Leeds Bradford Airport

What more can you say about this third rate airport although this time passport control was full manned the list is same as all the others. a) Taxi and bus drop off too far from front of terminal other airport's drop off at Main Doors Not 200 metres away. b) Overcrowded Security and check for number of flights Except Jet2 which has its own Porta Cabin Building. c) If more than two planes land you have to wait for buses "They only Have 2 in use". e) Normal Taxi have be a least 300 mtrs away to encourage you to use the airports private taxi service at higher rates. f) The£2 drop off fee. The airport layout is shambolic you have to constantly walk up and down stairs and a covered walk way that some third world airport would have.

Have flown out of Leeds on a number of occasions this year always at the 7am peak. Great efforts are made now to get people on planes from 5.30am boarding starts which obviously free up 150+ seats so by the time we started boarding at 6.15am plenty of seating spaces we have had no issues at 5am getting a seat this year. The opening of 6 x-ray machines has speeded the time through security in mid October we never stopped walking and were through in less then 5 minutes great when you think 45 minutes plus in March. Returning is still an issue we could not get off the bus in September due to KLM boarding in October no belt number came up on the board but as only 3 belts did not take over a minute to locate our belt still long customs queues and a long walk along the walkway for us oldies. Compared to Malaga and Ibiza the only other airports used this year Leeds gets high marks based on these two a lot worse out there.

Parking was simple check in quick and security excellent - took less than 2 minutes. Shops and eateries are good for the size of the airport and plenty of spare seats. Arrival back was efficient - disembarked and cleared customs in 5 minutes luggage reclaimed 5 minutes after that. I have always found LBA to be very good.

For those who have only recent experience of this airport I can advise that at one time it was a pleasant place to fly from with relaxing places to sit read or have a quiet snack. It is our local airport and we have generally seen it as the first choice of airport. It has changed drastically for the worse in recent years and the management should be hanging its collective head in shame. On our last departure from there 13 October 2013 we arrived in the terminal to find there was hardly anywhere to sit. People were sitting on steps ledges any place they could rest their bottoms. We decided to use one of the cafes. All of the tables were covered in the dirty dishes left by previous occupants. We made use of one corner of it. But for the hour we were there no attempt was made to clear that or any other table. The place is cramped and unpleasant but it does have a large area devoted to the sale of perfumes if you want to deflect the smell of beer and congealed grease.

You get wet to and from the plane they cant cope with more than one plane landing. Shops are more important than customers. You go upstairs to come back down again. Parking drop fee should be free and not a hike away. There should be attendants at the gates at all times to help. The forecourt looks a total mess. You are greeted on plane arrival by std call center we value your custom (I think not) we regret delay always why not address the reason?

My heart sinks at the prospect of using LBA. I have had numerous miserable experiences of the airport on the Dusseldorf route both out and return. The most memorable was last year when having landed and disembarked from the aircraft we appeared to be locked out of the airport having walked along the 'green mile' (aka the covered walkway that lasts forever). A German national behind me remarked 'does Yorkshire close at 9 pm?' Just before someone appeared turned the lights on and let us in to the terminal! Yesterday however I have to say I was shocked (pleasantly). I came in on the BA flight from LHR and had the unexpected pleasure of the airbridge no queues and no hassle. I was off the aircraft and into a cab in 6 minutes! All good apart from the price of the cab home but as these reviews testify LBA exists to liberate you of as much money as possible. It's a bit like reverse quantitative easing for the weary traveller. So I have to objective and as much as it pains me the last experience of LBA was fine.

Flew from Yeadon because it was much cheaper than Newcastle for similar dates. I won't be in a hurry to fly from here again. The airport is unable to cope with the expansion of flights being offered by Jet2.com. One has to queue for everything. For example the bar had a long queue snaking through it on a busy Saturday afternoon and only 2 staff behind the bar. You need a drink to fortify yourself for the mammoth walk to the plane along a leaky corridor. As mentioned previously the return experience is as bad. Long wait to get off the plane and another delay in a bus between the plane and the terminal building. An apology went out over the tannoy because of the long wait at immigration. This was caused by 2 planes arriving at the same time! Avoid if possible.

Awful airport one of the worst I have to use. Catering is poor shops close early it gets packed solid in summer drop off arrangements are a rip-off at £2 a shot with no free waiting period.

This reviews not just based upon my most recent visit it is based upon both visits this year as they were both as bad. If the operating problems were just a one off they would not have been identical on both occasions. I realize that airports like everywhere else have busy periods but it is up to the management team to manage those times and as they should know when most flights are due to take off and land be prepared for them. Arrive at the airport you cannot drop passengers outside the terminal without paying £2 for the privilege so all the party must go to the car park and get on the 16 seat mini bus. Early morning there can be 16 people waiting at each bus stop so give yourself plenty of time to transfer to the airport. Once at the airport the check ins do move reasonably fast but that's the airlines ground services who have made that possible. Then the nightmare of security. Please allow an hour or so for this unless of course you pay extra to fast track. Now I begrudge this as I've already paid for security in my initial not insubstantial charges made by the airline. Once through security you are taken through a maze of shops with no where to sit. As I usually have my elderly parents with me and they've had to endure the security line this is a requirement. The cafes bars and restaurants are all very over priced I know airports are not cheap places to eat and drink but LBA is a lot more expensive then Manchester or East Midlands near by. Once you land back the real nightmare begins. It always seems to take the airport by surprise that more then one plane lands within an hour. The walk outside to the terminal building can be 400m in a covered walk way then a further 3 to 400 m inside up stairs and crossing the path of other passengers getting onto departing planes. Once you arrive at the passport control area there are only a maximum of 6 border guards yesterday this was full manned however I have known only 4 with 1 taken up by priority line (extra fees apply). It has taken me so long to get through this debacle that they had taken my case off the carousel and into left luggage and I was not the only passenger on my flight that this happened to. Once through the buses to the car parks are the same. The drivers are great but with only 3 of them and 16 sweater buses they are fighting a losing battle. All in all avoid if possible. Which is a pity as its a great local resource badly managed.

Arrived LBA 0107 hrs Sunday 22/09/2013. Passport control queue could not have been longer I thought we were part of the EU why do we need it if we are traveling within the EU especially at that time of day. (Did get a smile from the officer that was a bonus). Who then decided to put luggage from 5 inbound flights onto the same carousel 2 of them were 757's with 200 passengers on each. When I asked 3 serviceair reps that were stood there doing nothing they laughed and said the next 3 flights will be in trouble. This attitude is neither productive or a good advert for our area.