LEEDS 5
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Monte Carlo
Age: 65
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It's nothing to do with current loads which is the a##e end of the season. It's a response to summer impact and is timed now because we're entering a busy period for summer bookings. No point advertising when people are sat on the plane is there.
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: leeds
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there is so much negativity on this forum about LBA and other regional airports, I don't understand, LBA management has done so well this year and all we ever hear is criticisms about it all
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Leeds
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So a choice between a short trip to LBA, fly to LHR, same terminal connection when the T5 move happens then onwards compared to battling the traffic on the M62 or cramming into a commuter train that's not big enough and probably standing for 2 hours.
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: South of MAN, North of BHX, and well clear of Stoke ;-)
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2Planks : Absolutely, perhaps LBA should reply - 56 miles away but 3 hours on the M62 or 2 hours on crummy trains!
I can see this is going to ge one of those oportunities for this thread to turn into an enthusiast's pissing contest. There's a special section for that on here and it's not here. Let's keep this thread focussed on purpose.
Join Date: Jun 2011
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Whether fact or not, I think many people would accept the M62 as frequently congested and this is a risk for MAN and an opportunity for LBA. Like I said, an interesting battle ahead. No negativity from me - its a commentary on two businesses competing for the same passenger base.
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Leeds
Age: 63
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I use both the M62 and the TPE trains to travel to/from the north-west on a fairly regular basis, and I speak from experience.
FACT- the M62 is congested on a daily basis. I am an experienced driver, the large amounts of HGVs on it make for a particularly demanding drive. Accidents, bad weather and other hold-ups happen frequently.
FACT- the trains between Leeds and Manchster Picc are often standing room only. When I reserve a seat, without fail somebody is already sat in it.
Not what I want on the start of an important journey. Give me a change at LHR/AMS anyday.
If First were to run some trains non-stop between Leeds and Manchester Airport, I might reconsider.
FACT- the M62 is congested on a daily basis. I am an experienced driver, the large amounts of HGVs on it make for a particularly demanding drive. Accidents, bad weather and other hold-ups happen frequently.
FACT- the trains between Leeds and Manchster Picc are often standing room only. When I reserve a seat, without fail somebody is already sat in it.
Not what I want on the start of an important journey. Give me a change at LHR/AMS anyday.
If First were to run some trains non-stop between Leeds and Manchester Airport, I might reconsider.
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Leeds Yorkshire England
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Leeds v Manchester
I drove the M62 three or four times a week to Manchester Airport in the 90s when I was based there and it was a horrible drive then. I would not want to do it now if a reasonable alternative was available. I have booked Manchester to Australia in April with a stop in Munich. If the Ba flight to Heathrow had been available at the time booking Leeds-Heathrow-Oz would have been my choice to avoid the drive to Manchester.
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Leeds, UK & Cork, Ireland
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The M62 may be no dream, but LBA is hardly well connected. Driving to LBA from areas to the south and east of Leeds is a bit of an unpredictable nightmare, too. Even from the univeristy, MAN is a 50/50 toss-up by public transport. Even if you do drive to LBA, parking is absolutely outrageous on-site and not much better off site. Of course the cost of fuel to MAN is not negligible.
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: leeds
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Actually 1hr 15 Leeds station-- Mcr Airport. Do agree about the congestion though . For US destinations directly served from Manchester I think Manchester wins. Where it's a choice between connecting at Heathrow, Newark or Chicago, it all depends, could be close.
StoneyBridge - I find your wagging finger and the tone of your post patronising and it is such actions that start the contests you seem to want to avoid.
Whilst the 56 miles is an irrefutable fact - my slightly tongue in cheek reply to the previous poster is based on my experience which is what I use to inform my purchasing decisions. Whether it is MAN or LBA depends on a lot of factors but as LBA is the closest airport to 'chez moi' it will often come out as favourite.
Whilst the 56 miles is an irrefutable fact - my slightly tongue in cheek reply to the previous poster is based on my experience which is what I use to inform my purchasing decisions. Whether it is MAN or LBA depends on a lot of factors but as LBA is the closest airport to 'chez moi' it will often come out as favourite.
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Yorkshire
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MAN is a far better airport. It is also one that I avoid as much as possible simply because getting there from North Leeds is a nightmare.
You can dress it up all you like but I would explore all other avenues than use it. It is great for the residents of Manchester, Chesire and Merseyside. It is not great for the people of Yorkshire unless they are right on the M62.
I think BA recognised that fact when they started this route and contrary to popular belief pax figures are rising steadily. 4 rtn flts a day was always too many - what routes ever get that? But having generated a customer base this Winter and shown some commitment by moving it to T5 with 3 per dya I am hopeful of a good Summer for the route.
You can dress it up all you like but I would explore all other avenues than use it. It is great for the residents of Manchester, Chesire and Merseyside. It is not great for the people of Yorkshire unless they are right on the M62.
I think BA recognised that fact when they started this route and contrary to popular belief pax figures are rising steadily. 4 rtn flts a day was always too many - what routes ever get that? But having generated a customer base this Winter and shown some commitment by moving it to T5 with 3 per dya I am hopeful of a good Summer for the route.
Please don't get carried away here. LBA is convenient for Leeds & Bradford as well as some other areas of West Yorkshire. But for much of Yorkshire, such as Sheffield, Barnsley, Huddersfield, MAN is considerably more convenient and, crucially, well thought of. LBA has never really been on the folks of South Yorkshire's radar.
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: South of MAN, North of BHX, and well clear of Stoke ;-)
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Couldn't let it go could you 2planks.
I travel from SK4, 2 miles from MAN, to either DSA or LBA atleast twice a week.
Except for one occassion when UK plc was snowclo, it has never, ever, taken anywhere near 3 hours to complete my journey even with the current never ending 50mph stretch.
So if anything, if LBA were to respond as you suggest, the ASA would come down on them like a tonne of bricks or, as you say, if it was meant tongue in cheek, it really was incitement to willy waving, purposely intentioned or otherwise.
I travel from SK4, 2 miles from MAN, to either DSA or LBA atleast twice a week.
Except for one occassion when UK plc was snowclo, it has never, ever, taken anywhere near 3 hours to complete my journey even with the current never ending 50mph stretch.
So if anything, if LBA were to respond as you suggest, the ASA would come down on them like a tonne of bricks or, as you say, if it was meant tongue in cheek, it really was incitement to willy waving, purposely intentioned or otherwise.
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Scotland
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Just back from using LBA as it is easier to use than Manchester from Scotland via the A65, thus avoiding the M62.
Most friends I know in Scotland avoid Manchester - generally using London gateways but also Newcastle and Leeds if nothing suitable from EDI or GLA.
Most friends I know in Scotland avoid Manchester - generally using London gateways but also Newcastle and Leeds if nothing suitable from EDI or GLA.
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: London
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Just back from using LBA as it is easier to use than Manchester from Scotland
via the A65, thus avoiding the M62
via the A65, thus avoiding the M62
Also worth noting that from Scotland, the quickest route for both Glasgow and Edinburgh to MAN, the route goes nowhere near the M62. Thus, I have no idea which route you have been using, but seems you have been going well out of your way to need the M62 from Scotland.
At the end of the day, its not always down to ease why people don't use an airport, but rather the preference of airport. If people don't want to use airport A, then they wont.
However, in MAN's case, there are 22 million people who do 'find it easier' to use, and in LBA's case there are 2.9 million who are likewise.
Last edited by LAX_LHR; 13th Feb 2013 at 18:26.