Airport Consultative Committee [Questions & Responses]

[LBA4EVER]

Airport Consultative Meeting Report,
28th June 2023

Business Update

LBA handled 3.6m passengers in the 2022/3 year.

For 2023/4, LBA handled 305k pax in April , (-4% on pre Covid 2019, but up 19% on 2022/3).

In May the airport handled 387k pax, up 11% on 2022/3. Average load factor was 85%.

For June, the pax throughout is expected to be 447k, 10% up on 2022/3.

LBA passed the 1m pax milestone on 19th June.

The expected pax throughput for 2023/4, is 4.4m , which would be an all time record for LBA.

It was confirmed that:

There will be an additional based Jet2 aircraft for summer 2024.

The 4th daily KLM rotation to AMS will return in August.

Turkish carrier Sun Express will commence ops to Antalya from March 2024.

LBA continues discussions with other airline operators. Announcements will be made as and when agreement is reached.

Wizz Air are performing strongly


Airspace Change Update

The proposals were submitted to the CAA at Stage 2 and their response is due this Friday. If approved the process moves to Stage 3, including a full public consultation.

It was confirmed that in submitting proposals, it has been assumed that DSA does not exist. If, in the future, DSA re-opens, it will have to work around LBAs allocated airspace and procedures.

Terminal Development

A presentation, including slides, was made, highlighting the existing terminal , it's problems, and showing the route passengers currently take, involving walking from end to end of the building, in the case of Jet2 passengers, 3 times. Also the several pinch points where arriving and departing passengers come together.

Layout plans for the finalised terminal were shown. These will be drawn up.by Architects for public display within the terminal and there will be a 'fly through' video tour of the completed terminal in due course.

The scheme is complex so impossible to cover everything, but here are the highlights:

The existing terminal measures 240,000 sq ft. The extension will add a further 100,000 sq ft. In addition it will free up large areas of the existing terminal enabling a complete configuration.

Security screening will move to the Western End of the terminal in a much larger area (currently baggage reclaim). It will be accessed midway down the terminal, allowing Hall A and B pax to access it by approaching from opposite ends of the terminal with an equal distance to walk. There will be 6 lanes (currently 4) and each lane will be approx 30m long (currently 12m). XRay scanning staff will be remote from the lanes, in an adjacent office where they can do their job in a quiet environment.

There will be dedicated terminal entrances for Halls A & B, keeping passengers at opposite ends if the building until they merge at Security midway along the building.

Passengers will move upstairs from Security via new escalators/stairs/lift into a large lobby area known as the Orientation Zone, where pax can sort themselves out, before moving into the main terminal departures area.

They will then pass through World Duty Free, which will be 50% larger than at present.

The remainder of the existing terminal will have a variety of retail options in a larger area with more circulation space.

The waiting ares around Gates 1-3 will be doubled in area. There will be a new Gate 4. Gate 5 will remain (airbridge) as will Gate 6. There will be a new Gate 7,8 & 9.

The upper floor of the extension (2nd floor) will house the two lounges, bar, food area and seating. Also a second, smaller World Duty Free. It will be serviced by 4 back of house goods lifts ,(currently 1).

150m of the external walkway will be removed.

Arriving passengers will access the terminal in the same area as now but will find a new escalator, stairs or lift, and a fully air conditioned passageway with no constraints, leading to a large Border Force area, with 10 desks . E gates may be installed later but this is up to Home Office. The desks will be kitted out in readiness.

Baggage reclaim will have 5 double size carousels in a much larger area, plus a domestic arrivals carousel. These will be fed from below in the undercroft, accessible via a ramped roadway by baggage dollies. Each carousel will have its own parking area enable baggage to be loaded on to the belt without holding up other dollies. The road in the undercroft is basically a loop.

Passengers will then emerge into a new area of the terminal with retail areas, car hire etc.

Disabled pax will have the full terminal experience at all stages, which currently isn't possible.

Retailers will have to abide by a design guide outlining how and where they place signage etc. to maintain the aesthetic appearance.

All new directional signage throughout.

Some figures:

Terminal area increases by 38%

Terminal capacity increases from 4.8 to 6.8m per annum

Retail offerings increase by 73%

Security zone increases by 38%

Seating across departures increases by 83%

Carousel length increases from 133m to 235.7m (+77%)

Toilets increase from 90 to 120 (+33%)

Aircraft stands (as required) increase from 25 to 35 (+40%). These will be built on an as needed basis over the next 7 years .

Schedule:

Currently RIBA Stage 3 - detailed design.
Currently out to tender - tenders back by 7th July.

Then period of analysing and contract negotiations before winning tender notified.

Appointment of main contractor August 2023

Start on site September 2023

Phase 1 - Extension, completed 2024/5
Phase 2 - Existing terminal, comp 2025/6
Phase 3 - Aircraft stands , completed by 2029/30 (all 10) according to demand. This will largely be determined by the number of based aircraft, which in turn will be determined by the outcome of discussions with Leeds Council over the interpretation of the night quota conditions.

Note: All funding is secure for all stages of the project..



That damned arrivals escalator!

You know the one.

The plan to slow down the escalator to enable it to be turned on wasn't successful, so it's off again for the majority of time. Quote:' There is no solution '

Large signs have now been applied to the existing lift in an attempt to draw attention to it's availability .

CEO report.

This focussed in the Night Flying Breach. An explanation was given as to how it occurred ( several reasons), when it started (way back when the airport was council run) and why, despite this, the airport held its hands up and took responsibility.

Systems are now in place to ensure compliance and these were demonstrated.

I will provide more on this in the Night Quota thread on the Private Forum.


Parkway Station

Still expected to be ready for 2026.

That's all folks!

Wow thanks for that excellent update WH, and thanks for giving us all on here a timescale, so not long to go at all before work commences!
I bet new operators will be knocking at the door once the terminal is expanded and reconfigured on a big scale!
Also really good that the airport team have plans for an extra 10 parking stands over the coming years!

 

[752]

Great update as per Heather. I am excited to see some images/videos of the new terminal. Also great that they are/can/could expand to up to 10 more stands. I think the sooner this gets started the better. on a side note, ive noticed the Viking parking has never reopened since Covid, do we know if it is planning to reopen now Pax levels are closing in on 2019? I presume the cars in there are from the meet and greet (paying more money to the airport then they would have the Viking parking). Also not sure if its been touched on before, but would there/could there be scope for a multi-storey care park at LBA?

 

[LBA4EVER]

Great update as per Heather. I am excited to see some images/videos of the new terminal. Also great that they are/can/could expand to up to 10 more stands. I think the sooner this gets started the better. on a side note, ive noticed the Viking parking has never reopened since Covid, do we know if it is planning to reopen now Pax levels are closing in on 2019? I presume the cars in there are from the meet and greet (paying more money to the airport then they would have the Viking parking). Also not sure if its been touched on before, but would there/could there be scope for a multi-storey care park at LBA?

Regarding a multistory car park that would make sense, creates more space too.

 

[LBAYORKIE]

Regarding a multistory car park that would make sense, creates more space too.

I think its been proposed before. Location was to be over the short stay car park.

 

[White Heather]

Sorry, car parking hasn't been discussed for some time. I believe the Viking car park is indeed used for meet and greet but I have no clue if that's permanent or not. Any multi storey would require planning consent and I'm sure that's something that LBA will do all they can to avoid, given that Leeds City Council, at best, would impose some Draconian Section 106 requirements along with any approval.

 

[HX3]

They’ll probably want a view of the success of the parkway station, before planning future car parking. I suppose the idea is that volume would move to rail (albeit I’m not convinced with that)

 

[LBA787]

Very encouraging report. It’s pleasing to note the strong demand from wizz amongst others and of course the planned terminal reconfiguration with what is seemingly going to be a larger than envisaged baggage reclaim area.

 

[Aviador]

Although from the now cancelled terminal application, parking was discussed at length. The airport said it was going to try to manage with the land it currently occupied and it was going to try to avoid increasing surface carparking unless it was absolutely necessary. The subject was left fairly open but to be honest, it is a politicians job to ensure people have other options of getting to the airport.

 

[Finger66]

With the road access to LBA as bad as it is, if and that could be a big if, a reliable rail service did serve the parkway station then it may have a better chance of pulling pax off the roads. As ever of course, time will tell once we finally get the damn thing

 

[White Heather]

With the road access to LBA as bad as it is, if and that could be a big if, a reliable rail service did serve the parkway station then it may have a better chance of pulling pax off the roads. As ever of course, time will tell once we finally get the damn thing

The same applies with the proposed mass transit system (why dont they just call it a tram?) which is supposed to operate to LBA.

 

[Sherburnflyer92]

Sorry, car parking hasn't been discussed for some time. I believe the Viking car park is indeed used for meet and greet but I have no clue if that's permanent or not. Any multi storey would require planning consent and I'm sure that's something that LBA will do all they can to avoid, given that Leeds City Council, at best, would impose some Draconian Section 106 requirements along with any approval.

What legislation is this?

And surely not against the airport. The car park versus the airport functionality/operations are two different things. Mind you given the Labour council in Leeds and its leader are really anti Leeds they would find a way.

 

[LBA4EVER]

Incredible how it was going to cost 10s of billions to extend the HS2 line to leeds yet for just 1 billion leeds could have a fantastic tram system inc a line to LBA! You would think that with cancelling the hs2 leeds section we would get something decent as replacement, but of course all the money goes over the pennines!

 

[Bigman]

Firstly White Heather amazing work as usual. Secondly the parkway station should be a game changer. Don't forget that you would get a half hourly service to York which opens up access to the North East. Just wish they would get the spades in the ground.

 

[Sherburnflyer92]

Incredible how it was going to cost 10s of billions to extend the HS2 line to leeds yet for just 1 billion leeds could have a fantastic tram system inc a line to LBA! You would think that with cancelling the hs2 leeds section we would get something decent as replacement, but of course all the money goes over the pennines!

Don't. Even. Get. Me. Started. Unless government after unless government.

This country and its opposition and the pathetic council Leeds has are useless and quite frankly hate the working people of this country, middle class, the small and medium sized businesses.

 

[Aviador]

5 Carousels? The previous plans showed 3.

Interestingly both the old plans for the extension and the old new terminal plans each showed just three carousels so now we're looking at 5 plus 1 for domestic.

 

[Easy289]

3 was far too short sighted. Thankfully, LBA appear to have realised this and acted accordingly.

 

[quik123]

Good to see the plans are going ahead at last but I do chuckle at the use of statistics. 83% increase in seats. So 83% of a few is still a few! And where on earth are the 90 toilets that are supposedly already available.

 

[White Heather]

Interestingly both the old plans for the extension and the old new terminal plans each showed just three carousels so now we're looking at 5 plus 1 for domestic.

It may be that instead of 3 huge carousels they are going for 5 medium sized ones so that they have a better chance of each carousel being dedicated to a specific flight. Three giant ones would almost certainly not be sufficient at busy times and would result in two flights' luggage going on the same carousel at peak times.

Good to see the plans are going ahead at last but I do chuckle at the use of statistics. 83% increase in seats. So 83% of a few is still a few! And where on earth are the 90 toilets that are supposedly already available.

It's an 83% increase in ALL seating in the terminal, including bars, eateries, lounges and general seating, which actually is quite a lot.

 

[Aviador]

3 was far too short sighted. Thankfully, LBA appear to have realised this and acted accordingly.

True but it makes me a little concerned about the space. There's still the same amount of space. I look forward to seeing the plans to see how it can be done.

 

[White Heather]

True but it makes me a little concerned about the space. There's still the same amount of space. I look forward to seeing the plans to see how it can be done.

How do you know that there's the same amount of space? The entire internal layout has been changed.