Originally Posted by
GavinC
I'm sorry but that's simply not true. The experience at MAN does put people off, particularly at T3 where regional flights compete with other modes and the MAN issues are at there worst.
For example, i've been to Glasgow a number of times recently. My instinct is to fly and the cost is comparable to the train if not better. I did fly once and my experience was as follows - get train to airport, fine. Walk to T3 from station, ok but outside. Security - shouty, aggressive, long queues, don't look at your phone! get everything out, use more trays. Unpleasant. Get into Terminal - Nowhere to sit, barely anywhere to stand, queues at all of the bars and shops. Unpleasant.
So i got the train most of the time and FlyBe missed out on the money i wanted to give them.
For what it's worth, there were no queues for security at GLA on the way back, nor were there queues when i flew to Glasgow from London City recently or back from Belfast City either. At all three airports i carried my same work gear and at all three i was able to use fewer trays and was not shouted at.
Lets also not forget that many of MAN's passengers will have a choice of airports depending on where they are going. That could be LPL, BHX or even LHR for some destinations.
MAN (T3) puts people off and the airport need to address it.
I would agree that that if the airport objective were to prevent people from choosing a train to Glasgow they may have failed.
I would only offer that killing the train service to Glasgow need not and should be a primary measure.
Manchester is about 10th in the world on overall destinations served, and the number deliverable effectively by rail is close to zero.
If the train works better for you, then use it.
Please consider that may be no more a failure for the airport than the success of Billy's Bionic Burger Bar in Bury may be a failure for McDonalds.