bmi diamond club - LBA to NYC

I came across this on the Leeds Bradford Aiport website

http://www.lbia.co.uk/newyork.php

(sorry if I haven't posted this link correctly..)

Does anyone have any idea which airline might be interested in starting such a service?

The reason I've posted this here is that earlier in the year an identical survey lead to BMI launching a Leeds - London City Airport service (starts 1st Nov)

Surely BMI can't be considering a transatlantic from LBA? .....can they?

Im guessing it would be Contenental. They operate an EWR-EDI flight on a 757. I'm sure there would not be enough demand to satisfy a larger plane.

That just looks like LBA trying to get some numbers saying they would like to fly to NY from LBA, to assist them in marketing the airport to potential carriers. Probably CO who seem to announce new Europe-EWR services on a weekly basis.

They will have seen CO announce flights to EWR from BRS and BFS, and heard the rumours that LPL has been short-listed (??!!) and wondered why can't they have one instead. I can't think of any possibility other than a CO 757 to EWR.

Is the runway at LBA long enough for a transatlantic service ?.

doubt they have the runway length, though I don't have the figures to hand. With the frequent fog closures, I'm guessing it doesn't have ILS either, and I don't think the terminal would be up to handling widebody arrivals and departures :D

Remember this would be a 757 (narrow-body) and they can land at most regional airports.

LBA runway length - 7381ft

CO is planning to run a summer service from Bristol - EWR using 757s. Bristols runway length is 6,598ft and it will have no abnormal payload restrictions. Therefre the LBA runway is more than adequate.

doubt they have the runway length, though I don't have the figures to hand. With the frequent fog closures, I'm guessing it doesn't have ILS either, and I don't think the terminal would be up to handling widebody arrivals and departures :D

Certainly does have ILS - the ability to make an instrument approach is just one of the criteria for actually landing at a field in low visibility.

Certainly does have ILS - the ability to make an instrument approach is just one of the criteria for actually landing at a field in low visibility.

It's CAT I on 14 and CAT III on 32. Can't autoland on CAT I.

Well Britannia base a 767 at LBA during the summer so yes, the runway is certainly long enough for all but 747's I'd guess.

Im guessing it would be Contenental. They operate an EWR-EDI flight on a 757. I'm sure there would not be enough demand to satisfy a larger plane.

Bristol airport had a similar survey/petition running on their site back in June or July.

CO have now announced that as from next summer, they too will have a daily 757 service to EWR (although it does leave at something crazy like 9am...)

As such, cryptkeeper I suspect your thoughts are correct!

I remember in the mid 80's seeing AF Concorde at LBA. The yorkshire post also chartered a 747 from there in the early 80's to celebrate the new runway extension.

Both BA and AF have landed Concorde at LBA in the past, there are several photo's of Concorde at LBA on Airliners.net...

http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=042028

So I would guess that if they can handle concorde then the runway can pretty much handle anything else.

So I would guess that if they can handle concorde then the runway can pretty much handle anything else.

The a/c type is irrelevant, LBA can handle any a/c in the world, including 747's. It's the distance needed when full of fuel, pax and cargo to get to the required destination that counts.

I can't imagine concorde was heading to the Caribbean from LBA that day ;)

LBA certainly had Concorde in once, Summer 2000 I think.I remember sitting reading a paper in what passes for a suite at the Crowne Plaza, Leeds and hearing it on finals right above me.

LBA-EWR? I'd prefer, ahem, more than one airline flying to LHR first.

Still remain unconvinced that the terminal could handle it routinely... I've been in the queues caused by having several early morning shuttle flights departing at once. Baggage handling isn't the largest in the world (I'm trying to picture it as a charter 767 unloads <shudder>), and I can only remember two immigration desks, although it is a while since I flew international from there.

Besides, its about time BRS got a transatlantic flight - Holby City and Casualty characters have been flying transatlantic out of it for years :D

Thanks everyone for your replies - as a member of one pass I'll look forward to CO arriving on my doorstep!

I'm learning to fly at LBA in a Piper Warrior and alas seem to use up most of the 7300ft with my landings. In the flying school they have a picture of a Virgin 747-200 taking off from LBA and I think this was the one chartered by the YP (as mentioned).

Does anyone remember Wardair? in the 80s they used to fly a service to somewhere in Canada (from LBA) using a 747-200. If my memory serves me right they used LBA just as a pax pick up point before heading back to B'ham for more fuel and runway length!

Wardair! Legendary! Perhaps they should get their own forum :) They used to fly to Toronto from NCL too - I remember going up to the airport as a kid just to see this huge white plane...and i've found a photo (http://www.al-airliners.be/t-z/wardair/wd747.jpg)! I think they got bought up by Canadian Airlines (RIP)...