The route was formerly operated under the Centrebus brand as Airport Direct.[1]
In May 2014, the routes were rebranded by Yorkshire Tiger as Flying Tiger and new Optare Versa buses were introduced.[2][3][4] On 3 July 2017, new Alexander Dennis Enviro200 MMC buses were introduced on route 737 and 747 alongside the previous Optare Versa vehicles which continued to operate mainly on service 757.[5]
In 2020, Yorkshire Tiger stopped running the 757 route. It had previously been operated on a commercial basis however this was no longer viable during the COVID-19 pandemic. The West Yorkshire Combined Authority subsequently awarded a temporary contract to CT Plus who operated the route under the Runway 757 brand. In August 2020, Yorkshire Coastliner took over operation of all three routes and also acquired the Yorkshire Tiger depot in Idle.[6][7] The routes were renumbered A1, A2 and A3.[8]
As of 2024, service A1 now operates at a half-hourly frequency (and finishes service two-hours earlier compared to its previous timetable), whilst services A2 and A3 each operate at an hourly frequency. Service A2 has had its Harrogate night services recently withdrawn whilst service A3 has had an extension to its route added in Otley (Newall) on evenings to substitute the Otley Dash service which Transdev withdrew in 2023.
The current fleet of Optare Versa buses will be replaced by a fleet of 15 Mercedes-Benz Citarohybrid electric single-deck vehicles, an order worth £4million, which are expected to enter service by the end of 2024.[9][10][11][12]
Services
As of October2024[update], the services operated under the Flyer brand are:
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