Boom time at Leeds Bradford as firms get burst of bookings

Airline and holiday companies operating from Leeds Bradford International Airport are over the moon about business levels.

Domestic airline Flybe had record ticket sales at LBIA last weekend, while Yeadon-based package holiday firm Jet2holidays.com says summer bookings are running at four times higher than last year.

Weekend tickets sales at Flybe were 25 per cent higher than this time last year.

The company, which operates between LBIA and London Gatwick, Southampton, Aberdeen and Belfast, said bookings from business travellers were also on the rise. The surge had been boosted by special promotions of low fares on ten million seats.

Mike Rutter, Flybe chief commercial officer, said: "The 25 per cent increase in this past weekend's sales was yet another milestone for Flybe and a crucial one in reflecting a possible return in consumer confidence across the UK regions.

"This, coupled with a significant return of business travel sales in recent weeks, is an encouraging sign as the country looks towards 2010."

Flybe recently won the 2010 best short-haul airline award.

Jet2 boss Philip Meeson is also looking forward to a bumper year as holiday bookings and seat sales soar.

Jet2holidays.com, which is offering several new destinations for 2010 in its summer brochure, said bookings were four times higher than last year.

Source: The Telegraph & Argus - 29/01/10