Leeds Bradford Airport’s CEO, Hywel Rees, explains how LBA is continuing to provide connectivity to the people of Yorkshire.
In the last few months, the LBA team and I have been pleased to welcome back travellers to our airport. Our number one priority continues to be for the safety of our passengers and staff, which is why we have strict measures in place, with clear guidance provided for everybody passing through the terminal. It’s crucial that people using our airport continue to recognise the importance of fundamentals like washing their hands, using appropriate face coverings, and maintaining social distancing, so that we can continue to operate as a gateway for Yorkshire.
The resumption of arrivals and departures followed months of careful planning and preparation. Working closely with airlines and partners, the airport implemented a range of measures in line with the latest guidance from the Government to keep passengers and staff safe. Along with supporting our airline partners in restarting their flights, LBA has also taken the opportunity to welcome the RAF, to support in vital training exercises.
In May, as part of the celebrations for Florence Nightingale’s 200th birthday, some of our team at LBA set a challenge of completing 200 lengths of the runway to raise funds for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. Yorkshire Air Ambulance provides a lifesaving service in our region and we know that it has faced challenges during this current pandemic. By the end of the week, our team completed 2,614km, equating to 1,162 lengths of the runway, and raised an impressive £10,000, directly funding use of the air ambulance.
Connecting Yorkshire to Belfast and Cornwall
For Yorkshire to thrive, it needs to be connected to the rest of the UK. Some of Yorkshire’s largest exports include high value manufacturing, digital technology, media production, education and, of course, tourism.
International connectivity is, of course, essential to the people of Yorkshire, but domestic connectivity is equally as important. LBA vigorously supports rail for domestic travel, but aviation has an important part to play in providing Yorkshire with the connectivity it needs. Rail and air complement one another which is why we support the proposed rail halt at Scotland Lane, less than a mile from the airport.
As part of our agenda to improve Yorkshire connectivity to the rest of the UK, Aer Lingus Regional, operated by Stobart Air, announced in October 2020 the introduction of its new route from Leeds Bradford to Belfast. The connection between the two great cities of Leeds and Belfast is an important one for travellers, simultaneously providing a reliable day return product for passengers and supporting access to the breadth of tourism opportunities available both in Yorkshire and Northern Ireland. We are optimistic that this programme will also improve connectivity to the US in the long term.
From 1 October, the airline started to operate up to three daily return flights from Leeds Bradford Airport to Belfast City Airport and this latest development means that Aer Lingus Regional now operates two routes from Leeds Bradford including Dublin and Belfast City.
Back in June, Eastern Airways, another key airline partner of LBA, announced it was to launch a new summer route from Leeds Bradford Airport linking Yorkshire with Cornwall Newquay in the South West of England, assisting with the recovery of UK regional economies. The new route has proved popular with passengers and we are very pleased to be supporting Eastern Airways in continuing its flights to Newquay and the re-establishment of an important link between England’s south coast and the North.
Welcoming Flyer buses to the airport
To support the people of Yorkshire through these difficult times, it is essential that they can be safely connected to their family, friends and workplaces. In September, we were delighted to welcome the arrival of Flyer buses at our airport as part a new partnership between operator Transdev and West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA). The new Flyer service links Leeds, Bradford and Harrogate with Leeds Bradford Airport seven days a week and helps deliver a post-lockdown boost for Yorkshire’s economy.
A key part of our modernisation plan for a more sustainable future is the introduction of these high-quality bus links to and from major rail stations, offering a powerful incentive to use public transport for our customers, airport staff and members of the public that can benefit from the new routes. This high-quality travel network was launched at a critical time for our region, and I’m sure it will continue to be successful and popular for many years.
