Travellers going through Leeds Bradford Airport face long queues at times to get through security – and that could continue until at least the autumn.
Several Huddersfield Hub readers have complained about lengthy queues at the airport to get through security, sometimes stretching outside the building early in the morning when several flights are due to leave within a short time.
They also say it’s exceptionally busy in the new terminal extension building which opened last summer with queues for the toilets, restaurants and bars along with difficulty finding a seat.
This is due to the ongoing £100m renovation scheme on the original terminal which means, for example, the toilets before people go through security are outside in temporary portable buildings and large parts of the building are boarded off.
Passengers arriving at the airport on flights end up walking through a long temporary corridor straight out into an area in front of the airport rather than into the airport itself.
When the new terminal extension (pictured below) opened in June 2025 the airport said the entire renovation scheme to upgrade the original terminal building would be completed in 2026.
Huddersfield Hub contacted the airport to try to get a timescale for the work and the good news is that a new security hall which will have 50% more space and capacity than the current one will open in the autumn.
But they are unable to give a specific month and are also unable to provide a timeline for when the rest of the renovation work on the original building will be finished and the airport returns to normal.
In a statement they say: “We recognise that carrying out major construction work within a live operating airport inevitably presents challenges at peak times, particularly during busy holiday periods.
“A key milestone in the redevelopment will be the opening of the new central security screening area in autumn 2026. Relocating to an entirely new part of the terminal, it will be approximately 50% larger than the existing facility and equipped with next-generation security screening technology.
“The new security area will increase processing capacity, improve operational efficiency and help reduce queue times, delivering a faster, smoother and more comfortable experience for passengers.’’
The statement adds: “Leeds Bradford Airport continues to undergo its largest terminal redevelopment in decades and, while construction is still ongoing, a number of significant improvements have already been delivered for passengers.
“Compared with June 2025 we have increased free seating capacity by around 112%, providing a much larger, lighter, cooler and more spacious departures area for customers. While some parts of the terminal remain under construction, these improvements are already helping to enhance the passenger experience.
“The terminal redevelopment represents an investment of approximately £100 million with work continuing throughout 2026 to deliver further improvements to the airport’s facilities.
“As additional phases are completed, passengers will benefit from more seating throughout the terminal, upgraded toilet facilities, an expanded range of food, drink and retail outlets, improved circulation space and modernised passenger facilities from check-in through to departures and arrivals.
“Once the works are complete, arriving passengers will exit through the main terminal building rather than the temporary arrivals route currently in use due to the construction.
“We thank passengers for their patience while these improvements continue and are confident the completed redevelopment will deliver a substantially enhanced experience for everyone travelling through Leeds Bradford Airport.”
Written by ANDY HIRST who runs his own Yorkshire freelance journalism agency AH! PR (https://ah-pr.com/) specialising in press releases, blogging, website content, copywriting and ghost-writing autobiographies.
