving at a really impressive pace as well.
Once airside, there are still plenty of construction hoardings up, which is a bit of a shame for the peak summer period, but you can clearly start to see how the new layout seamlessly links the old building with the extension. The completed sections are well air-conditioned and comfortable. I should mention that the temporary WHSmith shops weren't as obtrusive as I had previously feared, though I still hope they remain strictly temporary for the layout reasons I've previously noted. Interestingly, we spotted some American passengers heading out to Amsterdam on the KLM feeder cooped up in the narrow temporary corridor; I couldn't quite understand why they didn't move down into the fully completed, spacious parts of the lounge while waiting. Boarding was handled via the old arrivals walkway down to Stand 5 or 6, leading to a prompt, on-time pushback.
Overall, seeing beyond the hoardings, I’d rate the current LBA departure experience as "Good". That said, for a first-time visitor who may not pass through again, their impression right now will likely lean towards "Poor" or "Average" purely because of the temporary routes and ongoing building site feel.
Arrival in Naples & Exploring Sorrento
Upon touching down at Naples, we were taken by bus to the terminal immigration area. Despite reading several negative reviews on TripAdvisor prior to the trip, passport control was busy but reasonably efficient, and we only waited a short period for our bags before heading off to Sorrento.
Sorrento turned out to be a fantastic, friendly base with incredible food, style, and character. Highlights from our stay included:
The Amalfi Coast: We booked a guided mini coach and boat trip with Roberto down to Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello. The vistas throughout both the drive and the boat legs were magnificent, surrounded by lemon, pomegranate, and fig trees, alongside beautiful cafes and authentic gelato shops. Roberto was brilliant throughout, sharing rich historical context across the entire journey.
Capri & Monte Solaro: Booked through our family-run hotel, we visited Capri and took their advice to ride the chairlift to the top of Monte Solaro, an absolute must-do that I would recommend to anyone. We even enjoyed fresh lemon soda served straight out of a lemon the size of a melon!
Pompeii: Staying in Sorrento made it incredibly easy to catch the local train straight to Pompeii. We hired a local guide named Gino, who was exceptional at navigating us through the vast ruins and bringing the history to life.
Return Departure from Naples (NAP)
On the return journey, we checked in using Jet2's dedicated check-in facility at Naples. From the outside, it looks somewhat like an apartment block, but it’s very stylish and modern on the inside. After checking in, there is a walk of about 100 metres over to the main terminal to take the lift or stairs up to first-floor security.
Security itself was quick and friendly, but from an aviation security perspective, the staff came across as dangerously relaxed talking and laughing with each other rather than paying attention to the scanners. While a positive working environment is great, there needs to be a happy medium so critical security work is carried out properly. Beyond security, you are funneled through a decent-sized Duty Free and a pleasant street-like shopping and dining strip.
As Jet2 uses Zone B for non-EU departures, we passed through passport control prior to reaching the gate. Unfortunately, the gate experience was poor, though not necessarily Jet2's direct fault. A bus collected the first half of our passengers and then vanished, leaving the rest of us waiting at the gate for the best part of an hour with zero communication from ground staff. Once on board, the Captain noted that while he frequently encounters issues at Naples, he hadn't been given a clear reason for the delay. We had missed our initial Eurocontrol slot and had to wait for a new one to be issued. The third-party gate handling agents came across as completely lackadaisical and appeared to prioritise larger flights over ours, leading to a departure roughly an hour late.
Arrival Back at LBA
We touched down back at Leeds about an hour behind schedule due to the Naples ground delays, parking back on Stand 5 or 6 where two buses were waiting for us. Despite arriving during a busy period, the new arrivals process at LBA was completely seamless and fast-moving. Baggage hit the carousel within a couple of minutes of us entering the hall, and we were out the door and on our way home almost immediately.
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