Leeds Bradford Airport Information

Leeds Bradford International Airport was originally Yeadon Aerodrome, which began operating in October 1931 with club flying and training flights being predominant activities.At this time it was on 60 acres of grassland along the Bradford Harrogate Road.

By 1935 the airport had been extended by a further 35 acres and schedule air services commenced to Newcastle and Edinburgh with North Eastern Airways. Services to Blackpool and the Isle of Man also started with West Coast air Services. By 1936, £40,000 had been put aside for a terminal building, but only one wing was completed.

The airport was taken over by the Ministry of Civil Aviation on 1st January 1947. From then the airport operated on a limited scale for the West Riding Flying Club and the Lancashire Aircraft Corporation until 1953 when Yeadon Aviation Ltd, was formed and expanded these facilities to cater for charter and scheduled air services.

1954 saw the development of facilities such as radio, approach and navigational aids, passenger accommodation and catering to deal with the developing services. By 1960 there had been a number of improvements including extensions to the Passenger and Customs Halls, car parks provisions, the demolition of obsolete hangars, a public bar and restaurant provided and new equipment fitted in the control tower. It had also been decided to demolish three fifths of the huge wartime flight shed to make more parking space on the Apron. Plans were also put in place for a new terminal building, capable of dealing with 2,000 passengers an hour.

The Airport had certainly come a long way in those first 30 years, however it was nothing compared to the alterations, modifications and progress over the next 40 years leaving us with the airport we see today.