Even at Heathrow relatively few terminal passengers arrive or depart using the local service buses. No most of their clientel are workers or even transfer (bus to bus) And nothing to do with the airport. And whilst the local buses within the GLA are frequent and some even operate 24 hours a day those into neighbouring Surrey are dire
Many foreign tourists are collected by tour rep and coaches just as the Brits are in the med on traditional package breaks
National Express operate the transfer coaches between airports very profitably plus they carry extensive longer distance traffic either directly or via Victoria for cost conscientious regional passengers
However the prime public transport method used by terminal passengers are rail both LUL and for the rich or time pressed the Heathrow Express
Compare and contrast Manchester has TFM support early trams from guess who yeap staff
Regionally heavy rail has captured significant traffic flows and could do better
Whilst delegulation remains TFM can’t do any thing about the buses and as with Surrey, Cheshire too has dire transport support across the board
The lack of integration is entirely the responsibility of past Tory political dogma and a total lack of understanding of the benefits of such ideas preferring the market to dictate
Hense a bazilian million buses through Rusholme and nought past the post house or what ever it’s called these days
National Express do operate into the airport and via the Central Manchester coach park in a similar manner to Heathrow however they don’t seem to have the success in marketing the connections available
Inbound tourism especially packages remain a small part of the airport profile so not so many coaches apparent
All that said live anywhere south of the city taxies remain the most cost effective and probably most environmental method of getting a family and granny with suit cases safety to and from airport period
Last edited by Rutan16; 21st Oct 2017 at 14:17.