Fancy flying to the likes of Dubai and New York, but don’t want to drive far down to fly? Well, soon you can as Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) could be operating flights to the Middle East and North America within the next three years, according to the company’s chief executive.
Long haul is part of LBA newly-updated Vision 2030 strategy. With passenger numbers predicted to increase from four million a year in 2023 to seven million a year by 2030. The airports plan would create 5.500 direct and indirect jobs that could contribute £1bn to the regional economy, the BBC reports.
Environmental activists have warned that the addition of three million more passengers annually could result in a significant surge in greenhouse gas emissions. Planned destinations encompass cities such as New York, Boston, and Chicago in the US, as well as Jeddah, Oman, and Dubai in the Middle East. The expansion project, which includes a 38% increase in terminal space and 10 new aircraft stands, will be financed through £200 million of private investment.
Vincent Hodder airport’s chief executive, said: “We’re already having those conversations with airlines from North America and the Middle East about how we can collectively work together to make those things happen over the next two to three years. I would be disappointed if by 2027 we did not have flights to North America and the Middle East.”
Nick Hodgkinson, from Group for Action on Leeds Bradford Airport (GALBA), said: “We cannot allow a massive increase in the… emissions that damage the climate and the air pollution and noise that damage the health of people living under the flight path.
“There is simply is no alternative to using fossil fuels at large scale to get planes off the ground. What’s really important to remember is that the aircraft industry is committed to being net carbon zero by 2050, it’s a temporary increase that reduces over time.”
He continued: “What’s really important to remember is that the aircraft industry is committed to being net carbon zero by 2050, it’s a temporary increase that reduces over time.”
The airport’s strategy has been broadly welcomed West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin, who said: “It clearly states how the airport will improve Yorkshire’s connection to the rest of the world. This substantial private investment will benefit local communities and the wider Yorkshire region, serving as a catalyst for considerable, long-term economic growth.”
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