LEEDS BRADFORD AIRPORT review : 19 August 2008 : by Fionnuala Griffiths
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Customer Rating : 1/5 |  |
Leeds Bradford airport is very poor. Poor communication, very poor food, much ridiculous climbing up
and down stairs, long walks or silly bus journeys, very slow security, shop for papers books etc
today manned by 1 person - 30 in the queue. It makes Belfast look excellent!
Leeds Bradford Airport review by H Knight
17 March 2008 Customer Rating : 
I was very underwhelmed by Leeds Bradford after my first visit there. However, initially my
impressions were good since check-in with Flybe was quick and so was security with pleasant staff.
Nevertheless, the departure lounge was fairly bad. Many comments here say that it drastically needs
updating and I couldn't agree more since it is a long way behind other regional airports like
Southampton and Bristol, which in my opinion have better layouts and are in considerably better
condition. When we were called for boarding we were sent upstairs to an air-bridge and then had to
come down another set of stairs from the air-bridge to the aircraft (Q400). This was fine for me but
a woman with her young child and a push-chair had found it very difficult and had to get another
passenger to help her. Why we couldn't have gone out one of the gates on the ground floor to the
aircraft is beyond me and why the ground staff didn't help is even more staggering. Something needs
to change, and I will probably be using Manchester in the future.
Leeds Bradford Airport review by I Cameron
22 January 2008 Customer Rating : 
Leeds Bradford is very disappointing. I flew from the airport (my local) for the first time just
after Christmas. Jet2.com check-in is in a warehouse-type add-on, but is as expected, then a long
walk to security screening, where you queue in a narrow, cramped corridor. Most galling was how,
having left security screening, you turn a corner and are launched into the middle of a duty-free
shop with no other option than to go through it to get to the departure lounge. This is blatent
marketing at its worst: travellers are forced to trail through the shop, dodging round stands of
goods on the way. The departure lounge is shabby with few seats. If only as much money was spent on
improving the waiting areas as is spent on providing sparkling duty-free shops. It's a shame: LBA
really could have been (and probably was once) a pleasant little local airport that was a pleasure
to use, but so little thought seem to have been put into the design and upkeep that the result is a
cramped and shabby mess, where flogging duty-free goods to passengers seems to take preference over
comfort.
Leeds Bradford Airport review by D Hargreaves
21 January 2008 Customer Rating :
Levels of service continue to fall well below an acceptable level. Security checks too slow and just
don't work. Servisair continue to be one of the worst organisations to deal with, no staff on hand
to help, able to lose bags with ease. After 2 months, it's back to Manchester, twice as far to
travel but they know how to operate an airport.
Leeds Bradford Airport review by James Lee
15 August 2007 Customer Rating :
An appalling mess of an airport. Eating establishments that close before 5pm, lack of security, the
most exorbitant car parking fees, passport control who cannot seem to handle more than 10 passengers
an hour, only 3 buses to transport passenger from departures to the aircraft despite 15 plane stands
that are nowhere near the terminal building. Such a shame that it is my local airport and I have to
use it occasionally. 3 million passengers will use this airport this year. LBA does not have the
infrastructure in place to deal with that kind of number.
Leeds Bradford Airport review by H Bratley
10 August 2007 Customer Rating :
Broken seating, worn out carpets, filthy windows the whole place didn't looked like it had had a
cleaner in months. I used to enjoy flying from this airport but the experience is now getting very
poor. There just isn't enough space for all the extra flights that have now been added from here and
the queue for security is a joke - often stretching right back into the check-in area. The absence of
any gate lounges also adds to the congestion on the ground floor. Arriving back is no joy either when
you often have a long 10 to 15 minutes walk outside in the elements before getting into the terminal
and then a long flight of stairs to get to passport control, before going down more stairs to the
totally inadequate baggage claim area. I then had a 45 minute wait before the bags arrived.
Leeds Bradford Airport review by W Warnock
12 July 2007 Customer Rating :
A small provincial airport that does not try to be anything better. This
was the first time I'd used the airport for some years (normally go to
Manchester which offer many more destinations) as I was connecting via
Heathrow to the US. The queues at check in were taking up most of the
floor space and it was difficult to see what line you should be in for
some flights. After check in, you then head down a corridor which is
marked 'passengers only after this point'. At the end of the corridor
there is a door where the public could freely enter right in front of
the security area! Once through security, there is a small section with
not enough seats to cope with the volumes of people that are waiting for
holiday flights. Overall impression - poor. For the catchment area
involved the airport should offer more destinations and facilities. I'll
be back in Manchester next time, even for a Heathrow connecting flight.
Leeds Bradford Airport review by Daryl Ward
1 March 2007 Customer Rating : n/a
A small airport with great convenient car park facilities, friendly
(usually quick) check in and security and pleasant facilities when in
the departure lounge. The location does mean sometimes flights are
delayed / cancelled due to bad weather but this is the exception rather
than the norm.
Leeds Bradford Airport review by Daren Stubbs
13 February 2007 Customer Rating : n/a
A small but pleasant airport. Good food facilities and enough computers
around to allow me to book travel insurance and pass the time until my
flight arrived. The car park is down a slight incline which can be a
problem if you had lots of luggage, saw some passengers struggling.
Overall a good regional airport.
Leeds Bradford Airport review by Ron Mackenzie
1 January 2007 Customer Rating : n/a
An excellent airport with easy access from the north. Good range of services/routes. Terminal
somewhat crowded so extending or enlarging would seem beneficial. Good parking and all the
usual facilities.
Leeds Bradford Airport review by Ron Mackenzie
8 November 2006 Customer Rating : n/a
Leeds/Bradford is convenient and much preferable to slogging over to
Manchester. But I have to agree with other contributors, it needs a big
shake-up if not a rebuild. For a city that reckons to be leading the
field, the airport is a big let-down. It gives the impression of a mish-
mash of different bits added over time with little thought to passenger
comfort and convenience - exactly what it is! This is a shame, as we
used it recently and found the airport and Jet2 staff friendly and
helpful, so can't blame them. Also on the plus side, public areas and
toilets were clean and tidy. But the whole place feels terribly cramped,
even at quieter periods, and especially airside [where you suddenly find
yourself funnelled into that glitzy duty-free shopping trap]. I wouldn't
fancy using it at peak time with a young family in tow.
Leeds Bradford Airport review by Gavin Stewart
22 October 2006
Regular LBA user - it's getting steadily more cramped inside but LBA is
still a handy "small-airport" of some charm, and overall more relaxing
to go through than Manchester. Short-stay parking a joy, literally a few
feet to walk; long-stay can be miles though (bus pick-up good, friendly)
after years of trying I've never found a spot anywhere near the front
(who are all those people!?). Check-in hall small but usually very
quick. Landside facilities rubbish - big food hall that shuts at will
and tedious queues with just one student on duty. Once past security you
should head upstairs - always much quieter. Cafe gone a bit downhill
recently, good machine but garbage coffee, staff with no English. Lots
of amusing hand waving and pointing. LBA used to have a brilliant kids
play area here but alas no more. Cafe frequently used for impromptu
staff interviews which can be slight irritation. Plentiful screens.
Very few air bridges, lots of walks to planes, which I happen to like.
Better than those awful stand up bus rides. Achilles heel at LBA is
tendency to fog; as I understand it rwy is cat III in one direction but
only cat I in the other (rwy 14 I think) so fog performance is pot luck
- went through 17th October no problem in a real pea souper - Ryanair
running fine, yet every BMI mysteriously cancelled with miserable coach
loads in a procession to London. So I wonder if its fog reputation is
really the airport's fault.
Leeds Bradford Airport review by James Williams
6 September 2006
Travelled from LBA to AMS using KLM UK. Check-in was a breeze with only
1 person ahead in the queue. From car to check-in was a matter of 1
minute. Can't beat that. Check-in personnel were very welcoming.
Security was very stringent but again carried out in a professional yet
friendly manner. Only a couple of people ahead of me in the queue.
Shopping opportunities are not plentiful but the airport is functional
and clean and wherever possible I use it rather than going over to
Manchester. I'd rather have an indirect flight from Leeds.
Leeds Bradford Airport review by Terry Piper
15 February 2006
We use Leeds Bradford a lot as it's our closest airport however it does
seem to be lacking in several departments as mentioned by several
people. Public Transport to the Airport is provided by 3 bus routes -
757 to Leeds which runs every half hour and takes upto 50 minutes, the
737 to Bradford and the latest 767 to Harrogate. Other than that it's
car or taxi, the roads into the airport are pretty dire and during the
rush hour the A65 is very very slow with about 10 speed cameras between
the city and airport. The airport is prone to bad weather since it's
very high above Leeds on the edge of the Pennines and can often be shut
due to low cloud and fog. The Terminal is a mish mash of old and new
however the layout isn't ideal with a long walk from the terminal to
some aircraft in the open air along narrow paths where little attempt
has been made to accomodate passengers. Even the airports developement
plan seems to avoid the real issues as what is needed is a new simpler
user friendly terminal, good points are a possible rail link and new
relief road. To be really sucessful they need to retain or improve the
route network. There is nothing to Germany and recently two routes have
been lost (although the cost of the flights and bad timetables could
have been the main reasons) which were to Jersey and the Isle of Man.
Overall it is handy to have nearby but with Doncaster/Sheffield near by
some planning is needed to avoid passengers going further afield to
airports with better facilities.
Leeds Bradford Airport review by Graham Perkin
14 February 2006
A good little airport really but abysmal landside facilities.
The "food village" closes whenever it wants, usually around 1530 (when
there are plenty more flights inbound and outbound with potential
customers). The burger king only opens for a few hours a day. Yates bar
is better but too expensive. Greggs is probably the best place but its
in arrivals - passengers wouldn't know it exists unless they are
arriving ones - again, closes its doors in afternoon. Airside, the food
court charges ridiculous prices (around £6.50 for a bacon and egg roll).
Public transport services - the 737 bus which goes to Bradford is the
worst run bus I've seen. Apart from that, a good airport needs to keep
going with expansion. Long stay car park is going to end up in the
middle of Leeds if they keep extending it down the road - and a train
service is needed to the centre of Leeds/Bradford etc.
Leeds Bradford Airport review by C Hesse
3 January 2006
Used the airport several times in the past on KLM's AMS service. Terminal extremely tight with an
apparent lack of space despite recent extensions. Need for new infrastructure apparent. Very poor
public transport access.
Leeds Bradford Airport review by Jim Booth
19 December 2005
As a regular user of Leeds/Bradford (twice a week), I have seen the
airport grow from just a breeze block enclosed area of a hanger (in the
mid 60's) to the now (completely swallowed up) smart curved terminal of
1968, to the maze of half hearted extensions of today. It is time some-
one had the guts to start again. LBIA is about to become a major
regional airport, but it is still struggling with a near capacity
terminal that is simply too small. The staff are friendly and helpful,
with the exception of certain service-air staff, you know who you are,
try smiling, we know it's 7a.m.! If LBIA is going to fulfil its
potential, it needs to grow NOW, not in 2015 as the masterplan suggests,
grasp the nettle and build a pier out to the far end of the apron, and
for heaven sakes, build some airbridges while you are at it!!
Leeds Bradford Airport review by Andrew Bennett
7 November 2005
This could be a pleasant, mid-sized regional airport but quality control
seems sadly lacking. Is it growing too quickly for its own good?
Everywhere is unpleasantly cramped near the exit doors to the outside
loading bays (still no effort to protect passengers from the Yorkshire
weather! Are Jet2 unwilling to pay to use covered ways, or what?) and
the proximity to hard drinkers in the bar comes close to being
threatening at times of long delay. Added to which, the courtesy bus
service to the long stay car park is a joke - just on vehicle (a small
minibus at that) at most times, which takes an eternity to travel around
its quite short route.
Leeds Bradford Airport review by Mark Tacon
22 July 2005
Leeds may have been a small happy airport sadly I find that has all gone. I use it frequently
and all I find now is massive lines at check in. Jet 2 (Servisair) understaffed, no
thought to passenger numbers that will be turning up. Security again staff very jobs-worth and
too few of them. Long waits for bus to turn up. At first thought it might have been the odd day
but after 8 months now little change. Think a small airport that has taken on routes and numbers
it was nowhere near ready for. They are however trying to improve it. To little too late.
Leeds Bradford Airport review by Bob Dale
1
July 2005
If you really want to fly from Leeds only attempt this in the summer. Even then you must ensure its
dry, clear and calm. If its winter drive to Manchester. I've had so many flights cancelled I've lost count.
Leeds Bradford Airport review by Andrew Bennett
11
May 2005
Re my previous comment, I believe the bmi route to London City has been pulled because of lack of
passenger numbers. A great pity but GNER have undoubtedly worked hard at providing a very
competitive rail service.
Leeds Bradford Airport review by Andrew Bennett
26
April 2005
The new service to London City is most welcome,
as it provides connections to Luxembourg. Access and parking from the Skipton side are very easy
(although I know that it can be arduous from the Leeds direction) and the airport itself is
generally compact and pleasant. I agree, however, that too little thought has been given to
protecting passengers from the ravages of Yorkshire weather - it's often no fun arriving back here
from Nice, say!
Leeds Bradford Airport review by A Kundu
19
February 2005
As I live in the area, I use this airport regularly. The best thing about it is its relatively small
size. Especially for early morning flights, one can check in and reach the gate in minutes. The
worst thing about it is generally thoughtless planning: Airbridges are rarely used, so one must
regularly brave the weather (and traffic). A recently re-built international arrivals area
opens out into the weather as there is no cover to the taxi rank 20 metres away. To go from
passport control to the gates means walking through the main shopping area (how crass). And the
upstairs departure area has become a labyrinth of corridors and seating areas where departure
announcements can easily be missed.
Leeds Bradford Airport review by S Ross
10 October 2004
The cheapest food in an airport in the UK I have ever experienced! A delightful friendly small
airport where efficiency is seemingly second nature. Its a walk outside to the aircraft and the
terminal is small - but it is well maintained and serves its purpose well. It could be better
signposted and have better public transport connections.
Leeds Bradford Airport review by Allan
D Robins
27 July 2004
LBA is doomed when the new Doncaster airport opens in spring 2005. You have to use the Leeds Ring
Road to get to it (A mini M25 at peak) and the sign posts are hit & miss. Parking poor & expensive,
the terminal for Jet2 is pokey. No smoking signs ignored, even at 7am in the morning and then
there's
the cold morning walk to the aircraft. I only use this one when everything else fails.
Leeds Bradford Airport review by D Lewis
18 May 2004
Leeds Bradford is a pleaure to use. Efficient, clean and with excellent staff. I would definitely
recommend Leeds Bradford to anyone, whether that be a business or leisure traveller.
Leeds Bradford Airport review by D Hargreaves
27 February 2004
Not big in size, but certainly among the best small airports. Biggest let down is the shortage of airbridges,
walking out to the plane is no pleasure on a cold wet and windy Yorkshire morning!
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