Well, I am voting with my feet!.
Most of my long haul travel is with British Airways out of choice. I used to fly from Manchester via Heathrow but then transferred to using the train from Liverpool to Euston and then the tube to London. Which turned out to be just as fast.
The reason for my switch to the train was the awful experience that is Terminal 3.
Now, I have a new way of connecting, and it is just as quick. I fly Aer Lingus from Liverpool to Dublin and then transfer onto a BA service to Heathrow for my long haul connection, and guess what? I now save a bundle of money because the air taxes out of Dublin are so much cheaper!
However, if BA introduced a Liverpool to Heathrow service (fat chance!) then I would revert back to the BA domestic feeder.
Having said all that, I cannot understand why MAG would not be at IFB 2016 in Liverpool pitting against Heathrow. Especially given the amount of long haul routes Manchester now have and will have in the future.