[QUOTE=victor45;1154353]its the highest airport in europe QUOTE]

Highest in the UK but surely not the highest in Europe?

Nice pictures by the way!!

It was my understanding that some of the slots to UK regional airports had some kind of protection

BA used the 757’s quite regularly on the LHR route. I’m sure they once used a Tristar into Jersey after a period of foggy weather to get a lot of stranded passengers in and out quickly. I think there’s a photo in the terminal to prove it! having been at LBA watching when British Airtours’ G-BBAI slipped off the end of runway 14, I guess it must have been a bit hairy given that the stop end at Jersey is a cliff top!

Great tape BMI-Star, I watched the aircraft concerned on final approach from my home in Horsforth at about five to one on Thursday afternoon. Wow, did he have to fight those vicious winds and turbulence! I lost sight of him over the rooftops and couldn’t believe it when I heard on my air-band radio that he had managed to land – I was sure he would have had to make a go-around.

I’d just driven up from Leeds city centre and had all on just to keep my car on the road! The Pilot deserves a medal; next time I fly Jet2, I’ll be well pleased if he’s in the front seat. Great work too by the ATC Controller, nice and calm, must have been reassuring to the flight crew.

Back in the days when BMI were British Midland, flying B733’s LHR to Leeds, I was on the 420 on a particularly stormy windy night (both on departure from Heathrow and all the way up to Leeds). The Pilot, an Australian with a wicked sense of humour was making a number of light-hearted comments through the flight to calm our nerves (?).

He kindly advised that “the good news is the 45+ knots wind at Leeds has eased to around 30 knots, the bad news is it’s now blowing straight across the runway rather than down it”. “It’s going to be bumpy the whole way up so enjoy the Diamond Service bar – If I were back with you guys I’d be asking for a very large one!” Rather than the usual “Cabin Crew -10 Minutes to landing” we got “10 minutes to splashdown ladies!”

After a very “lumpy” approach in the turbulence with much crabbing into the south westerly we made a firm but excellent landing under the circumstances, when we had slowed up, to great applause from the passengers the pilot comes back on the mic. “OK folks you can take your hands off your eyes – I know it’s safe to do so because my first officer has just done so!”

Arrival into Las Vegas from Denver is something special, passing over the Grand Canyon and the Hoover Dam.

Arrival into LAX at night landing on one of the western runways takes you over about 30 miles of brightly lit urban sprawl in the “square block” american style, it’s not unlike flying over the “Death Star” in Star Wars!

The approach to my “home” airport LBA’s 14 is quite spectacular, from the left hand side passing Bolton Abbey, past the american spy base at Menwith Hill with it’s numerous “Golf Ball” Radomes, then over Otley before the towering Chevin Hill rushes up towards you (you can sometimes hear the audible “Terrain! Terrain! warning from the cockpit) before the land gently drops away again before the threshold. With airport itself atop a hill it’s quite a strange sensation before landing as you appear to be very high on short finals with full flaps, and buffeting about in the almost inevitable crosswind!

There seems to be a perception on this forum, that a degree of kudos will be gained by criticising Ryanair.

OK, they may sail close to the wind with some of their claims regarding fares and charges, but everyone can see the total cost before making a booking, and the final fare can be exceptionally good value.

I have used their services from LBA and STN on several ocasions, and granted, it is somewhat basic, but no worse than the charter airlines, and in truth, not that far behind what currently passes as service in the rear cabin on BMI’s LHR-LBA service.

Ryanair’s passenger numbers must suggest that the public are generally happy with what they are getting for their money, or are you guys suggesting that all their repeat customers are too thick to know any better.