I'd vote Newcastle best UK airport. Yes it's my local and you could say I'm biased but for it's size the routes it offers (except EU city routes, some silly schedules and a lack of London alternative to LHR, i.e LCY) are excellent, even airports significantly larger than us such as BRS, STN and LTN* don't have a Middle Eastern hub connection or a transatlantic connection, never mind both. Added to that out LS, EZY, TOM and TCX bases, most other UK airports have either or, not a wide variety and sizeable offering from all 4. I'd say that Newcastle deserves the award simply based on being an all round airport and as I said before, if they can improve our selection of EU city routes I'm sure it will continue to go from strength to strength.
I always try and pick NCL above other airports to support my local, I hope to fly United next year, I've used NCL twice this year, once on BA once on LS and I look forward to using it again next month on EZY. Never had a bad experience for which the airport has been liable, I've had delays before, one over 3 hours but the airport is, in general a very nice place to be, both airside and landside. I do enjoy sitting in the airport on the odd occasion just having a Starbucks, if there was somewhere to sit and watch the aircraft as well it would be perfect!
The airport has worked very hard over the last 18+ months to put it in the right place for future growth both in terms of airport experience and routes offered, and if the government back down on this bloody APD, hopefully spurred on by Scottish devolution... We should be ready for a boom from Newcastle. The best is yet to come! So congratulations on your hat-trick Newcastle and keep up the good work,
With love,
Martin x
*LTN has La Compagnie but that's a very niche route