Blue sky thinking

Consultation on the far-reaching masterplan is now at an end and Mr Anderson, the managing director, has been spurred on by public support for proposals to triple passenger numbers, create thousands of extra jobs and pump millions of pounds into the area's economy.

He bubbles with excitement as he talks about the prospect of introducing flights to New York, Pakistan and a major German airport as part of ambitious proposals to more than double passenger numbers by 2016.

Expansion of the terminal and a new parallel taxi-way to feed aircraft onto the runway are also in the pipeline so the airport can meet the need for greater passenger and aircraft capacity.

Mr Anderson said: "Feedback on the masterplan has been overwhelmingly positive, with 80 or 90 per cent wanting to see the airport expand. Rather than objecting, people are asking for timetables and telling us to put on flights to X, Y and Z."

Six new destinations were added to the airport's list in 2005 as passenger numbers increased 10 per cent from 2004 to more than 2.6 million.

But Mr Anderson is clearly eager to entice even more passengers to the airport by adding to the choice of destinations. Another seven routes will be available this year, including flights to Minorca, Pisa, Milan, Rome, Bergerac and Newquay.

As the managing director glances out of his window at an aircraft waiting to depart, he reveals that he is confident of being able to watch planes departing for Germany in the near future.

Mr Anderson believes it will be possible to sell tickets for the new flight at both ends.

And in the longer term, flights to Pakistan and New York are high priorities.

"Our ambitions for the future are to get another service to Pakistan. The demographics of West Yorkshire mean such a service is necessary.

"During last year we briefly had a flight to Lahore which was exceptionally popular until the airline (Swefly) started struggling.

"The other exciting one will be a service to New York. I don't think it's impossible but at the same time, it's not just about to be announced. There are many Yorkshire people who fly to the states but have to go across to Manchester. I'm confident we can bring about the Pakistan and New York flights within the next two or three years."

Mr Anderson is aware that improvements in the airport's passenger and aircraft capacity may be necessary.

"The terminal has to have the right capacity, we need the right car parking space and there must be enough stands for aircraft to park. We only have one runway, but so does every other airport apart from Heathrow and Manchester.

"There will be investment in a parallel taxi way to run parallel to the runway. That is where we can hold aircraft waiting to take off and feed them onto the runway as it becomes vacant. This is a very significant medium-term project which will increase capacity.

"Eventually, we will also have to resurface the runway because it's 40 years old. That will be a very big project.

"We are going to keep developing the terminal and within a couple of years we will see some investment in the departure lounge which is going to be the next pinch point."

The masterplan also includes ideas on how to improve transport links to the airport in the form of a heavy rail link and improved bus and road access.

Onlookers have been sceptical about whether funding can be secured, but Mr Anderson remains confident.

"As we move forward over the next ten years, service access will be top of our agenda and we have two key proposals in the masterplan. We want a new rail link from just near Horsforth through the airport and on to Guiseley. I think it's realistic."

The masterplan also proposes a new road link to the airport from the A65, starting near Rawdon Crematorium. The scheme is part of a study being carried out by Leeds Council into the Outer Ring Road.

In the last three years, passenger numbers at Leeds-Bradford have increased by a

massive 71 per cent and Mr Anderson

has no doubts as to what has brought about the boom.

"The key is the arrival of Jet2.com who started in February 2003. Last year, Jet2 had nearly 1.2 million passengers so they now form 40 per cent of our passenger throughput.

"They are massively significant in our progress, they have been very successful and they are instrumental in raising the profile of the airport and the area."

Mr Anderson said Jet2 sees itself as a leisure airline but he is keen to encourage more business routes.

Meanwhile, low-cost airline Flybe said its passenger throughput at Leeds-Bradford increased 71 per cent in December compared with the same period in 2004.

Both airlines say the demand from Yorkshire residents with second homes abroad was boosting passenger figures.

Mr Anderson said: "Jet2 and Flybe are well tuned in to the demand from people with second homes in Spain and France. We see the same faces coming through the terminal - people who basically live in Spain but haven't sold their homes here. The daily flight to Murcia (Spain) is very popular."

Mr Anderson said the Airport masterplan would tie in nicely with economic regeneration schemes (also known as masterplans) in Bradford and the Aire Valley.

"We see ourselves in a regional context and the prosperity of the airport is tied up with that of the area. If Airedale is prospering, that's good for us. The fact that Bradford is showing signs of picking up is also good news for the airport.

"When we get the results of the Airport masterplan consultation we will amend as necessary but we don't think there will be any major changes."

The airport started from humble beginnings as Yeadon Aerodrome in 1931 but, if all goes to plan, it could be welcoming seven million passengers a year by 2030.