Leeds Bradford Airport

Not Verified | Leeds Bradford is an awful airport. Security is like a cattle market with you herded through a small hot security room. Things only get worse from there as once through security you find the airport has few facilities and even fewer sets. If you want an alcoholic drink expect at least a 20-30 minute wait. The return journey was just as bad as they had a problem unloading the planes, which resulted in a delay of over an hour after we landed and got through passport control. Which led to thee plane's worth of passengers crammed in to the very small baggage collection area, with the entrance and exit next to each other so the whole place became gridlocked. To top it off our daughter had to move from the 1 hour free parking, missed the turning to the medium stay due to the lack of lighting and poor signage, she had to reverse back a few feet to get in but got a £100 penalty notice for stopping. Clearly Leeds Bradford airport expect you to do hand brake turns if you miss the entrance to one of their car parks.

✅ Trip Verified | I don't know what all the fuss was about. Bad reviews about security, dirty airport, unfriendly staff, no seating? I experienced none of that. In view of the negative reviews, we arrived 3 hours before take off, and were through security in five minutes. Very cheerful, efficient and friendly staff. Bought some items at duty free, and the lady there was extremely pleasant and helpful. Plenty of seating. Good food and drink offers, and both the airport and toilets were very clean. Boarding process straightforward and stressless. On return, our plane landed about 40 minutes behind schedule. This unfortunately coincided with 3 other flights landing at the same time, so passport control was very busy, but it only took about 20 minutes to get through. The staff there were smiling at 22.00. I understand why passengers complain, but it's also useful to get positive reviews sometimes. I hope my next experience of Leeds Bradford will be as good as this one.

Not Verified | I had no complaints on departing from the airport but on arrival, compared to Alicante airport, the toilets were grim, there was even rubbish on the floor on the way to passport control. Going through Nothing to Declare the area was filthy, dust and fluff everywhere mixed with hairs and dirt. It is is embarrassing. Please pay for a cleaner.

Not Verified | My wife and I flew out of LBA on Friday 15th Sept. After queuing and passing through security we found that there was no available seating in the terminal. The terminal was very warm and the air stale. There was no way of getting any cool or fresh air. We queued in a corridor after being called for our flight and again the glass corridor was very hot and no fresh air. Not good for somebody who is still recovering from a severe heart attack. Very poor for 'Yorkshires Largest International Airport" that they advertise. More like Yorkshires Largest Embarrassment. On our return, it got even worse. Our plane landed and we were informed that there were no buses available (only 3 buses in use for what turned out to be approximately 500 passengers) to transport the passengers as two other planes had just landed, and then a third turned up. We were held on the plane before a bus arrived for a 30 second trip. Then, only to find out we could have walked 150 feet to Gate 9 and then to the terminal. When we reached the terminal entrance several passengers complained and the bus driver was extremely rude. The Jet 2 reps were all but useless. It took us 45 minutes to actually get to the terminal from landing, and then we were forced to queue in the rain and cold and then endure a further 45 minutes before reaching Passport Control. No toilets or fresh air. Passport Control was struggling. Why? Why must British Citizens endure the wait for Passport checks when the electronic Passport Control allows EU residents through and not British Nationals into their own country? Surely, it should be the other way around? Upon visiting the gents toilet in the baggage area I found it to be disgusting. The area smelt considerably and appeared to not have been cleaned for several days. The fixtures and fittings were very old and worn, and can only be described as disgraceful. LBA should be ashamed. Upon getting outside it got even worse. Because LBA have decided to close the road to any vehicle other than Arrow Taxis that have to be booked and paid for in advance for at least £10 more than other taxi firms charge, there was a very long queue as one would expect after four aircraft had just landed. It was pouring with rain and the temperature was 9 Deg. I managed to book a taxi from another company to pick us up at the only drop off point, but only after being soaked through to the skin, literally. We understand that the original drop off areas at the front of the terminal have been closed because of security concerns in the past, but why has it not been re-opened. Why not? After all, every other airport in the world except the UK does not do this. Even in the Middle East. I know, I have been to most of them. Could it be the security excuse allows the profit to be too large to stop it? When LBA has been asked in the past why there is a charge of £6 (increase of 100% since 2016) to drop people off at the drop off point, we are told that the money is used to improve the airport. Where exactly? There has been no visible improvement to LBA since Jet2 erected their check in building years ago. I have travelled extensively around the world on business regularly and the two worst airports I have visited are Manchester and Leeds Bradford. They are both old, tatty, smelly and out of date. We live in the countries largest most beautiful county but we are served by the one of two worst airports in this country. LBA should be ashamed of themselves.

Not Verified | This is a small provincial airport but that doesn’t mean it should be dirty, careworn and unclean. I know maintenance costs money, but this place really is shabby. Couple this with the fact that there are no employees, other than those selling duty-free and food and you have a terrible advert for Leeds and Bradford. Even the food businesses are understaffed and shabby. There is no drop off area at the terminal. You have to use the short-term parking lot at £5 just to drop off. Unacceptable, totally.

Not Verified | LBA gets worse by the day. Every aspect of this crude and greedy operation is aimed at squeezing maximum cash from customers while offering the absolute minimum service in return. Last night I arrived home from Poland and waited a full 90 minutes to leave the aircraft and pass through passport control - far, far worse than any of the many airports I’ve travelled through in recent months in Europe and beyond. The queue from passport control extended along a long corridor, down the stairs and out onto the tarmac where we were left to stand in the pouring rain. It’s not the fault of the staff, who do their best. LBA was once a great little local airport and a real pleasure to use. Those days are long gone - you feel ripped off from the moment you set foot there. Time for a change of ownership to someone who actually cares about passengers.

Not Verified | Welcome to a copy of a badly run Airport from 1975. After arriving at the airport and booking in we were shoehorned into a tiny security area smaller than the Gregg's outside and literally pushed through the scanners by possibly the rudest staff I have experienced in an airport for nearly 40 years. On entering the waiting area it was then the heat hit us. There were so many people crammed into a small area that everyone was baking and sweating. There was no where near enough seating and people were laying on the floor to try and get cool. The airport had 2 air conditioners plugged into a wall but this did not even dent the stifling heat. Rather than expanding the airport so it could deal with the right amount of passengers they have simply filled the airport with as many shops as possible and not included any windows that open so you can see the cool outside but can not get anywhere near it. Such design tactics would be good for anyone looking to build a torture chamber in the future. It did remind me of how Spanish Airports used to be in the bad old days when passengers were treat like cattle. A truly torturous experience.

Not Verified |  I would like to send my thanks and appreciation to all who work for the special assisatance secton at the airport. They are professional and friendy. On this particular trip can I give a special mention to Colin and Lorraine who went out of their way to assist my wife and I, especially with the usual chaos at baggage claim. You made a tough flight a lot easier getting home.

Not Verified | Shocking 90 minute wait to get through passport control. 30 minutes waiting outside and then a long corridor that was filthy leaking and generally dirty. 4 of the 8 manual desks were in use, with unpleasant staff who were slow and deliberately abrupt and rude to passengers slowing the process up. I feel embarrased to say this is my local airport no where else is the customer service so appalling.

Not Verified | This is possibly the worst airport in the country. We arrived at 11.30 pm and had to walk a huge distance from the plane to the passport control. People were carrying young children up flights of steps on a never ending journey. We went for a taxi only to be told we have to use the taxi ticket office. They have a deal with the airport which allows them to cheat passengers out of their cash. The driver got £25 fare the cost of the fare was £40.48. so it cost us £15.48 for the lowlifes to shout from the kiosk. This airport is not fit for purpose and instead of being extended should be pulled down. Not enough seating for passengers on the outward journey just a joke.