Leeds Bradford Airport set to take full advantage of Budget boost

A YORKSHIRE airport is confident it can take full advantage of the Budget boost to help attract new airlines and introduce more long-haul flights.

The Chancellor announced a £20m Regional Air Connectivity Fund to encourage airlines to start flying new routes from regional airports to increase connectivity and boost local economy in his Budget yesterday. The banding system for APD was tweaked by the Chancellor, too, so that all long-haul flights will now carry the same tax as a flight to the US – under the current system, the tax for flying 4,500 miles to Jamaica is £60 more than travelling 7,000 miles to Hawaii.

The Regional Air Connectivity Fund is predominantly for smaller regional airports which carry less than three million passengers a year, but for airports with between three million and five million passengers each year, they can still apply for the benefit but only for exceptional circumstances.

During 2013, Leeds Bradford International Airport racked up a record breaking number of passengers with 3.3m flying through and today, Tony Hallwood, development and marketing director at the airport, said it will be putting forward “ a very strong case” for the funding.

Humberside Airport and Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield both have less than a million passengers each year, so will benefit from the funding. 

Tony Hallwood said: “Without a shadow of a doubt this is an important driving seat to attract longer haul carriers. We will be taking full advantage of this in discussions going forward.

“This announcement is great news for Leeds Bradford Airport and the rest of Yorkshire.

“The start-up fund will support route development and strategy and we will be talking to more airlines going forward. We will work with Yorkshire tourism partners, too.

“It gives us more chance to compete with European competitors.”

In his Budget announcement yesterday, George Osborne said: “And because we want all parts of our country to see better links with the markets of the future we’re going to provide start-up support for new routes from regional airports, like Liverpool, Leeds or indeed Inverness.”

Hallwood added: “New services will drive inward investment which will deliver new jobs. This is very encouraging. It is a shot in the arm for us.

“This is aviation on the front foot and we believe this is a really good starting point and are looking forward, but we will never be complacent.”

Hallwood said his team will now be reviewing the “finer details” before making further announcements.

Roger Marsh, chair of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership, added:
“Connecting our businesses to their specialised markets is vital to maintain good growth and the £20m Regional Air Connectivity Fund, to support new routes from Leeds Bradford airport, will support the work we are already doing to enhance the international connectivity of the region.”

Jeff Pearey, lead director at property group JLL, said: “It was pleasing to hear the Chancellor announce that start-up funds will be made available to help launch new services from regional airports and that he specifically mentioned Leeds Bradford. This will help stimulate activity as well as making it easier for companies to export.  Connecting our region with additional European cities, and indeed further afield, certainly helps to endorse Yorkshire’s “business sell” to the wider world as well as providing a great platform for tourists wishing visit.”