Leeds Bradford Airport seeks long haul flights
04.07.08
Regular flights to America and the Middle East form a key part of plans to boost passenger numbers at Leeds Bradford Airport, the Telegraph & Argus reports. New routes to Germany’s financial centres, along with more routes to the new European Union member states, are also part of the airport’s aim of increasing its destinations from 75 to 100 over the next five years.
The plans were unveiled by Tony Hallwood, the airport’s new commercial and aviation development director, this week after Pakistan International Airlines started operating twice-weekly flights from Leeds Bradford to Islamabad.
Mr Hallwood said the Pakistan flight was a ‘milestone in the airport’s history’ and that he hoped it would pave the way for the introduction of more medium and long-haul routes in the coming years.
Underpinning the ambitious expansion plans is a pledge by owners Bridgepoint Capital to spend £70 million to improve the experience of passengers and help boost business and tourism in the region. The private equity firm bought the airport for £145.5m a year ago from Bradford Council and four other West Yorkshire local authorities.
Mr Hallwood told the newspaper that he was hoping for a new scheduled service to the west coast of the US in the next three years to open up business links with North and South America. In the longer term, he said the airport would look to introduce a scheduled service direct to Dubai, using the Middle East as a gateway for onward flights to Australia, China and Japan.
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