Leeds Bradford Airport seeking more Middle East flights as Saudi Arabia and Bahrain mission begins
Leeds Bradford Airport officials are in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain this week as they look to expand the number of international routes they serve.
LBA is the lead sponsor for a West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce trade mission also involving a delegation of local business leaders.
The delegation has recently flown out for a six-day mission to the Middle East which will see visits to the Saudi cities of Jeddah and Riyadh before heading on to Bahrain.
The mission has been organised after the two countries were identified by Chamber members as markets they would like to explore trade opportunities with.
Leeds Bradford Airport has signed up as headline sponsor for the mission which will see firm involved in tech, education, professional services and manufacturing all travelling to the gulf state to explore new relationships with firms in the two countries.
The mission will include meetings with Saudi Airlines, the British Embassy in Riyadh, the Saudi Ministry of Investment and the Bahrain Economic Development Board.
The visit to Saudi Arabia and Bahrain follows on from previous successful missions to the United Arab Emirates and the United States, with more trade missions planned for 2026.
James Mason, chief executive of West & North Yorkshire Chamber, said: “At a time when the cost of doing business is so high, it is more important than ever to explore new avenues for doing business.
“We asked our members where they would like to see a trade mission arranged for and Saudi Arabia and Bahrain were a clear standout.
“We look forward to welcoming all of our delegates and are grateful to Leeds Bradford Airport for signing up as lead sponsor as it seeks to increase the number of routes it serves globally.”
Speaking about the trip last month, Vincent Hodder, CEO of Leeds Bradford Airport, said: “We’re right in the middle of an exciting transformational journey here at LBA, so we welcomed the opportunity to be involved in this unique mission with the West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce to showcase everything that makes Yorkshire stand out to potential new markets.
“Our Vision 2030 strategy highlights our ambitions to secure more routes and destinations for our passengers, so we’re really looking forward to visiting Saudi Arabia and Bahrain to discuss the work we’ve been doing to transform our airport and explore new opportunities.”
LBA’s Vision2030 strategy sets out ambitions for the airport to serve seven million passengers a year by 2030 and 9.8 million by 2045.
It lists “new route destinations in the North Atlantic and Middle East” as part of the priorities for expanding its flight offering, along with more UK and Eastern European routes.