PLANS have been unveiled for a major expansion and upgrading of Leeds Bradford International Airport, which would double passenger numbers and create up to 2,000 new jobs.

Airport owner Bridgepoint is to invest £28 million in improving and expanding the main terminal as part of a five-year £70 million investment plan for the airport at Yeadon as a whole.

John Parkin, chief executive, said the aim was to make LBIA a “best in class” airport and meet future demand for air travel which was expected to see passenger numbers rise to about five million a year by 2013.

The plans, which are being submitted to Leeds City Council later this month in the hope of a go-ahead by April next year, have been welcomed by Gillian Cruddas, chief executive of Visit York, the city’s tourism organisation.

She said: “Leeds Bradford airport is the perfect gateway for overseas visitors coming into York. With more than 150,000 visits from the United States, 280,000 from Europe and almost 100,000 from Australasia, York will clearly benefit from these new investment plans.

“We are working closely together with the airport and carriers such as Jet2 to promote Leeds Bradford airport as an excellent gateway into York and Yorkshire.”

The existing terminal building suffers from congestion, insufficient circulation space and is poorly designed for segregating arrivals and departures.

The proposals include a two-storey extension to the landside face of the terminal and internal changes to provide extra space, an improved layout and circulation in the concourse and at check-in.

There will be a new and expanded passenger security screening zone, a new departure lounge with central seating with natural light from a glazed roof, improvements to the domestic baggage reclaim hall and a remodelling of the airside immigration facilities.

The plans do not involve any extension to the runway, additional car parking outside the airport or any significant increase in night flights.

Mr Parkin said the airport added, on average, one new route a month and now served 76 destinations.

Over the next five years £70 million would be invested to improve facilities, including a new £5 million fuel farm, improved aircraft stands, more covered passenger walkways to aircraft and new fire tenders.

Mr Parkin said: “The terminal proposals will also deliver impressive new facilities which will integrate with the existing building sympathetically in scale and design.

“We are passionate in our determination to deliver a passenger experience for the next decade that offers the very best in airport design and service.”