Holiday horror of a return to Leeds Bradford Airport – Yorkshire Post letters

IT is a curious thing, but no matter how many times I watch Silence of The Lambs, it retains its ability to surprise, horrify and stir the dark corners of the subconscious.

This week I was reminded of this phenomenon when, after a long period of absence, I was back once again in the unique ambience of Leeds Bradford Airport.

It followed a relaxing trip to Mallorca where I had breezed through the fragrant efficiency of Palma Airport, been winked at by staff squeezing fresh oranges and witnessed lovers kissing lingering goodbyes. Even the humblest baguette was replete with Serrano ham...

You get the picture.

A baguette I longed for as I queued on the airport runway in Leeds waiting just to get into the terminal building and home. Eventually, through a haze of burning kerosene, word came back that there was some sort of logjam in the system.

The delay – to paraphrase the public announcement – was down to ‘too many flights arriving all at once’.

It appeared the number of arriving flights had taken the airport by surprise. Aircraft that had been scheduled for months were clearly playing an elaborate trick.

An electronic board showed just five flights arrived during the mid-afternoon period. Seemingly four arrivals too many for this congested complex.

Once inside I climbed the stairs with my bags (the only escalator was broken) to see four stony-faced staff displaying ‘happy to help’ badges. They resembled those unfortunate Christmas supermarket workers who are placed under orders to wear plastic antlers. In any case they appeared neither happy nor happy to help.

My experience was compounded by lacklustre food, malodorous toilets and a general sense of chaos more readily associated with the developing world than with Yeadon 
in 2019.

I implore the airport to end the madness of allowing only one taxi firm to operate from the site and to clean the front concourse of its fag ends and chewing gum.

Above all learn to cope with more than one flight at a time.

But please stop the horror movie.

Owners must pay for failure

From: Paul Morley, Long Preston, Skipton.

SO the Government is going to foot the bill for replacing the cladding on privately-owned high rise buildings (Kit Malthouse, The Yorkshire Post, May 13).

The Government’s money comes from the taxpayer, you and me.

Why should we have to pay for someone else’s failures?

Surely this cost should be met by either the manufacturers or the companies who fitted it or both if they knew it was not fit for purpose?

The last thing this country needs, when its vital services are grossly underfunded, is to fork out millions to rectify other people’s mistakes.

From: Mr PL Taylor, Milner Street, Lockwood, Huddersfield.

SURELY the manufacturer of the cladding which is unsuitable for purpose, must be made to pay the cost of the replacement cladding?

The Government department which is responsible for checks on suitable products must do its job properly (or ‘reit’ as we say in Yorkshire).

A loss of contact

From: Peter Hyde, Driffield.

SOME years ago there was a system of volunteers delivering meals to old people, meals on wheels, which meant that old people living on their own got at least one or two visits a week.

This system provided a care provision.

The old people paid a modest sum for the food while the volunteers gave their time and costs for free.

For some reason I cannot fathom, the system was 
stopped and replaced with a delivery of frozen meals 
which the recipients were expected to defrost and serve themselves.

Thus a valuable contact was lost and, unless those people have carers, they don’t often see anybody from one week to the next.

Driver went extra mile

From: Mike Paice, Scarborough.

WHILE it appears easy to find something to moan about these days, I would like to offer praise for the driver of the number 128 departing Helmsley for Scarborough at 15:05 on Monday.

With 10 minutes before the scheduled departure time, I informed him I was nipping across to the Co-Op opposite to buy a newspaper. Due to non-functioning tills, this became a major project which resulted in a simple task lasting 15 minutes.

The driver, who could clearly see there was a problem, elected to wait for my return. I appreciate that he had a timetable to adhere to, which made his action all the more welcome. At that time I had not yet purchased my ticket. I hope his bosses will fully appreciate what an excellent employee they have working for them, an asset to the company.

Sad loss of Doris Day

From: John Appleyard, Firthcliffe Parade, Liversedge.

SAD to hear of the passing of singer and actress Doris Day, she sang beautifully and acted superbly. Her first number one hit record was Secret Love in 1954, an Oscar-winning song from the film Calamity Jane.

My favourite song of hers came a few years later – Move Over Darling from the film of the same name. Its lyrics were quite risqué at the time for a female singer. Sadly, she became reclusive and we hardly heard that beautiful voice again, but we’ve got the memories of a great artist.