Airport Parking News

www.Parctel.com: Leeds Bradford International Airport (LBIA) has been sold to European private equity firm Bridgepoint in a transaction totalling £145.5 million following a decision by five West Yorkshire councils to sell 100% of the share capital in the airport.

Commenting on the successful acquisition of the airport, Sir Graham Hall, who will now become chairman of LBIA, said: “Work can now begin on taking our airport up a league in every sense. LBIA is a key asset for our region and we want to build on its recent success and consolidate its role as the dominant international airport serving Yorkshire and Humberside.”

Adrian Williams, a director at Bridgepoint added: “We have a clear vision for the future success of LBIA – a future which will deliver benefits for everyone who uses it. Our aim is that the new LBIA will be one of which the staff and the region will be justifiably proud.”

Under the Bridgepoint strategic plan for the airport, a £70 million capital expenditure plan will be implemented to provide additional terminal capacity to accommodate anticipated growing passenger volumes and to meet more immediate infrastructure requirements. Specifically, the plan is built around:

- investment in, and development of, the existing airside and landside infrastructure to enhance capacity
- development of the route network to increase number of destinations, frequency and to double passenger capacity to seven million by the year 2015
- further development of the LBIA’s commercial revenues in areas such as retail and food & drink.

Bridgepoint has invested in the airport sector in the past. In 1997, it became the largest private investor in Birmingham International Airport (BIA) as part of a financing programme to fund the ongoing development of the airport. It sold its stake in December 2001 and during this five year period international connections at BIA grew by 70%, traffic grew by 40% (reversing leakage to neighbouring airports) and capital expenditure reached almost £200 million.

Leeds and Bradford councils each owned 40% of the airport with the remainder split equally between Kirklees, Wakefield and Calderdale. Although the councils will have no financial stake in LBIA, they retain a ‘special share’ to protect the name of the airport and to ensure its continued operation as an international airport.

The airport was formally advertised for sale in November 2006 in a process run by Ernst & Young, with legal advice prepared by DLA Piper. Bridgepoint was named preferred bidder on 4 April 2007.

Debt for the transaction was provided by Royal Bank of Scotland. Advisers to Bridgepoint in the transactions included: Rothschild (corporate finance), Addleshaw Goddard (legal), Ernst & Young Private Equity (transaction support and tax structuring), Airport Strategy & Marketing, Concession Planning International, Drivers Jonas, TPS Consult (commercial due diligence), ERM (environmental), Marsh (insurance).

www.Parctel.com: Unique pleasure flight operator, Air Atlantic Classic Flight, are giving the people of Yorkshire the chance of an unforgettable experience from 19th to 22nd April by offering pleasure flights from Leeds Bradford Airport in a vintage DC-3 Dakota aircraft.

Classic Flight has been operating these unique pleasure flights for some years and their fleet includes a range of vintage military and commercial aircraft including the Chipmunk, Anson and Tiger Moth.

The DC-3 Dakota aircraft has a particularly special link with Leeds Bradford Airport as they were used by BKS, the first scheduled airline to operate from ‘Yeadon Aerodrome’, back in 1955.

American Airlines were the first to use the Douglas DC-3 commercially in 1936 and then with the advent of the war, orders for the DC-3 poured in from both the military and commercial Airlines. Between 1935 and 1947 Douglas had built a total of 10,654 DC-3’s and now, 63 years later there are still almost a 1,000 in flying condition.

Today, the DC-3 is still finding its greatest use in specialised roles with some third world military forces and is commercially useful in some back country and bush areas particularly because of its operating costs, its ability to perform from rough fields and with its low maintenance.

Richard Parr from Classic Flight says, “Flying in a vintage aircraft is a truly unique experience as they all have their own distinctive characteristics. The DC-3 Dakota is an iconic aircraft representing as it does the men whose first experience of battle was to jump out of them, or on more peaceful missions dropping vitally needed supplies in far flung parts of the globe.”

“Climbing aboard up the slope of this tail dragger and then to hear the throaty reverberation of the P&W Twin wasp radials is just fantastic.”

At a cost of only £55, a flight on a vintage DC-3 Dakota is a fantastic experience for any aircraft enthusiast or a unique gift for that special occasion.

Vintage DC-3 Dakota - part of Classic Flights Fleet

www.Parctel.com: Bridgepoint has today been announced as the preferred bidder for the sale of 100% of the share capital in Leeds Bradford International Airport, with Barclays Private Equity with Churchill Airports, as the reserve bidder. Both bidders have been nominated subject to final bid confirmation.

The announcement follows meetings involving all five West Yorkshire councils with shareholding interests in the airport. A joint agreement was reached this evening.

Both the preferred and reserve bidder have developed ambitious plans to sustain passenger growth and invest significantly in the airport over the next ten years. Much of this will focus on improving the airport’s customer facilities and infrastructure, expanding the route network and ensuring the airport can compete efficiently with other airports in the region.

Both bidders will now be given six working days to confirm their bid price following the receipt of final vendor due diligence reports and other commercially sensitive contractual information.

A joint statement from the five West Yorkshire councils, said:

“This sale has proved to be a very competitive process at all stages and with very strong bids from both the preferred and reserve bidders, it is likely to remain so until the deal is completed in a few weeks time.’’

‘’ This is a very exciting opportunity and we are delighted to announce Bridgepoint as the preferred bidder at this stage. They have clearly demonstrated not just their financial standing and their plans for growing and developing the airport, but also their commitment to the region as a whole and the airport’s crucial part in its economy.”

“We’ve attracted a strong field of bidders and each bid was evaluated fairly. Both the preferred and reserve bidder have demonstrated positive and significant investment plans and we are confident that the chosen preferred and reserve bidder will be in the best position to continue the airport’s development as a successful international airport which will support the region’s increasing economic importance nationally and internationally.”

Leeds and Bradford councils each own 40% of the airport with the remainder split equally between Kirklees, Wakefield and Calderdale. The airport will continue to remain under the planning control of Leeds City Council and all of the five west Yorkshire authorities will also retain a ‘special share’ in the company.

The special share protects the name of the airport and its continued operation as an international airport.

The final price for the airport is still subject to final bid confirmation.

The joint statement concluded:

“Council officers have worked hard to make this sale a success and secure the best outcome for council tax payers and I know they are looking forward to working with the two bidders and bringing the sale to completion.”

www.JustParking.co.za: Bradford is a friendly, exciting and diverse city and has grown to be the fifth biggest in the UK. But recent reports have highlighted that the city's health is a cause for concern. Particularly worrying is that Bradford's infant mortality rate - the number of babies who die before they reach their first birthday - is amongst the highest in the country.

From from October 2006, all babies born in Bradford were recruited into the Born in Bradford research project. Their health is being tracked from pregnancy through childhood and into adult life. Data gathered will be analysed to shed light on why some people become ill and others do not.

The Born in Bradford projcet boasts Mr. Imran Kahn and Baroness Lockwood as patrons.

The Leeds Bradford International Airport has now agreed to have a Mumtaz vending machine in their international arrivals hall, in support of the Born in Bradford initiative.

The Mumtaz machine sells delicious Lassi yoghurt drinks – and all of the profits from the machine in the airport will go towards the Born in Bradford study.

Miles Scott, Chief Executive of the foundation trust, said: “Born in Bradford relies upon the support of the local community so the backing of Mumtaz and the airport is fantastic news”.

“It’s a massive project and we need as much support and help from the community as possible so that we can make a real difference in improving the health of children, not just in Bradford, but across the world.”

More about Born in Bradford

www.Parctel.com: The first passengers on the brand new bmi regional flight to Copenhagen from Leeds Bradford were delighted to be travelling to Denmark this morning as they checked-in for the inaugural flight.

The check-in area was decorated with Danish flags to mark the occasion and airport staff wearing Viking hats dished out Danish pastries to all passengers.

Leeds Bradford International Airport's Marketing and Business Development Manager, Sally Ramsey enthused, 'This new service is going to be popular with both business and leisure passengers and is a welcome addition to the ever growing number of destinations available from Leeds Bradford Airport.”

The daily service is operated on a full service, jet Embraer 145 aircraft.

Concorde landing on runway 14 at Leeds Bradford Airport. With full aircraft and tower commentary.

Have a look at this video which is an aerial view from KLM flight from Amsterdam landing at Leeds Bradford Airport. Features views over Burmantofts, Quarry Hill House, The Headrow, Leeds City Centre, Little London, Leeds Met Uni, Leeds Uni, Hyde Park, Headingley, Becketts Park, West Park, The Ring Road, Northwest House, Horsforth, Cookridge, Leeds Bradford Airport.

BOSSES at York bus company First was hit by a technical hitch as its eagerly-anticipated airport shuttle bus broke down on day two.

First's new service between York city centre and Leeds-Bradford Airport began operating on Monday.

But the service ran into difficulties yesterday when the vehicle on the 11.40am return trip from the airport broke down at about noon.

There were only four passengers on the bus at the time, two Dutch students, The Press feature writer Charlotte Percival, who was trialling the service, and First service manager, Rosie Stewart.

Miss Percival said the bus started to rattle and vibrate before grinding to a halt about 20 minutes into its journey.

Ms Stewart said: "We have contingency plans in place for this kind of event and normally a bus would be sent out to transport passengers to their destination.

"In this case, because there were so few passengers on the bus, we arranged for them to be picked up by car and taken to their destinations."

The journey, which should have taken about 55 minutes, took an hour and 45 minutes to complete.

Peter Edwards, First commercial director, said: "It's early days and the buses were only delivered to the depot a few days ago.

"It's not uncommon for this kind of thing to happen.

"No other services were affected by this breakdown and Volvo were called out straight away to take a look at the bus, which has suffered some kind of mechanical fault."

Yesterday, The Press reported the new service had been welcomed by budget airline Jet2.com, which is based at the airport.

Gillian Cruddas, the city's tourism boss, hailed it as "one of the most exciting pieces of news we have had for years".

Mr Edwards said ticket prices included the cost of a local First bus service to get passengers from their home to the airport bus stop, near York's railway station.

Passengers booking on the internet will be charged £10 for a single ticket and £15 return.

The price of an e-ticket will include free bus travel to and from the York city centre terminus.

Passengers buying tickets on the coach will be charged £12 single and £17 return.

Source: The Press

WOMEN in Wakefield are being asked to ditch their bras and support the Yorkshire Air Ambulance as part if its latest fundraising initiative.
The charity is collecting unwanted garments and turning them into much-needed cash by selling them on to customers in the UK and overseas, particularly West Africa.

Pam Lawrence, team leader for the Wakefield area fundraising group, said: "The bra idea has been very well received, with enormous humour in the good sense of raising money." The charity is hoping to collect 200,000 bras and 4,000 have been collected already.

Based at Leeds/Bradford Airport, since October 2000, the Yorkshire Air Ambulance is a specially-adapted emergency helicopter. It can fly at speeds of 150 miles an hour straight to an incident where normal ambulance sometimes cannot reach. But it costs £3,500 per day to operate and is funded totally by charity.

The Yorkshire Air Ambulance hit the headlines recently for the part it played in the rescue of Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond's following his high-speed crash. To make a donation or for more information, please contact Pam on 07825 560366.

Source: Wakefield Today

Leeds Bradford Airport celebrated its 75th anniversary year with record passenger figures.

2006 saw almost 2.8 million passengers travel from the Yorkshire airport to over 65 scheduled and charter destinations, representing a 7% increase against 2005.

In the same year new direct services started to 18 destinations, including Austria, The Gambia, Ireland, Italy, Germany and Poland.
Leeds Bradford Airport managing director, Ed Anderson, is optimistic 2007 will be another bumper year. He said: “We are delighted that airlines and tour operators are continuing to expand programmes from Leeds Bradford. We look forward to welcoming both new and regular business and leisure passengers and are confident that 2007 will prove to be another successful year for the airport.”

Source: flightmapping