Leeds Bradford International Airport

Infobox Airport
name = Leeds Bradford International Airport
nativename =
nativename-a =
nativename-r =

---

image-width =
caption =
IATA = LBA
ICAO = EGNM
type = Public
owner = Bridgepoint Capital
operator = Leeds Bradford International Airport Limited
city-served = West and North Yorkshire
location = Yeadon, Leeds, West Yorkshire
elevation-f = 681
elevation-m = 208
coordinates = Coord|53|51|57|N|001|39|38|W|display=inline|type:airport
website = [http://www.lbia.co.uk www.lbia.co.uk]
metric-rwy = yes
r1-number = 14/32
r1-length-f = 7,382
r1-length-m = 2,250
r1-surface = Concrete
h1-number =
h1-length-f =
h1-length-m =

Leeds Bradford International Airport Airport codes|LBA|EGNM is located in the City of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England. The nearest town is Yeadon, and the airport is sometimes locally referred to as Yeadon airport. It serves the cities of Leeds and Bradford, as well as the wider Yorkshire region. The airport was in public ownership until May 2007, when it was sold for £145.5 million. [http://www.lbia.co.uk/newsandupdates-newsstory.php?storyid=20070503 LBIA - Bridgepoint acquires Leeds Bradford International Airport] ]

Leeds Bradford has a CAA Public Use Aerodrome Licence (Number P800) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction. The airport is also the highest in England at an elevation of 681ft. [ [http://www.lbia.co.uk/airportcompany-operationaldata-airfieldinformation.php Leeds Bradford International Airport - Airfield Information] ]

History

Early history

The airport was opened as the "Leeds and Bradford Municipal Aerodrome" (Yeadon Aerodrome) on 17 October 1931 and was operated by the Yorkshire Aeroplane Club on behalf of Leeds and Bradford Corporations. In 1935 the aerodrome was expanded by 35 acres and scheduled flights began on 8 April 1935 with a service by North Eastern Airways from London (Heston Aerodrome) to Newcastle-upon-Tyne (Cramlington). The service was soon extended to Edinburgh (Turnhouse). In June 1935 Blackpool and West Coast Air Services started a service to the Isle of Man. By 1936 the London/Yeadon/Newcastle/Edinburgh service was flying three times a week and also stopped at Doncaster and carried on to Aberdeen (Dyce).

In 1936, No.609 (West Riding) Squadron of the Auxiliary Air Force, RAF formed at Yeadon, and seasonal flights between Yeadon and Liverpool commenced. Work also began on a terminal building, but progress was halted after only one section had been completed.

Wartime use

Civil aviation at Yeadon was curtailed in 1939, with the outbreak of World War II. Avro built a new shadow factory, to produce military aircraft, just to the North of the aerodrome; a taxiway connected the factory to the aerodrome and many of the aircraft first flew from Yeadon. The aircraft manufactured included the Bristol Blenheim (250), the Lancaster bomber (695), the Anson (over 4,500), the York (45) and the Lincoln (25).

Significant developments were made to the aerodrome; the addition of two runways, taxiways and extra hangarage led to Yeadon becoming an important site for military aircraft testing.

1947 to 1969

Civil flights recommenced at the airport in 1947, and subsequently Yeadon Aviation Ltd was formed in 1953 to run the Airport and Aero Club. Two years later in 1955 flights to Belfast, Jersey, Ostend, Southend, the Isle of Wight and Düsseldorf were added to Yeadon's destination list.

Scheduled flights to London began in 1960, and Dublin was added shortly after. A new runway was opened in 1965, and in that year the terminal building was destroyed by a fire, with a replacement terminal opened by 1968.

1970 to 1994

By the mid 1970s the package holiday had become popular in the UK and in 1976 the first holiday charter flight to the Iberian Peninsula departed Leeds Bradford.

In 1978, it was decided that, with runway extensions, the airport could be upgraded to Regional Airport status. Work began in 1982, and was completed in November 1984. This included a significant extension to the main runway, including the construction of a tunnel to take the A658 Bradford to Harrogate road beneath the runway. The airport also underwent significant extensions and redevelopments to the Terminal building, the first phase of which was opened in 1985.

On 4 November 1984, the day the runway extension was offically opened, Wardair commenced transatlantic flights from Leeds Bradford to Toronto, using Boeing 747s, though these flights were later discontinued.

In August 1986, an Air France Concorde charter flight from Paris landed at Leeds Bradford for the first time, and an estimated 60,000 people were there to see it. Occasional Concorde charter flights, all of which used British Airways aircraft, continued until June 2000, just one month before the Concorde disaster in Paris.

Initially the airport had restricted operating hours, and this deterred many charter airlines, whose cheap fares depended on 'round-the-clock' use of their aircraft. In 1994, these restrictions were removed and flights could use the airport 24 hours a day, [ [http://www.lbia.co.uk/airportcompany-aboutus-history.php LBIA - History & Developments] ] , so more airlines were attracted to Leeds Bradford.

1995 to date

Work on the airport terminal has been ongoing since 1996, and the result of this has been significant growth in terminal size and passenger facilities. In 2007 nearly 2.9 million passengers passed through the airport, an 88% increase in just seven years and more than twice as many compared with 1997 (1.2 million). Much of the growth in passenger numbers since 2003 has been due to the introduction of scheduled flights by the based low-cost airline Jet2.com.

Since 2000 the airport has been home to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

The original runway, 09/27, closed on 6 October 2005, to be redeveloped as a taxiway and to provide additional apron space.

In 2006 Isle of Man based airline Manx2 re-opened the airport's oldest air route, to the Isle of Man. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/isle_of_man/7275842.stm BBC News - New flight destination for Manx2 ] ]

2008 saw the introduction of long-haul scheduled flights to Islamabad with Shaheen Air International. This service was introduced in February but ceased after only four months. [ [http://www.lbia.co.uk/newsandupdates-announcement.php?storyid=20080502 LBIA Announcements - Shaheen Air International cease of service] ] A twice-weekly service to Islamabad with PIA began in July, utilising Airbus A310-300 aircraft. [ [http://www.lbia.co.uk/newsandupdates-newsstory.php?storyid=20080613 LBIA - PAKISTAN INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES (PIA) TO START DIRECT FLIGHTS] ] [ [http://www.lbia.co.uk/newsandupdates-newsstory.php?storyid=20080703 LBIA - Direct Flights To Islamabad Take Off ] ]

Future

In 2004 the airport published a master plan in line with government recommendations. The master plan set out the following proposals for future development: [http://www.lbia.co.uk/pdf/LBIA_Masterplan_REVJ.pdf Leeds Bradford International Airport, Masterplan 2005-2016 Rev J (Final)] ] [ [http://www.lbia.co.uk/airportcompany-airportmasterplan.php LBIA - Airport Masterplan] ] [ [http://www.lbia.co.uk/pdf/Master_Plan_Summary.pdf Leeds Bradford International Airport, Masterplan 2005-2016 Summary] ]

*Expansion of the terminal buildings, with new gates added including airbridge boarding tunnels.
*New aircraft parking areas (there are currently 19 stands, this would increase to 31).
*A change to the runway configuration (part of which has already been carried out). This includes building a taxiway parallel to the main runway. This would allow aircraft movements to increase from 16 to 25 per hour.
*New airfield equipment and buildings (Including aircraft hangars, new flight catering facilities and a new fuel farm).
*Hotel and office space (the first phase of which is now complete).
*A railway station from a spur near Horsforth
*New car parking areas.
*A new link road from the A65, to the airport and then to the A658.

The master plan "sets out the stages of development for Leeds Bradford Airport over the next 10 years and outlines general proposals for the period from 2016 to 2030." It is estimated that by 2016 the airport will handle in excess of 5.1 million passengers per year as well as seeing a significant increase in freight traffic. Both flybe and Ryanair have expressed an interest in expanding their routes at the airport, with Ryanair announcing intentions to base aircraft there. [ [http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/businessnews/Flybes-pledge-to-airport.4471098.jp Yorkshire Post - Flybe's pledge to airport] ]

Airport ownership

Leeds and Bradford councils jointly bought the airport site at Yeadon in 1930,cite book|title=A History of Bradford|last=Firth|first=Gary|date=1997|publisher=Phillimore|id=ISBN 1-86077-057-6] which opened as Yeadon Aerodrome in 1931.

The airport became a limited company in 1987, and was shared between the five surrounding boroughs of Leeds (40%), Bradford (40%) and Wakefield, Calderdale and Kirklees (together sharing the remaining 20%).

In October 2006 plans to privatise the airport were confirmed when Bradford Council became the last of the five controlling councils to agree to sell off the airport to the private sector.

On April 4 2007 the five controlling councils announced that Bridgepoint Capital had been selected as the preferred bidder. [ [http://www.lbia.co.uk/newsandupdates-newsstory.php?storyid=20070404 LBIA - Preferred Bidder Press Release] ] On May 3 2007 Bridgepoint was confirmed as the buyer. [http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/display.var.1374024.0.airport_sold_for_145_million_to_bridgepoint.php Airport Sold For 145 Million To Bridgepoint (from Bradford Telegraph and Argus) ] ]

On May 4 2007 Bridgepoint Capital acquired the airport from Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, Calderdale and Kirklees councils for £145.5 million. Although Bridgepoint Capital own the airport 100% financially, the councils hold a "special share" in the airport, to protect its name and continued operation as an air transport gateway for the Yorkshire region. The new owners have said they are to implement a £70 million capital expenditure plan, to focus on improving passenger and retail infrastructure. Other aims include more than doubling passenger numbers to 7 million per annum and adding up to 20 new scheduled destinations, both by 2015.

tatistics

Transport

The airport has connections to the local road network and is signposted on a large number of routes in the region. Bus services link the airport with Bradford, Leeds, Harrogate, York and other surrounding areas. Services to Leeds link the airport with the National Rail network via Leeds railway station and connects with long distance coach services at Leeds City Bus Station.

Licensed private hire taxis are available by pre-booking at the office in the International Arrivals area.

As part of both the airport and Metro's long-term strategies, there are proposals for the construction of a direct rail link to the airport on a branch from the Harrogate Line, however no firm commitments or timescales have been announced.

Airlines and destinations

cheduled flights

*Aer Arann (Cork)
*Air Southwest (Bristol, Newquay)
*bmi (London-Heathrow)
**operated by bmi Regional (Brussels, Copenhagen, Edinburgh, Glasgow-International)
*Eastern Airways (Aberdeen, Southampton)
*Flybe (Aberdeen [begins 26 October] , Belfast-City, Bergerac, Exeter, Southampton)
*Jet2.com (Alicante, Almería, Amsterdam, Avignon, Barcelona, Belfast-International, Chambery, Dubrovnik [begins 20 May] , Düsseldorf, Faro, Geneva, Gran Canaria, Heraklion, Ibiza, Jersey, La Rochelle, Larnaca [begins 23 May] , Kraków, Lanzarote, Madrid, Mahon, Málaga, Milan-Bergamo, Murcia, Nice, Newquay [begins 24 May] , Olbia, Palma de Mallorca, Paphos, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Pisa, Prague, Rhodes [begins Summer 09] , Rome-Fiumicino, Salzburg, Sharm el-Sheikh [begins 9 February] , Tenerife-South, Toulouse, Valencia, Venice)
*KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
**operated by KLM Cityhopper (Amsterdam)
*Manx2 (Isle of Man)
*Pakistan International Airlines (Islamabad)
*Ryanair (Alicante [begins 28 October] , Dublin, Girona)

Charter flights

*Air Europa (Tenerife-South)
*Air Malta (Malta Luqa)
*Astraeus (Chambery)
*Austrian Arrows (Innsbruck)
*BH Air (Bourgas)
*First Choice Airways (Faro)
*Iberworld (Arrecife)
*Jet2.com (Newark [begins 6 November, seasonal] , Verona)
*Onur Air (Bodrum, Dalaman)
*Spanair (Palma, Ibiza)
*Thomas Cook Airlines (Alicante, Arrecife, Dalaman, Faro, Fuerteventura, Heraklion, Ibiza, Larnaca, Las Palmas, Mahon, Málaga, Palma de Mallorca, Reus, Rhodes, Tenerife-South, Zakynthos)
*Thomsonfly (Corfu, Faro, Ibiza, Las Palmas, Palma de Mallorca, Reus, Tenerife-South)

Incidents and accidents

On 18 May 2005 a Jordanian Airbus A320, registration JY-JAR operating for Spanish charter airline LTE suffered a braking malfunction on landing at Leeds Bradford Airport following a flight from Fuerteventura. The aircraft touched down on runway 14 just beyond the touchdown zone, approximately 400m (1,300ft) beyond the aiming point. The pilots determined that the rate of deceleration was inadequate and applied full reverse thrust and full manual braking in an effort to stop the aircraft, however the normal braking system malfunctioned and the Captain turned the aircraft onto a level grassed area to the right of the runway where it came to rest. There were no injuries to the passengers or crew, however the Air Accidents Investigation Branch made seven safety recommendations in the final accident report. [cite web |url=http://www.aaib.dft.gov.uk/publications/formal_reports/6_2007_jy_jar.cfm | title=Airbus A320-211, JY-JAR | work= UK AAIB | accessdate= 2007-12-13 ] [cite web |url=http://www.airliners.net/photo/LTE-International-Airways/Airbus-A320-211/0847773/L/ | title=Picture Airbus A320-211, JY-JAR ]

On 24 May 1995 an Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante aircraft, registration G-OEAA operating a Knight Air flight between Leeds Bradford and Aberdeen entered a steeply descending spiral dive, broke up in flight and crashed into farmland at Dunkeswick Moor near Leeds. All 12 occupants were killed. The probable cause of the accident was the failure of one or both artificial horizon instruments. There was no standby artificial horizon installed (as there was no airworthiness requirement for one on this aircraft) and the accident report concluded that this left the crew without a single instrument available for assured attitude reference or simple means of determining which flight instruments had failed. The aircraft entered a spiral dive from which the pilot, who was likely to have become spatially disoriented, was unable to recover. [cite web| url=http://www.aaib.gov.uk/publications/formal_reports/2_1996__g_oeaa.cfm | title= AAIB Report No: 2/1996 | work= UK AAIB |accessdate= 2008-03-05 ] [cite web |url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19950524-0 | title=EMB-110, G-OEAA | work=Aviation Safety Network | accessdate= 2007-12-13 ]

On 27 May 1985 a Lockheed Tristar operated by British Airtours, registration G-BBAI, overran the runway surface on landing from Palma after a rain shower. The aircraft was evacuated, with only minor injuries sustained by the 14 crew and 398 passengers. The nose landing gear strut folded backwards during the overrun, leading to severe damage to the underside of the forward fuselage. The undersides of both wing-mounted engines were flattened and both engines suffered ingestion damage. The main wheels of the aircraft also dug deep troughs in the area beyond the end of the runway, damaging the buried airfield lighting cables. The accident report concluded that the overrun was caused by the inability of the aircraft to achieve the appropriate level of braking effectiveness, and recommended that both the scheduled wet runway performance of the TriStar and the condition of the surface of runway 14 at Leeds Bradford Airport should be re-examined. [cite web |url=http://www.aaib.gov.uk/publications/formal_reports/2_1987_g_bbai.cfm | title=Lockheed TriStar, G-BBAI | work= UK AAIB | accessdate= 2008-02-07 ] [cite web |url=http://www.airliners.net/photo/British-Airtours/Lockheed-L-1011-385-1-TriStar/0455462/L/ | title=Picture Lockheed TriStar, G-BBAI ]

Prior to the above, there were two further recorded incidents of runway overuns at Leeds Bradford Airport, both involving Viscount aircraft, and both showing evidence of hydroplaning. [cite web |url=http://www.aaib.gov.uk/publications/formal_reports/2_1987_g_bbai.cfm | title=Lockheed TriStar, G-BBAI | work= UK AAIB | accessdate= 2008-02-07 ]

References

External links

* [http://www.lbia.co.uk Leeds Bradford International Airport]