Leeds-Bradford Airport has announced record profits for what it describes as the best year in its history.

It saw turnover increase by 17.8 per cent to £16.4 million in the financial year 1998/99, with its operating profit going up by 36.5 per cent to £4.2 million and post-tax profits rising by 35.9 per cent to £2.8 million.

The number of passengers passing through the terminal also increased to more than 1.4 million, up 8.7 per cent on the previous year.

The figures, to be reported to the airport's consultative committee tomorrow, are a boost for West Yorkshire's five councils, including Bradford, which are the airport's shareholders.

Councillor Tony Cairns, from Bradford, who chairs the Airport Board, said: "We are determined that Leeds-Bradford should play an increasing part in serving the demand for air services from Yorkshire."

Airport managing director Ed Anderson said the 1998/99 year was the most successful in the airport's history.

He said: "Passenger throughput reached record levels, dramatic improvements were made to our passenger facilities, and service standards continued to rise.

"At the same time profitability increased and major capital investment took place," he said.

Another report for tomorrow's meeting mentions a significant rise in the number of jets using Leeds-Bradford - a source of concern for some living in the area.

Jet movements in the last winter season increased by 30.3 per cent from the figure a year earlier and by nearly 51 per cent in the 1998 summer season as airport growth continued and jets replaced turboprops.

Slight increases were recorded in average decibel levels.

Brian Whitehead, chairman of the Leeds-Bradford Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise, said people living outside the Noise Insulation Zone were still unhappy about excessive noise.

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