The airport has been under scrutiny after being ranked the 'worst airport in Britain'.
Travel Agent Hannah Hughes at Hays Travel shared a word of warning on her Facebook page on Saturday 7 May 2022 along with a photograph showing long queues outside the airport:
"Wow Leeds Bradford Airport is exceptionally busy today!!! This is the queue for security which is going right around the airport and all the way outside!!
"Please allow for extra time to pass through the security! Airport staff are calling out flight numbers to fast track customers who’s flights are departing shortly."
Replying to customer comments and questions, Hughes confirmed the photograph shared was from the Jet2 entrance and went along to the main corridor of the airport and into security, describing the scenes as "bedlam".
The travel agent did confirm that every say is different, describing the experience each individual holiday-maker may face as "potluck".
When asked if its worth paying extra to add the comfort of an airport lounge to help alleviate some of the airport stress, Huge warned that there's a chance lounges will be closed, replying to the question with the comment: "I’ve seen cases of the lounges being closed last minute as the staff are needed elsewhere!"
Last week, Leeds Bradford Airport has received a title no company wants to receive: it’s been ranked joint with Bristol as the worst airport in Britain, according to The Telegraph.
LBA isn't a popular choice of airport, and was picked up during The Telegraph's poll. / Image: Wikicommons
As part of its critique, Travel Writer Emma Beaumont pointed out that Leeds Bradford Airport "came bottom for cancellations, with 2.28 per cent of all flights axed last year, according to data from the CAA” but did acknowledge that the airport scored “fairly well in the delay rankings and has a generous 1,440 seats available in the terminal if you need somewhere to wait it out.”
Leeds Bradford Airport isn't the only airport struggling with long queues amidst staff shortages. Most notably, The Manc reported back in March that Manchester Airport was struggling as passengers travelling through Manchester Airport were being warned that the long queues that have formed in recent weeks are likely to continue.
The queues are likely to continue in the "potluck" style pointed out by Travel Agent Hannah Hughes in the coming weeks as the summer season begins.
Feature Image- Leeds Bradford Airport
Leeds
Iconic Leeds venue The Reliance to be brought back to life under new name ‘The Smithfield’
The Reliance, a much missed North Street site, is being brought back to life as The Smithfield.
The Smithfield is set to be a new social eatery and pub focused on seasonal, produce-led dining.
Set to open its doors to the people of Leeds in early April, The Smithfield will pay homage to the local area through both its produce and people.
The venue will focus on proper plates of seasonal ingredients, pairing a relaxed dining style with a strong sense of community. Sounds pretty brilliant if you ask us.
Building on the legacy of North Street, The Smithfield is a collaborative project between Yorkshire brewery Crooked Brewing and chef James Donovan.
Images: Supplied
Steve Dawson, co-founder of Crooked Brewing, has long admired The Reliance and want to build on its established legacy.
“What The Reliance was doing was cutting edge for its time,” says Donovan. “We want to bring that same vision and energy into Leeds in 2026. Our aim is to pick up the culinary torch that The Reliance left behind and continue its legacy of great food in Leeds,” adds Dawson.
The Smithfield takes its name from Church Street’s historic connection to the Smithfield cattle market of the early 1800s, once located on what is now Lovell Park.
“We really want the people around us to feel that The Smithfield is their space,” says Dawson. “We want to give them a place at our table.”
We'll keep you updated with an opening date as and when we know, but we're very excited indeed.
Jungle are back and have announced a huge Leeds gig for later this year
Daisy Jackson
Modern funk and soul band Jungle are officially heading back to Leeds.
The Mercury Prize-nominated group will be performing at the First Direct Bank Arena this November, following their blistering summer on the festival circuit last year.
They'll be heading to Leeds on Saturday 21 November 2026.
Jungle was formed back in 2013 by producers and friends Josh Lloyd-Watson and Tom McFarland.
While they technically worked as a duo for years (until 2023, when touring member Lydia Kitto became an official member of the band), Jungle are known for their huge live performances.
They always fill stages with musicians and vocalists, for incredible funk n soul live shows.
The bands huge hits include Back on 74, Casio, and Busy Earnin’, from four top-10 albums including 2023’s groundbreaking Volcano.
The upcoming Leeds date forms part of the band’s upcoming world tour, which arrives in the UK in November 2026 following a string of international performances across Europe, North America, and beyond.
Fans can expect a setlist jam packed with standout tracks, including fan favourites such as ‘Volcano’ and ‘Back On 74’ and newer material from their upcoming album ‘Sunshine’, released on 14 August that continues to push the band’s signature sound forward.
With over 3.4 billion streams to their name, Jungle’s Leeds show is set to be one of the hottest tickets of 2026 so we wouldn't mess about if we were you.
Tickets for Jungle in Manchester will go on general sale from 10am on Friday 27 March, with pre-sale from 10am on Thursday 26 March.
Sophie Smith -
11th May 2022 
