With a total metropolitan population of just under 860,000 people, the English city of Leeds is the fifth-largest city in the United Kingdom and the economic and administrative capital of the Yorkshire region (York is considered the historic and cultural capital).
At approximately 200 miles north of London and 44 miles northwest of Manchester, Leeds is also at that haflway point where it is too close to several major airports to make a strong network profitable for major airlines — but far enough where flights directly out of Leeds Bradford (LBA) would be a far more convenient choice for local residents.
London-based low-cost carrier EasyJet has announced that it will permanently exit the airport 16 years after coming to it in 2010. The airline that ran a network of flights to cities such as Barcelona, Paris, Belfast, and Geneva will phase out all of them by Jan. 5, 2027, as part of its plan to “focus on maintaining and developing” its “most popular” routes.
‘We have made the decision to no longer operate flights from the airport:’ EasyJet on Leeds routes
“Following a review of our routes from Leeds Bradford Airport, we have made the decision to no longer operate flights from the airport after 5 January,” the statement from the EasyJet spokesperson reads further.
Without expanding on the specific traffic numbers, the carrier said that routes out of the midsize British airport are no longer profitable enough for the airline to continue running. British Airways canceled its last flight into Leeds in 2020 for similar reasons.
Related: Two low-cost airlines shutting down in 2027
The airline further confirmed that customers who have booked travel further into 2027 will be contacted with an offer to transfer the flight to a nearby airport or get a refund should they choose not to do this.
Travelers can also move a flight to a date within the window before the full exit if they wish to travel earlier.
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Ryanair steps in with rescue fares for customers on canceled EasyJet Leeds flights
Along with certain international airlines serving the city, rival low-cost carriers including Wizz Air, Jet2 and Ryanair all continue to operate out of LBA and in the latter’s case immediately leapt on the frustration and opportunity created by the exit of a competitor.
The latter carrier launched what it dubbed “full Leeds Bradford schedule” rescue fares for flights starting from January 5 starting at £29.99 (approximately $41 USD).
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The Dublin-based airline also madea significant push to expand into the city in the summer of 2026 with new routes from Leeds to destinations like Agadir and Warsaw as well as expanded frequencies to European cities such as Alicante, Faro, Gdansk and Krakow.
“While EasyJet abandons Leeds Bradford, cutting its full schedule from 5 Jan 2027, Ryanair is saving the day with rescue fares from just £29.99 for affected passengers — particularly those booked to fly easyJet from Leeds Bradford to Malaga, who can now switch to one of Ryanair’s 10 Malaga services per week,” Ryanair’s Communications Director Jade Kirwan said in a statement in the airline’s typical acerbically quipping style.
Related: Another airline files for bankruptcy, will liquidate
