Leeds Bradford Airport is in West Yorkshire, near the small town of Yeadon, and has been operating commercial flights from 1935.There was a break during WW2, with flights starting again in 1947.

The airport has developed gradually over the last thirty years, and now has nearly three million passengers a year.

There is a mix of scheduled and charter airlines with nservices from the airport, including KLM, Ryanair,Jet2.com,Eastern Airways,bmibaby,Flybe,Pakistan International Airlines,Manx2,and numerous charter and travel companies.

The airport has one terminal, which has a range of shops and restaurants available. Ity also boasts a very pleasant airport lounge, guaranteed to be peaceful, as children under the age of 12 are not admitted.

There are many Leeds Bradford Airport Parking solutions available, including on-site, park & ride and meet and greet solutions.

Leeds Bradford Airport expansion put oin back burner. The Yorkshire Post has reported difficulties with their proposed expansion schemes.

" Ambitious plans to expand Leeds Bradford International Airport and attract millions more passengers have been kicked into touch.
Leeds councillors had been advised to rubber-stamp the £28m terminal expansion project, which is expected to generate 3,000 jobs, so long as airport chiefs agreed a raft of measures to combat traffic congestion and improve public transport.
 
Campaigners outside Leeds Civic Hall before the planning meeting to discuss the Leeds Bradford Airport expansion scheme  and there is a video clip ...

But last night planning councillors unanimously agreed to defer their decision. They indicated broad support for the expansion, but criticised the transport blueprint put forward by the airport for failing to tackle key issues. These included transport links from Leeds, one of Britain's most congested cities.

Coun Jamie Matthews (Liberal Democrat, Headingley) told the city council's plans panel west: "What we want is some ambitious public transport ideas."

The expansion of the outdated terminal building is at the heart of a £70m masterplan designed to improve facilities and increase passenger numbers to 5.1 million a year by 2016.

Airport owners Bridgepoint Capital say passengers travelling through the existing terminal building are beset with delays and congestion. The proposed two-storey extension would improve facilities, with a new departure lounge, shops and passenger screening zone and improved immigration facilities.

Airport chiefs had pledged to invest heavily in public transport, including a phased contribution of £1m towards bus services and highway measures and investment in bus links between the airport and Bradford, Harrogate and Leeds.

There were also plans to reinstate buses between the airport and York.

Business leaders have long demanded better transport investment – a survey two years ago warned that Yorkshire's business community favoured Manchester Airport because the roads to Leeds Bradford in Yeadon were so congested and there was no direct rail link.

The airport's operation and engineering director, Carl Lapworth, told councillors yesterday: "This application is about improving the way in which the terminal operates."

He said most Yorkshire air travellers travelled outside the region for flights and the airport was keen to improve public transport and supportive of a tram-train link.

But councillors were warned that the Government, which vetoed the Leeds Supertram scheme in 2005, would have to back any tram-train scheme, which was still a long way off.

Faced with a sea of public protest, councillors said they wanted to see how bus use would be encouraged if already congested roads around the airport could be improved, and sought reassurance that efforts to press the Government for a tram-train link would continue.

Coun Matthews added: "We want some clear structure in place that's going to look at these ideas. At the moment from what I can see the ambition is to get what's six per cent bus usership up to 10 per cent – well, that's not good enough."

Coun Neil Taggart (Labour, Bramley and Stanningley) described the public transport proposals as "an aspirational wish list".

Local resident David Cooper said he did not think expansion of bus services would encourage people to leave their cars at home. "Businessmen do not use buses," he told the meeting.

The council received well over 1,000 letters of protest to the proposals. Environment group Friends of the Earth said estimated increases in passenger numbers represented a huge increase in traffic and warned of the climate change impact

Protesters who also gathered outside prior to the meeting at Leeds Civic Hall voiced fears local roads would become gridlocked despite efforts to encourage bus use.

Among those backing the scheme were the Yorkshire Tourist Board, Yorkshire County Cricket Club and Bradford Chamber of Commerce.

The plans will now be discussed again by councillors at a later date."

How typically British!

Leeds Bradford Airport has published timekeeping statistics, which make a very impressive read. In the first quarter of 2009, more than 93% of flights were early or on time, compared to 83.5% at Newcastle Airport, 79% at Glasgow Airport, 77% at Birmingham Airport, 74.5% Manchester Airport, 73% at all London airports and 70% Edinburgh Airport

During January to March 2009, 69.4% of flights departing or arriving at LBIA were on time, 23.8% were early and just 6.8% were delayed.

Jet2.com operates 38 routes out of Leeds Bradford with 99% of all movements from the airport. Boss of Jet2.com Philip Meeson,  commented “I am especially pleased with the on time performance of flights out of Leeds Bradford Airport –Jet2.com’s low fares and exceptional service are what keeps our customers coming back to travel to our exciting destinations. I really appreciate all the hard-work of the employees at Leeds Bradford Airport and Jet2.com who have made this fantastic achievement happen.”