First look inside Leeds Bradford Airport's £100m expansion
The first phase of Leeds Bradford Airport's £100m expansion project is set to be completed by summer. The new terminal extension will provide an 83% increase in seating capacity, with phase two of the development seeing a refurbishment of the existing building.Vincent Hodder, airport chief executive officer, previously said it was "the first major improvement to our terminal since its opening in 1968 and is long overdue".
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Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Daily Mirror
UK airport's baffling passport warning after huge £100m extension update
One of the UK's busiest airports has resorted to issuing a seemingly bizarre warning after unveiling its new e-gates, as the hub continues with its major £100m regeneration scheme A long-awaited revamp to a tiny UK airport has resulted in a rather strange passport warning being issued to Brits. Earlier this month, Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) revealed it had completed the first phase of its ambitious terminal expansion project, which is slated to cost a whopping £100 million. The upgrade boasts a host of new facilities including additional seating, two new lounges, an improved baggage reclaim area, and an upgraded passport control area. The new terminal, which all arriving and departing passengers will go through, has 83 per cent more seating, a range of food and drink offerings including a Burger King and a new bar, as well as a brand new Six Eight One Premium Lounge. LBA chief executive officer Vincent Hodder said it was the 'first major improvement to our terminal since its opening in 1968 and is long overdue'. Details of the refurbishment were first announced back in 2018 as part of bold plans to create a new terminal at the south end of the runway. However, the original blueprints were axed several years later due to 'excessive delays'. Buildings for the new extension then started in 2023. Part of the upgrade also includes new e-gates - which have appeared to have sparked confusion online. In a recent TikTok video, LBA showed off the machines, which require passengers to scan their boarding pass before being allowed through automatic gates, stating: "Do you hear that? You don't need your passport. You don't need your passport. You don't need your passport." LBA captioned the post: "You only need your boarding card (paper or digital) to go through our e-gates, NOT your passport!" However, some viewers misconstrued the post into thinking they no longer need to bring their passports along to the airport at all. "How would one get back [to the UK] if one never took a passport?" one person commented. Another wrote: "Oh this ain't going to go down well when people start turning up without passports," while a third pointed out: "Bold move from the graphic design team." Others criticised the airport for relying on the 'common sense' of the public to understand the post properly. The airport clarified in the comments section, that travellers 'obviously' do need a passport to leave the country, and that the post was explicitly referencing the e-gates. In a separate video, the hub joked about the confusion with a video captioned: "Can't believe we've got to say this but please don't try [and] travel without your passport..." Speaking to the Mirror about the humorous TikTok videos, a spokesperson for LBA said: "It's often best to take a light-hearted approach with some of the more routine airport processes that help us ensure customers are prepped and ready to travel in the best possible way. We've recently shared some light-hearted content to help customers use our newly installed security e-gates as well as responding to customers wanting to smoke after security. "For most, travelling through an airport is a fun time. We want to ensure customers have the necessary information to help make their journey run as smoothly as possible."
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Daily Mirror
One of UK's busiest airports unveils brand new £100 million upgrade
The new terminal is part of the first phase of Leeds Bradford Airport's £100 million terminal expansion project Passengers at Leeds Bradford Airport have hailed the new terminal as 'brill' and even 'better than Manchester Airport' on its opening day. The airport's £100 million terminal expansion project has unveiled a host of new facilities, including additional seating, two new lounges, an improved baggage reclaim area, and an upgraded passport control. From Tuesday, all passengers arriving and departing via LBA will move through the upgraded terminal facilities. The terminal expansion includes a modernised arrivals process, including a new baggage reclaim area and an upgraded passport control facility incorporating advanced security technologies. The new terminal has 83% more seating, an "food and drink offering" and two premium lounges, including the brand-new Six Eight One Premium Lounge. Travellers heading to Krakow on Tuesday, June 17, shared their thoughts on the new amenities and how they stack up against Manchester. Polish couple Szymon Machynia and Agata Koc, who were off to a religious ceremony related to their Rodzimowierstwo faith, which inspired elements in 'The Witcher' Netflix series, praised the new setup, reports Leeds Live. Szymon, a mill operative, expressed his disdain for Manchester Airport: "I hate Manchester, I despise that airport. It's hard to get in there, it's easy to get lost around. If they change something you suddenly have to go from one spot in the airport to the other. It's awful. "Leeds is nice and small. Security was brill, it was fast and simple. The new gate was great and the new machines improve the process. I still had to take my shoes off – but maybe one day we'll get there." Agata, a photographer, also shared her approval: "I think this terminal is better than the other one. The old one was small but this one is open and everything was [clearly] signposted where to go." Doncaster-based plumber Filip Dziegielewski, 39, set to embark on a European jaunt with friends, praised the convenience of his departure point, remarking, "It looks very nice and tidy, very modern. Good connections. Security was very fast today, everything was working." He added, "Leeds will be better than Manchester once they finish work on the bus from Doncaster to Leeds. It's 40 miles but it takes one and half hour. Manchester is busy and here it is very quiet." Wakefield local, technical logistics supervisor and father-of-three Slawomir Baokowski, 38, on his way to see family, expressed enthusiasm about the airport. He said "It's fantastic, honestly. It's really nice and fresh, good job. There's loads here. Honestly, and it's the first time I say this, but it's better in Leeds than Manchester Airport. In Manchester, there's too many people there." Alan Brytan, 23, who specialises in quality control, heading to reunite with relatives, was not aware work was underway. "It's quite surprising, to be honest, I wasn't aware of it. It's come together really nicely. This was completely new news to me. I got a notification on my phone saying 'gate seven', and I asked some guy about it. It's a whole new terminal, like a whole new world. It looks much nicer.," he said. "If you want to travel, it's still better just to go to Manchester. If you're going closer to home then this is the better airport."
Scottish Sun
6 days ago
- Scottish Sun
New UK airport terminal opens today after £100million expansion – with faster security and more restaurants
Plus, one of Europe's busiest airports is getting a new £3.6bn terminal next year offering a 'glimpse into future of travel' TAKE OFF New UK airport terminal opens today after £100million expansion – with faster security and more restaurants LEEDS Bradford Airport (LBA) has announced the opening of its new terminal today. The first phase of the airport's £100million expansion has been finished which means all passengers arriving and departing from the airport will experience the upgraded facilities. Advertisement 3 Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) has announced the opening of its new terminal today Credit: hatchagency 3 This is the first phase of the airport's £100million expansion project Credit: hatchagency These included a more modern arrivals process which includes a new baggage reclaim area and an upgraded passport control facility with new technologies. The airport also claims there is 83 per cent more seating and a wider offering of food and drink venues. Passengers can also now use two premium lounges, including a new Six Eight One Premium Lounge. The airport also shared that the second phase of the project at the airport has now begun, with a focus on refurbishing the existing terminal. Advertisement However, passengers should expect to see some changes at the airport in the coming months at the airport, especially with those departing from the airport. When travellers arrive, they will notice some of the work including a relocated meet and greet parking area and changes to the bus pick-up and drop-off zones. Back in March the airport released graphics of what parts of the new terminal look like, including sleek and stylish dining areas. Once the project is fully complete in 2026, there will be 39 per cent more floorspace, 76 per cent more retail space, 83 per cent more seating, 77 per cent increase in luggage reclaim belt capacity and 50 per cent more security lanes. Advertisement Vincent Hodder, CEO, Leeds Bradford Airport commented: "We are delighted to see our new terminal extension open and operational today. "It has been an incredible journey to get here, and we know our customers are going to get a completely new experience from LBA from today. The new £7billion mega terminal opening at Changi Airport "[T]he opening of this building is a huge achievement for all involved." John Cunliffe, commercial director of Leeds Bradford Airport commented: "Today is a huge milestone for Leeds Bradford Airport. Advertisement "Our new terminal is officially open and ready to welcome passengers, offering improve facilities and enabling us to deliver an enhanced experience for passengers in the region. "As we transition into Phase 2 of the project, the changes will impact the usual passenger flows, and we'd like to thank passengers in advance for their understanding." Another major UK airport's plans for millions more passengers ahead of £1.1bn expansion – with new flights to Europe this year. Plus, one of Europe's busiest airports is getting a new £3.6bn terminal next year offering a 'glimpse into future of travel'. Advertisement
