Favourite Airport

[Peter Mugridge]

Crikey were you on Concorde or 1st Class VIP or something

Not quite; it was a charter though - the one to view the Hale Bopp Comet that was filmed for the BBC's "Airport" documentary. Up and back, so no need for inbound checks after landing.

Landed on 27R and quite by chance drew up at the gate nearest to the entrance to Heathrow 1,2,3. I didn't even rush off it - I was having a quick word with the operator ( the late Captain Douglas Ord ) at the door as I disembarked.

Didn't even cost me anything - I had a freebie as the idea for the charter ( which was their most successful one ever with two flights each out of Heathrow and Ringway ) was mine...



PS Take a close look at the aircraft ( different occasion ) in my avatar picture...

 

[WestCoast]

I have done 15 minutes from alighting the plane to the rail station at Manchester. The gate was near passport control and there was no queue, plus I had no hold luggage to collect. Then I sprinted to the station in an effort to make an earlier train - which is quite a walk from T1 on the elevated Skylink if you know the airport. I ended up missing the train after all that, but it was certainly a record for me.
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The small (ex BA) now Flybe Hub is not bad from my experience - not the big terminal.

I thought they had merged the two terminals at Brum?

 

[Butts]

I have done 15 minutes from alighting the plane to the rail station at Manchester. The gate was near passport control and there was no queue, plus I had no hold luggage to collect. Then I sprinted to the station in an effort to make an earlier train - which is quite a walk from T1 on the elevated Skylink if you know the airport. I ended up missing the train after all that, but it was certainly a record for me.
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I thought they had merged the two terminals at Brum?

Last time I was there (Christmas) they were still seperate -

 

[richw]

I also found Manchester quick to escape from, I was on the m5 within 70 mins of landing at Manchester in November. Very nice airport to land in, well terminal 3 was anyway! No hold baggage, I'd been away for 3 days and it was cheaper to buy and then waste prohibited items for cabin baggage than play £20 each way for hold luggage.

Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using Tapatalk

 

[WestCoast]

Last time I was there (Christmas) they were still seperate -

http://www.birminghamairport.co.uk/meta/news/2011/05/one-terminal-opening.aspx

The new ‘One Terminal’ is a result of a £13m redevelopment to merge the Airport’s two terminals into a single facility to improve its overall operational capabilities and the customer experience. The investment has led to the development of a larger centralised passenger security search area, an enlarged arrivals and onward travel facility, and a significant retail and catering offer, including a spacious 20,000 sq.ft walk-through World Duty Free store.

 

[martinsh]

Favourite Airports

UK : don't really rate any of them, but I suppose Stansted is the best of a poor bunch (not been there for a couple of years though)

Europe : Schipol, Riga

USA : Denver

Worst Airport : Atlanta - no contest !

 

[scotsman]

Barra - excellent cafe, brilliant views of the "airfield" from the car park, an excellent beach 5 mins away (or right in front of you, if the airport is closed)

On the downside, baggage reclaim leaves a lot to be desired, as does the lounge and security (no scanners, so everything is done by hand)

 

[Anon Mouse]

I'm surprised to hear how quick some folk have reclaimed their luggage at Manchester, last two times its took ages for me to get my luggage and both those times I missed my desired train. I have been suprised at Heathrow on how quick it can be to get through though! The longest its took me was over 1 hour during the Bird Flu endemic at Beijing Capital as everybody had to have their temprature checked and fill in extra forms, I was one of the last off the plane and had a connecting Domestic flight on which my luggage could not be transfered...I still (luckilly) made it! Oddly, it took me ages to exit Leeds Bradford a few years ago as I got made to empty my suitcase as they were suspicious of the Bangkok labels on my suitcase (had transfered from Eva to Jet2 at Heathrow). At least they were courteous and apogized for the inconvinence when they realised the only dodgy thing in my case was a bottle of Mekong Whiskey!

 

[Royston Vasey]

Zakynthos was awful about 10 years ago, looking on Google Earth it seems they have now built a new larger terminal

Haha, I went about the same time, two gates which were really two doors to the same patch of concrete! I think they were building the new terminal at that time.
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Heathrow T5 is impressive and a pleasure to use, but I don't rate the other terminals I've used there, especially not the T1 domestic lounge which bmi uses - cramped and shabby.

Terminal 5 is fantastic, it just works, it's very well equipped and designed, and because it's BA only it means there aren't a great deal of kids or package holidaymakers, so it's quite quiet and refined. E-passport gates and loads of immigration officers.

The BA lounges are great, departures and especially arrivals, with shower pods and full English breakfasts, ideal after a transatlantic flight with 2 hours' sleep! I'm lucky enough to have BA Silver status so get lounge use whenever I'm on BA or their partners.

Besides that, a trip through T5 means I'm coming back to New York

Only issue I have is the bus to the satellite gates.

Terminal 3, however, is one of the worst!!

 

[33056]

Surprised that no-one has mentioned London City yet; real pleasure to use, compact and very few queues checking in or leaving. I always choose to fly to and from there if possible and fares are not much different in price to those from Heathrow or Gatwick if you book early enough.

Other airports I quite like are Porto (nice and modern) and favourites for ease of access / good for Euro bashes are Zürich, Vienna and Düsseldorf though haven't used the latter for some time now as it is just as convenient for me to use Eurostar to that area (and I prefer to go by train if possible )

 

[Wath Yard]

Inverness is a nice airport. You get impressive views when you take off from there as well.

 

[YorkshireRider]

(had transfered from Eva to Jet2 at Heathrow).

Did Jet2 have a Heathrow-Leeds flight at one time then? How far back we talking? I hope the much overdue improvements to Leeds/Bradford make a big difference because during the summer months its not fit for purpose anymore, way too busy.

 

[WestCoast]

Did Jet2 have a Heathrow-Leeds flight at one time then? How far back we talking? I hope the much overdue improvements to Leeds/Bradford make a big difference because during the summer months its not fit for purpose anymore, way too busy.

Jet2 have never operated a Heathrow - Leeds/Bradford route, that was operated by bmi.

 

[Anon Mouse]

Did Jet2 have a Heathrow-Leeds flight at one time then? How far back we talking? I hope the much overdue improvements to Leeds/Bradford make a big difference because during the summer months its not fit for purpose anymore, way too busy.

It was in 2008 when I did that trip (one of 3 ill fated trips to Thailand that year, in which the less said the better involving a naiveity, a girl and cash)

BMI was it? I thought it was Jet2...not much of a plane buff to be honest and budget style airlines all seem similar to me, apart from Ryanair as they are awful!

 

[Ploughman]

St Mary's in the Scillies has to take some beating for size and friendliness.

The bus link to Hugh town will drop you at what ever guest house you are staying at.
Door to door service.

Followed the usual advice of turning up an hour before flight for usual check in etc only to be told "There is a flight in 5 minutes do you want to be on it?"

 

[Royston Vasey]

Surprised that no-one has mentioned London City yet; real pleasure to use, compact and very few queues checking in or leaving. I always choose to fly to and from there if possible and fares are not much different in price to those from Heathrow or Gatwick if you book early enough.

Other airports I quite like are Porto (nice and modern) and favourites for ease of access / good for Euro bashes are Zürich, Vienna and Düsseldorf though haven't used the latter for some time now as it is just as convenient for me to use Eurostar to that area (and I prefer to go by train if possible )

LCY is very good for that. A business airport, and only a business airport, pretty much. Can be a pain to get to (i.e. through central London and the DLR), that's the only thing.

 

[WestCoast]

BMI was it? I thought it was Jet2...not much of a plane buff to be honest and budget style airlines all seem similar to me, apart from Ryanair as they are awful!

No budget airlines (except Vueling) have ever flown to Heathrow.

 

[Anon Mouse]

No budget airlines (except Vueling) have ever flown to Heathrow.

I definatley flew Heathrow to Leeds Bradford, I'll dig out the passport with the exact date. I had flown EVA Air from Bangkok to London and arrived at night....

 

[WestCoast]

I definatley flew Heathrow to Leeds Bradford, I'll dig out the passport with the exact date. I had flown EVA Air from Bangkok to London and arrived at night....

It would have been bmi for sure, they closed the route a few years ago. The main reason for operating a UK domestic route into Heathrow is to provide connections to other destinations through the operating airline and partner airlines, which is something that budget airlines like Jet2 don't involve themselves with.

 

[Anon Mouse]

It would have been bmi for sure, they closed the route a few years ago. The main reason for operating a UK domestic route into Heathrow is to provide connections to other destinations through the operating airline and partner airlines, which is something that budget airlines like Jet2 don't involve themselves with.

Ah that explains it, must have been BMI!

 

[atillathehunn]

Dubai is quite an airport. It's absolutely enormous and a huge range of eateries. However, not an airport you wish to have a tight connection at, it's a long walk!

Sydney is also good, simply because of the pies and the free wi-fi.

 

[33056]

LCY is very good for that. A business airport, and only a business airport, pretty much. Can be a pain to get to (i.e. through central London and the DLR), that's the only thing.

IMO, no more of a pain to get to than any of the other London airports (from Bedfordshire or North West London in my case). My nearest airport is actually Luton but I rarely use it due to the fact that the easiest way to get there is to catch a bus (takes ages and not frequent), go by taxi (costs far more than the train fares to the other airports) or drive there (costs even more money to park there for a few days plus we often don't return to the same location we started from)

 

[martinsh]

Sydney is also good, simply because of the pies and the free wi-fi.

Not if you're transferring bwetween terminals it isn't !:mad:

Mind you, that was 25 years ago ...:roll:

 

[welshpax]

I have a lot of favourite airports, but, the best two I use for connections are Zurich and Vienna.

Zurich is a breeze when you connect and last time I connected in Vienna for Dubai I arrived and departed from gates next to each other, very simple!

 

[dangie]

Bearing in mind all airports are Goddam awful places and simply a means to an end..!!

Zurich as said by others is pretty good as your suitcase arrives at the carousel before you do..!!

Innsbruck (Austria) very efficient for flying into and super to fly out of as the viewing gallery looks out upon the mountains.

 

[WestCoast]

Bearing in mind all airports are Goddam awful places and simply a means to an end..!!.

Not really in my opinion. I quite like most airports and railways stations (there are of course exceptions!), interesting places for "people watching" or "plane/train watching".

 

[Masbroughlad]

I like Helsinki Airport and at Christmas - Munich - it has its own Xmas market!

 

[Butts]

I have a lot of favourite airports, but, the best two I use for connections are Zurich and Vienna.

Zurich is a breeze when you connect and last time I connected in Vienna for Dubai I arrived and departed from gates next to each other, very simple!

Agree with Zurich and Geneva as well - both have wonderful smoking lounges

 

[Heinz57]

I'm not sure what its like since the extension. But the old terminal building at Malaga at least used to be pretty poor. Stupidly large check in hall, and you could garantee your check in desk would be the furthist from the door! For those whp like a bit of duty free shopping, it was rubish. There was a little place to buy food. It was acceptible food but there was a poor choice and it was overpriced. Plus there wasn't anywhere decent to watch the planes.

Arrivals was no better, you'd have to walk about 50 miles down boringly-beige corridors which were stiffingly hot. And the moving walkways only coverd the last little bit.

I'll tell you an airport that is pretty good though, Sanford Intl airport in Orlando, Florida. Easy to find your way around, don't have to walk a long way, decent places to watch the planes, the shopping and food is alright, even the staff are quite good

 

[gordonthemoron]

For Irish pubs, Philadelphia & Berlin Schoenefeld. For airports where they do what they should Munich T2, Dusseldorf, Schipol