h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I am helping a friend who works for an airline. He has asked me "If English people, who had a second home in France wanted to fly back to UK, given the choice of Liverpool or Manchester, which airport would they prefer?"

I've never been to either of them, so any views from anyone who has, or knows any info on routes onward from them would be welcome. I got straight onto John Lennon airport website & got a list of destinations, but for some reason can't get the same info from Manchester.



zdt

This is like asking "Heathrow or Stansted"?

It depends on so many things. First of all, Manchester is pretty central to the north of England, well connected to motorways. Liverpool is the end of the M62, so when you land, you're going to drive east to anywhere, pretty much.

Second, Manchester airport is BIG, with many terminals and lots of airlines, so you can go lots and lots of places quite often with lots of airlines. Liverpool is small, and if you're not flying Easyjet, well, who are you flying with?

That said, there are many advantages to a small airport in my experience. Smaller = quicker and friendlier. Less time queuing, less time waiting for baggage, and less stressed staff, including the ones with machine guns.

If I lived equidistant from the two, as I did for the first 20 years of my life, and assuming I even had a choice (bearing in mind the much reduced number of flights into 'pool), I'd pick Liverpool, I think. But that's because I don't like airports much. If you *like* airports, Manchester is better because it's bigger.

SoRB

Manchester

(Why can't we fly to Doncaster? )

On the "small is beautiful" theme, I havce to say that London's 5th airport (and the only one that is actually *in London*) is far and away my favourite!

RF

You probably can't find the info for Manchester because they had a powercut last night and all their electronic information systems are down.

As SoRB said, unless your friend is going to somewhere else near Liverpool, there's little point in flying there, as you've got to go half-way to Manchester to get anywhere else.

Manchester has *far* better transport links as well - the airport has it's own train station and you can get direct trains to pretty much every major city in the country. It also has direct motorway access, whereas the nearest motorway to Liverpool airport is quite a distance.

Liverpool is a nicer airport imo, but for practicality and choice of destinations, Manchester wins hands-down.

Thanks folks! Looks like Manchester is winning this one so far. Thanks for the info on the lack of info as it were; it seems Ok now.

zdt

Manchester *is* better connected. Where is your friend going to though, when they arrive?

I imagine he himself is going to a hotel, until it's time for him to fly the plane back to France! What he's really trying to find out is what Brits in general, who spend half their time here in France & half in UK would find most convenient if new air routes were available. Since i am British, he asked if i could try & get opinions.

Obviously, a lot would depend on where peoples other home was, but it seems that Manchester would be better for ongoing flights to other parts of UK, or train services. I would imagine people who live further north get pretty fed up taking Eurostar, ferries etc then having to trundle up northwards.

zdt

"What he's really trying to find out is what Brits in general, who spend half their time here in France & half in UK would find most convenient if new air routes were available. "

Then it's ALL about the routes available and the prices.

Consider: Manchester is a "mainstream" airport. It charges airlines mainstream prices. Liverpool is nigh-on owned by Easyjet. Easyjet flies to more obscure destinations, smaller airports.

If I had a house near a smallish airport in France, the choice might well come down to:

1. Drive for an hour to Manchester, queue for hours, pay £200 for a flight and arrive three hours drive from my house in France.
2. Drive for two hours to Liverpool, but have fewer queues and pay £20 for a flight and arrive 30 minutes drive from my house in France.

If you want to go to Paris CDG, Manchester's your airport. If you want to go to the middle of nowhere, you *might* find that Easyjet from Liverpool is not only more convenient, but a tenth of the price.

SoRB

I think that Manchester gives more options than Liverpool. When setting up a new route, why introduce restrictions at the outset?








Plus, unless it's a *really* fast turnaround, there's every chance that your plane will end up on bricks at Liverpool.

>>Plus, unless it's a *really* fast turnaround, there's every chance that your plane will end up on bricks at Liverpool<<

Nah, they solved that problem by putting a bloody big fence around the place - defeats most Scousers.

Anyway, it's all swings and roundabouts - in Manchester there's a fair chance you'll get shot.

"When setting up a new route, why introduce restrictions at the outset? "

One restriction is the price you (an airline) pay the airport. That's one of the reasons why Ryanair is so successful - it screws tiny airports so it gets to use their facilities for next to nothing.

If you're setting up a route, how much you have to pay to use the airport is relevant, because you'll be passing that on to customers. That said, last year I flew to Geneva from Manchester for £2.50.

SoRB

But price is only one restriction and, tbh, is not a qualifying factor when I fly. I want a flight from a convenient airport to another convenient airport at the right time on the right day with the least amount of transfers and hassle. Why save a few quid on a ticket if the saving is eaten up with taxi fares, extra luggage costs, premiums for a seat with legroom, extra nights in a hotel etc?

The other point might be that flying from Manchester may lead to an average of 90% of seats being filled compared to a lower percentage from a minor airport. The difference in tickets sold will also be passed onto customers.

Hmm; yes.... They would be flying from a tiny airport at this end & obviously returning to it; so i guess the landing costs of going to the bigger one at the other end would be offset.

zdt

why does it have to be Liverpool or Manchester, though?

Nottingham, Doncaster, Tyneside, Leeds/Bradford... they all have airports, and I'd use them if they flew to somewhere relatively convenient to me.

Not to mention Birmingham, which is also *huge*. Coventry also does some passenger flights now, I understand.

Although you may get shot in manchester, you are less likely to leave with an addiction to heroin. Plus the car is more likely to be there when your friend gets back...