LEEDS BRADFORD AIRPORT

[Foreverly Claret]

Whilst Manchester may well be the airport of choice for Clarets fans going on holiday I do know that LBA is very popular with fans living east of Burnley. Just a heads up to let you know that you need to leave yourself loads of time to get through security because the service is absolutely pathetic at the moment .I flew to Malaga mid Feb and it took us 2 hours to get through after check in for a 9 am flight.Yesterday I dropped off my daughter for a 7am fight to Alicante at 4.15...she got through at 6.30 !. The early ryanair flight to Lanzarote should have gone at 6.30 but was delayed until 6.50 and it left 20 people behind stuck in the queue .

There's something wierd going on at LBA..they've just pulled all their plans for improvement / expansion and I wonder if its because Jet2 are transferring their allegiances to Manchester.

give yourself plenty of time

[DCWat]

I’m not sure that things have been much better at Manchester. It was in the news this week with huge delays, people queuing out to the car park for check in and then again for security - which doesn’t sound particularly secure.

Seems that they’ve not got the staffing numbers back in to meet the increased demand.

[ClaretPope]

Travelled out of Manchester on 19 Feb, returned on 6 March. Shambles at both ends. Almost four hour delay on way out with huge queues for security (including fast track), incorrect information on flight info screens. Problems at Manchester (reportedly staffing shortages) caused two hour delay in incoming flight for return journey; 45 minutes from landing to getting on stand (delays in releasing outbound flights). T2 West car park chaos. Not a satisfactory experience.

[claret2018]

I’ve travelled through probably close to a hundred airports in my time and Manchester is the worst of the lot. Terribly managed and far too small to cope with the numbers that go through it.

[Stayingup]

Manchester Airport - the gateway to the north west - is a shambolic mess. A real good example of rank bad management. If you manage to get through security on time to catch your plane after you've been barked at, you will at least avoid having to try find a seat in the grubby lounge. I arrived at midnight last week it took 1.5 hours to get through immigation. They need to reopen T3 and hire a lot more staff.
Leeds Bradford is better. Manchester is truly awful.

[FCBurnley]

My daughter is en route to Florida from Manchester. 11 am departure. In excess of 2 hours to clear security and passengers refused boarding due to ESTA issues. Utter chaos. And they have paid a lot of money for the privilege but that’s how it rolls under the current UK and US govs !!

[Stayingup]

My daughter is en route to Florida from Manchester. 11 am departure. In excess of 2 hours to clear security and passengers refused boarding due to ESTA issues. Utter chaos. And they have paid a lot of money for the privilege but that’s how it rolls under the current UK and US govs !!

Its who owns Manchester Airport that is culpable for the delays/ chaos. I think it is the council. Complying to travel rules is the responsibility of the passenger.

[yTib]

leeds bradford airport convention would make a great name for a tribute band.

[Vegas Claret]

this was at Manchester a few days ago (it's a daily occurrence)
https://twitter.com/KellyForan/status/1 ... UdSMeAczkg

https://twitter.com/GroundedGoddess/sta ... UdSMeAczkg

Would be quicker to drive to Glasgow

[karatekid]

I’ve just landed in Gran Canaria from LBA. 40 mins to get through security. Fast track is a fiver well spent. Sat on the jet2 transfer bus at the airport now for the last 40 minutes.


Oh on our way now yippee

[Jimmymaccer]

Liverpool probably more limited in terms of destinations but generally been good when I go through from/to the Isle of Man or onto Spain.

[bfcjg]

I'm holidaying in the UK this year and will do until the problems as described are sorted,family members have had issues at both airports and it's put us off.

[FCBurnley]

Its who owns Manchester Airport that is culpable for the delays/ chaos. I think it is the council. Complying to travel rules is the responsibility of the passenger.

If the UK is like the US then it is the Government who is setting the rules which airports etc are having to follow at their own expense.

[FCBurnley]

Liverpool probably more limited in terms of destinations but generally been good when I go through from/to the Isle of Man or onto Spain.

Ronaldsway was so easy when I lived in IOM

[dsr]

Its who owns Manchester Airport that is culpable for the delays/ chaos. I think it is the council. Complying to travel rules is the responsibility of the passenger.

If several passengers are falling foul of the rules on the same flight, chances are is Manchester's systems that aren't working. I've never seen anyone rejected for ESTA issues because it's a simple and well-known system.

If it's only one passenger plus a bit of hyperbole, that would be a bit different!

[Colburn_Claret]

LBA had a mandatory self check in system, last time I used it. It's very hit and miss, but on a busy day it's chaos.

[Tricky Trevor]

Thanks for the thread. My niece and shortly after my eldest are flying out of Manchester and I’ve passed the info on to them.

[Top Claret]

Not been to LBA for years and swore I would never go again the place is in the back of beyond and the Terminal along with the car park was a dump.
I am a regular flyer from T1 Manchester Airport and Park off site at Hunters, never have a bad experience and have gone through the airport nigh on 20 times over the last couple of years

[Willieonthewing]

Thanks for the thread. My niece and shortly after my eldest are flying out of Manchester and I’ve passed the info on to them.

I use Manchester Airport 5 or 6 times a year, and have never had a problem, hopefully its the same next week

[jrgbfc]

Not sure I can face the hassle of airports/flying again just yet. A few years ago I'd have been desperate to get away but I'm not bothered at all.

[claret2018]

leeds bradford airport convention would make a great name for a tribute band.

Meet & greet on the ledge

[Middle-agedClaret]

leeds bradford airport convention would make a great name for a tribute band.

All those delays - Who Knows Where The Time Goes?

[Top Claret]

Not sure I can face the hassle of airports/flying again just yet. A few years ago I'd have been desperate to get away but I'm not bothered at all.

I have been flying all through covid mainly to lanzarote and once you get into the swing of things the experience can be quite relaxing and pleasent.
Airports quite
No ques at security
Pick of seats on the planes, flew a couple of times with less than 30 on board
No ques for Taxi at the other end
Accommodation cheaper due to the lack of demand

[Jimmymaccer]

Ronaldsway was so easy when I lived in IOM

Still very friendly, problem is there’s no bloody planes!!

[joey13]

The last time I flew from Manchester before the pandemic it took 2 hours to get through security

[Willieonthewing]

I have been flying all through covid mainly to lanzarote and once you get into the swing of things the experience can be quite relaxing and pleasent.
Airports quite
No ques at security
Pick of seats on the planes, flew a couple of times with less than 30 on board
No ques for Taxi at the other end
Accommodation cheaper due to the lack of demand

Flew last July and it was as you described.... Sept to lanzarote was busier but Nov to Tenerife was the same as others years. Always felt safe though... No reason not to go in my opinion

[Burnley1989]

Tbf Manchester was ok, Dublin was a disgrace though

[Jel]

Not saying you're all wrong but, we've just flown from MCR on March 8th and back on the 15th.
Not a problem either times at Manchester.
I've seen the queues on the telly box but perhaps we were just lucky

[jrgbfc]

I have been flying all through covid mainly to lanzarote and once you get into the swing of things the experience can be quite relaxing and pleasent.
Airports quite
No ques at security
Pick of seats on the planes, flew a couple of times with less than 30 on board
No ques for Taxi at the other end
Accommodation cheaper due to the lack of demand

I think that might change this summer. Plenty of people will be desperate to get away after the last few years.

[ClaretBrewer]

I worked for LBA. Worst job I've had. Don't know about now but at the time they were losing a lot of money and Jet2 could do pretty much what they wanted as without them they were in massive trouble.

[dsr]

leeds bradford airport convention would make a great name for a tribute band.

Th'Airport Convention for short, presumably.

[ClaretAndBlue94]

Flew from LBA late last year and it was seamless.

Flying from Manchester this week so hopefully the 6am flight means less wait !

[ŽižkovClaret]

Not had any issues with manc airport flying in or out. Having the train station right there at the terminal is golden

Leeds Bradford or Liverpool isn't as fun, as someone who tends to use public transport to get to and from the airport.

[dandeclaret]

Manchester has overtaken Frankfurt as the worst airport that I use. Security facilities are severely lacking. Fast track rarely means anything, because the queue's are too big to even get to the fast track entrance. The staff in security are surly and confrontational. The way they speak to people is regularly horrendous.

The airport is very poorly managed. It's supposed to be the gateway to the North West, but it portrays the area in the worst light. Avoid if possible, unfortunately, regularly impossible for me to do so. Back in there tomorrow morning, and more worryingly, on a tight schedule to fly out on Wednesday evening.

[longsidetrumpet]

Love going from Liverpool.

[NottsClaret]

East Midlands is always easy, but I guess not practical for most on here. Manchester is horrendous, only ever use it if there's literally no other option. As dande says, it's not just the facilities which are useless, the staff seem to be trained to be unpleasant, even to kids.

The security staff elsewhere - particularly Liverpool - largely seem to want to help you rather than ruin your day. Makes you wonder what travellers from Scandinavia or Japan think of us, we must look genuinely third world to them.

[strayclaret]

Came through this morning at 7.30 no problems. The only problem now is that it’s bloody freezing in Paphos

[Stayingup]

Mention of Manchester Airport in this thread prompted me to read about the forthcoming opening of T3 - at last. That should be good news but passengers will required to go through security in T1 then make their way to T3. This situation could, they say, last until the end of April. Good luck to anyone using T3 till then. Dreadful airport management.

[Rowls]

East Midlands is always easy, but I guess not practical for most on here.

Lovely little airport, shame they don't fly many destinations these days.

[Inchy]

I’m off to LBA a week on Tuesday and have paid a fiver for the speedy pass

[Inchy]

I don’t frequent any airport enough to form much of an opinion but I remember years ago Liverpool had a spoons. It may still do. Was decent paying less than 5 quid for a pint of beer

That alone made it my favourite

[jdrobbo]

Apologies for all of the hold-ups, folks. I have a tendency to run across the runway at LBA as it’s one of my local routes. Understandably, this might keep a couple of aeroplanes waiting…

61D9B243-17E8-4688-8E3E-EF2FBA3CBAE3.jpeg (870.46 KiB) Viewed 4089 times

[Carport]

Travelled out of Manchester on 19 Feb, returned on 6 March. Shambles at both ends. Almost four hour delay on way out with huge queues for security (including fast track), incorrect information on flight info screens. Problems at Manchester (reportedly staffing shortages) caused two hour delay in incoming flight for return journey; 45 minutes from landing to getting on stand (delays in releasing outbound flights). T2 West car park chaos. Not a satisfactory experience.

You weren’t by chance on the same flight as me and my wife were you CP? TUI Barbados then P@O Azura?

[LoveCurryPies]

I once returned from the States and went to collect my car from the long stay car park. Some person had slashed all 4 tyres. 5am on a Sunday morning with tired young kids, it wasn't fun.

[FeedTheArf]

Apologies for all of the hold-ups, folks. I have a tendency to run across the runway at LBA as it’s one of my local routes. Understandably, this might keep a couple of aeroplanes waiting…

61D9B243-17E8-4688-8E3E-EF2FBA3CBAE3.jpeg

Wow, that's some pace over that distance! Been trying to get into running for a while now and stuck at 6-6:30 minutes

[jdrobbo]

Wow, that's some pace over that distance! Been trying to get into running for a while now and stuck at 6-6:30 minutes

Aye it’s not too bad for someone who has a reputation on here as running like ‘Happy Feet’

[ClaretAndBlue94]

Flew from LBA late last year and it was seamless.

Flying from Manchester this week so hopefully the 6am flight means less wait !

It was beyond chaos.

Never seen as many people walking in different directions without any idea. Signposting at an all time low an appeared to have makeshift parts of the airport being used!

[Hendrickxz]

Tbf Manchester was ok, Dublin was a disgrace though

Came through Dublin early evening yesterday. What a ******* shambles! well over two hours just to get through security. People running for planes all round the airport, it was bloody dangerous. And as for social distancing, they are taking the ****. Never again!
Passport control coming back through Manchester (which was also a ***hole going) was strange. A guy asked to see our passports ("just the cover'll do") and we were straight through into arrivals, most odd?

[dsr]

Came through Dublin early evening yesterday. What a ******* shambles! well over two hours just to get through security. People running for planes all round the airport, it was bloody dangerous. And as for social distancing, they are taking the ****. Never again!
Passport control coming back through Manchester (which was also a ***hole going) was strange. A guy asked to see our passports ("just the cover'll do") and we were straight through into arrivals, most odd?

No-one's giving me optimism for my American trip, Manchester to Chicago via Dublin.

[Burnleyareback2]

No-one's giving me optimism for my American trip, Manchester to Chicago via Dublin.

Pay the money for the fast track security.