LIVERPOOL - 2

[dwlpl]

Globespan submitted to the US authorities that it intended to fly the Liverpool/New York JFK route daily in summer 2007 and then drop down to two per week in winter 2007/08.

But it has now released its winter schedule for the route and it continues until early January 2008 (at least) with a daily rotation.

[ESCNI]

Bit surprised that nobody here has commented on Liverpool Airport's proposal to surcharge all of its departing passengers by £2...

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/liverpooldailypost/news/regionalnews/tm_headline=easyjet-in-row-with-john-lennon-airport-&method=full&objectid=18315595&siteid=50061-name_page.html (http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/liverpooldailypost/news/regionalnews/tm_headline=easyjet-in-row-with-john-lennon-airport-&method=full&objectid=18315595&siteid=50061-name_page.html)

...easyJet says that the new charge will come into effect from 1st January, but the airport insists that they have set no firm start date yet.

:*

[touch&go]

Just a money making scheme, nothing more, nothing less, we are all being taken for a ride in the name of security, just hope JLA suffer from this.

[ESCNI]

Has any other airport introduced (or even considered) such a scheme?

[Bagso]

Easyjet actually went beserk when this was announced. it has been all over the Liverpool Echo and local radio.

Easy were incensed and suggested that pax simply ignore the demand for extra cash.

I suspect we have not heard the last of this...!

Also strange that the Airports MD suggested a proposed hike in airport duty costs announced by the chancellor 2 weeks before this announcement would badly hit the airports development of new routes....

.... a situation which appears not to be the case if the airport hike up charges themselves......

short memories !

[EGCC4284]

Liverpool Airports security is a joke. If anyone from Liverpool Airport who are responsible for security would like to PM me, I will gladly tell them something they urgently need to sort out.

[lplsprog]

ESCNI
See passengers and SLF thread. "Bigger queues"

[ESCNI]

Got it...

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=256098

[dwlpl]

The flyGlobespan Liverpool/New York JFK route will be flown westbound via Knock on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday in the summer period.

[bagpuss lives]

Any news from the Ryanair press conference at Liverpool today?

[anna_list]

Possibly something to do with the new routes to ALC and PMI that have just appeared in the booking system from LPL ?

(There are about 15 new routes across the network today)

[dwlpl]

Not as yet, its now well past the favourite 10am start time for the FR press conferences.

Could it be that the number of press conferences over Europe could be just rumour?

[dwlpl]

When you say booking system do you mean the websites booking engine?

[aeulad]

LPL-ALC Tu, Th, Sa
LPL-PMI Tu, Th, Sa

Regards

Mike

[Manxman11]

Just been infromed by our courier company that their van containing IOM packages etc was stolen last night allegedly from inside a secure area:eek:

If this is true it makes a mockery of security at the airport - and especially the attempts to introduce a surcharge on passengers - when someone can walk into a secure area and steal a van!
:=

[AlphaWhiskyRomeo]

When is the LPL night flight ban due to end?

I originally heard it was April, but is there anything more accurate yet?

[D-ABBT]

Hi Guys

Dont know if this had already been convered, i should think it has, but any ideas or info if any airlines will start a London (STN, LTN) back up too Liverpool again. I know VLM do but im thinkin more a low cost EZY, FR route??

Ta

[Ian Brooks]

Easyjet used to operate a LTN service a couple of years ago and dropped
VLM do LCY which I think is down to 2 a day

So not a lot interest really especially as Virgin trains are so quick and frequent ( hourly with a few extras )


Ian

[dwlpl]

Liverpool Airport owners, Peel Holdings, are planning to create a £5.5bn 'skyscraper city' to the north of the city centre.
Part of the plan is to link this, the development, with the city centre and on to the airport with a high speed Monorail network.
Plans have already been put to Liverpool City Council, the public unveiling will be next Tuesday.

[take-off]

Dont know if anyone has noticed but nipped in lpl yesterday, just to have a nosy for an hours and was surprised how dirty and grubby the airport upstairs was looking, i know this sounds sad but look up over cafe ritazza at the huge dust and cobwebs etc...for an airport looking towards greater things certainoly needs to cleans its self up, hardly hygenic...Is this justa lack of money from running mainly locos out of there?

[ESCNI]

Maybe they spent their cleaning budget installing (and removing) turnstiles?

:rolleyes:

[lplsprog]

Turnstiles are being removed at this moment. On another front the runway resufacing has been completed but the Airport have requested that the asphalt production plant, which was due to tranfer to Dubai, remain in place for the next three months to resurface the whole of the parallel taxiway which is in a poor state.

[Voldermort]

I see that Globespan are putting the finishing touches to their B757 by adding a caricature of John Lennon and the name of the airport on its tail:}

[diesel36]

http://web2.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=5956512&nseq=0


here it is..

[lplsprog]

Correction to my previous post, the turnstiles are being removed, but replaced with another type. It seems that they want to bring the security fee in as a discretionary "fast track" charge on 1st May, however there is still opposition from the airlines I believe.:}
On the improvements front, work is to start on a multi-storey car park with 5 star hotel on the top soon. Planning permission has been obtained and it will be sited on the existing short stay car park. A covered walkway will be installed from the car park/hotel over the access roads and enter the terminal on the statue level. Also covered walkways are being installed airside for passengers up to stand 7, which will stop a lot of passengers getting soggy!!:)

[aeulad]

Is LPL losing it's Thomson based a/c for S08? Website only showing 4 destinations.

Regards

Mike

[jongeman]

aeulad - It's quite possible, as TOM are currently making quite a big deal about MAN.

[lplsprog]

Aeulad.
Thomson are pulling the based aircraft for S08 and are doing only 4 destinations (with W rotations) as against 11 this year. All flights being concentrated on MAN.
TCA have pulled both S07 and S08 programmes.:(

[Mouser]

Wizz Air have stated today that they will start a 3x weekly Liverpool - Bucharest service, to begin in October.

[Euroboy39]

What a great development...Wizzair seem to have firmly established themselves at LPL, even with FR and EZ for competition- this winter season they will fly 19 flights per week from the city.

Surely, looking at the route structures of W6 and FR, there must be some possibility of future cooperation, say a buyout of W6 by FR?

[dwlpl]

I was told that the reason is that Liverpool only hold enough fuel for there scheduled servicies.

Unlike MAN which has a direct pipleine, it has to be trucked in so there is none to spare for charters, and they cannot afford to buy so late in the day !
They will only accept aircraft with fuel onboard for a flight to Athens.

Latest info for Athens that includes:

Omni Air Intl B757
Neos 737-800
Travel Service 737-800
Euro Air MD83
TUI Corsair B744 X 4

[Ceannairceach]

Has the ludicrous £2 security charge come into force now then?

[dwlpl]

Has the ludicrous £2 security charge come into force now then?

No.

Rumour has it it will be, for those willing to pay the £2, a fast track channel through security at some point in the future.

[lplsprog]

Saw one of the machines yesterday without its "not in service" sheet over it and it was showing £4 as the fee:confused:

[john11]

how is the loads on the toronto flight doing,i seen it go today?

[Ceannairceach]

So does that mean that security employees in the "normal" security lane will be on a go slow? :E

Surely both lanes will be subjected to the same thorough checks, searches etc so why the difference?

[lplsprog]

Fly Pink
It is reported that a new airline will come into being later this year to cater only for female PAX. It will provide free manicures and pink champagne with gormet meals served in flight. A 737-300 will be chartered and have a pink colour scheme serving Paris and other destinations such as Milan and New York (in a 737?) from LPL.
Another air-brained scheme or could it work?:hmm:
Will also cater for the Gay community

[take-off]

Why is it people think that, cause they've painted a plane pink, it will appeal to the gay community? Its the last thing id want to get on, Unlless its gonna look like a flying male organ:mad: :mad: :mad: :eek: , Just annoys me, 'oh ,lets paint it pink,the women and gays will love it!!!':ugh: :ugh: :ugh:

Sorry bitch over!!!

[Euroboy39]

Speaking as a gay man, I think a pink plane marketed in the right way will appeal to the gay community, which is no bad idea, as gays have a higher average disposable income than straight people.

The gay community are very responsive to self-styled identity semiotics, which is essentially what a pink plane is catering to. This is hardly homophobic sterotype setting, but rather the result of a minority group's indentity formation. So chill out mate, a pink plane would be a big turn off for me, but many gays would simply love the idea.

[MichaelDoyle]

As far as the gay issue goes I dont think the colour would appeal any more to gay people just because it's pink. For me, it's like saying gay people would rather fly on Wizz to Katowice than easyJet or Ryanair to Krakow just because it's pink. Most people aren't really that bothered about the colour as long as they have a seat.

[Euroboy39]

My point was not that gays would choose a pink plane over any other, rather if the company markets itself well within the gay community and pink is symbolic of a company catering for this community, I reckon this will appeal. Remember, the gays like shiny things (joke!)

[aeulad]

Honestly! When did we start taking ourselves so seriously. Pink airline, sounds like a right ol' laugh to me!

Regards

Mike

[MUFC_fan]

With all the WAGs living in Cheshire, this could be a bright idea!

Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Wigan (only just!;)), Everton, Bolton etc pay their players very well, which obviously means that their wives will have money to burn - pink money!

Certainly hope it works, but when up against two of the biggest players in FR and EZY, they may scuffer a shortfall. GSM won't suffer much either, maybe in Business, but not much.

It maybe MAN that suffers the most from this new airline. BA, DL and CO all offer business class seats on the NYC routes, but can they match the service and price of the new airline?!

We will have to wait and see - orange worked, why can't pink?

[Richard Taylor]

Anyone with a looooong memory may remember Court Line in the 70s?

IT operator, didn't it paint its planes in pretty colours...one of which was pink (can't recall if it was a 1-11 or TriStar, sure I saw latter in a pink scheme somewhere).

If some entrepreuner thinks he/she can capture a slice of the market with such an initiative, then why not??

[jongeman]

There's absolutely no way you can operate a successful airline by appealing to just one tiny section of the market (i.e. wealthy women). It's almost like easyjet saying that customers with surnames N - Z are not permitted to book. Flypink is a nice idea, but it's rather naive. I'm taking this with a large pinch of salt.

[dwlpl]

Ryanair are cutting 4 flights per week to both Aberdeen and Inverness (both are currently served daily) from Liverpool from 13th June. The spare capacity will then used to increase the Limoges service to daily (from 4*per week) and an extra service per week to both Palma (to 4*per week) and Reus (to 8*per week).

[Mr A Tis]

Come to Manchester and fly on the lovely pink Helvetic Airways FK100s operating for Swiss:)

[Ceannairceach]

I really, really hope they don't cut the Inverness flight totally. It's been a God send for me!

[Mister Geezer]

really, really hope they don't cut the Inverness flight totally. It's been a God send for me!

Likewise for me for ABZ but going from daily to 3 a week is now useless! There are a lot of regular pax on the ABZ route with most of them working offshore and use this route to commute home. Looks like I will be using bmi from Manch then! At least I can't say have not supported it since I have been a regular on it every week since Feb!

Ho hum......

[Wellington Bomber]

Mister Geezer

Or alternatively go with Jetstream Express from Blackpool

[Mister Geezer]

True but if you are setting off from the south of Manchester such as I would be doing then it is simply not worth the struggle!

[SFP]

Lots of doom and gloom predicted over LPL ability to handle the expected traffic for the exodus to Athens.

In the event LPL worked very well although I understand that Athens was chaotic for the return flights.

Shame about the match result.

[Rockwell]

Any one else want to try ?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/merseyside/6693361.stm

Belgian airline VLM is suspending its route between John Lennon Airport and London City from 1 July.

The company said falling passenger numbers meant the service, which was recently scaled back to two flights a day, was "no longer sustainable".

[Ian Brooks]

I saw the Thursday morning flight going out an not many on it

Ian

[dwlpl]

Points made by MOL in an interview re FR expanding (and a possible transatlantic offshoot) from Liverpool.

He is saying that the airline will fly 'some more new routes' by the end of the year from Liverpool. This being the case then it should not be too long before they reveal them.

He went onto say that the Liverpool base will double its size within two to three years to five million passengers per annum!

He also said that he will include Liverpool in plans to fly transatlantic routes to New York, Boston, Florida, Dallas, Denver and San Francisco. He went onto say that FR would not be the airline to operate the network although he would be interested in setting up that project.

[Mister Geezer]

Sad that VLM are stopping... it was the only 'frills' airline that LPL was lucky to have operating! Now everything in and out of LPL is low cost!

[MUFC_fan]

Air Malta and Euromanx offer a full inflight service and Globespan have business class.

[dwlpl]

FlyGlobespan have started another (dep Fridays) Liverpool/Toronto flight this week thats in addition to the Monday departure.

[WALSue]

Going back to the pink planes, what ever happened to these? The first flight was supposed to be June 4th (I think) and the website due to go live early June. Still no website up there and no sickly coloured planes (well, apart from the Wizz Air ones)

[dwlpl]

I think that the press junket flight is sometime next week and is said to be a Fokker 100.

[Barnstorm]

Not trying to be alarmist or anything, but I flew from Liverpool to Aldergrove the other day and went through security with horror of horrors......a small bottle of lemonade still in my bag. I had bought it in the airport Boots and intended to drink it before going through departure but forgot.
Sure enough the the red 'search' light illuminated on the other side and I knew straight away that the lemonade had 'fessed up.
The fella on the monitor looked around for someone to rummage amongst my drawers. Seeing that they were all on the far side dealing with people on the adjacent machine, he got up, went straight to the side pocket of my bag and removed the bottle of lemonade. Even though I was now sans lemoade and slighly demur after the stern look of admonishment from the security chap, I felt, that even if it was (in my opinion) a ridiculous rule, at least the guys there were doing their jobs.
The rub is that when I got to my hotel the other side, I found the two hefty metal forks in the front pocket, there from a trip to the beach a fortnight ago.

Idiots !!!

[MAN777]

yes most agree that the liquids rule is getting very tiresome but these guys and girls have a set of rules to work to and most do it well. However the term "Idiots" is a bit strong,your confession that you had travelled with no knowledge of the contents of YOUR bag suggests to me that you have your own short comings.

[ESCNI]

More importantly, was it white or brown lemonade?

;)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_Lemonade

[IB4138]

If it's from Eire it's Red Lemonade.......brown is specific to NI

[GBALU53]

Is Easyjet looking at operating to Jersey.:ok:

It might work and take away the Flybe Manchester or the BMI Baby.:ok:

There is talk going on that there might be some happenings in this direction?:ok:

[MUFC_fan]

BE operate 14 flights a week from MAN to JER, with three flights on a Saturday. This means upto 3 DH4s will be flying between the two airports this weekend, plus the daily WW 733/5 flight.

EZY would have to offer more than a daily flight to chuck BE and WW off the route!:ok:

[toledoashley]

Sounds like a good idea - not sure what BE would think though, have a real hold on the CI routes from the Jersey European days.

Easy would be good on JER - EMA/STN/BFS/EDI/GLA/NCL/LPL

[GBALU53]

toledoashely.
Do Flybe have a hold on Jersey

Every day from what we see and hear there are problems.

The have two aircraft based in Jersey and thet is never enough due crewing tech problems do I need to carry on yesterday the Dash8 0710 to Sou went to Sou and returned to Jersey after lunch as the aircraft was required to do a Sou Glasgow Sou before returning so are the looking after the Island or just creating a bad feeling if a certain person was still around he would be very dissapointed with what has happened.

So work that one out.

The Flybe takeover over BA connect is still creating big problems not only crew wise but aircraft as well if you look at all the carriers the are leasing in to cover it is not all to do with the late arrival of the next EMB195.

[Bagso]

The Globespan service Ex Liverpool has just been discussed on Radio Murkeyside, bit of a shambles ongoing sporadic long delays and pax unaware of the stopover at Knock.

I think they will need a rethink if this is sustainable longterm.

[Ceannairceach]

I think too, ironically, that some people are put off paying so little for such a long flight with a generally unknown airline. Sadly, I think the whole thing is doomed to failure with the NYC flights in all honesty - the unreliability issues notwithstanding.

I noted too last week that it's not possible to book Liverpool - Knock on the flight, perhaps that'd be an avenue worth exploring to recoup a little of the money being lost on the route.

[eggc]

Liverpool closed until midnight due to security alert.

Most RYR & EZY i/b flights diverting to EMA :ugh:

EZY7145 (Palma) though has seen the light and is inbound MAN as I type. :D

[Bagso]

...and 90% flights appear cancelled Sunday as well !

[Mouser]

90%, have a look at arrivals & departures.

[lplsprog]

It looks like all the alterations have been completed for the introduction of "fast track security" for those who want to pay. Because of the opposition of the Airlines the previous scheme to charge all pax has been abandoned. It will be interesting to see if this will succeed.
(What happens if the majority of pax take the fast track, will the normal pax queue be quicker?) :E

[dwlpl]

What happens if the majority of pax take the fast track, will the normal pax queue be quicker?
Just don't pay the charge and go through by the normal method and then you won't be disappointed.

[laddie]

its sad to see all the delays on the gsm flights but the aircraft is wrong you need at least a 767 on this route. it will be a sad day if gsm pull the route after vlm pulled the london link. liverpool airport needs these links to major cities in order to grow bigger gsm sort it out before its to late.

[razzele]

Just heard LPL is shut again due to another security alert of a "suspicious" Car.

Apparently it had tax insurance and the radio was still in it !

[dwlpl]

News of a Ryanair press conference has been made public.

Its due to be held in Liverpool mid-morning to announce 'exciting new routes' from its large Liverpool base.

[toledoashley]

Ok, Whats the bet on LPLBHD then???

[Charlie Roy]

My money's on the B's:


Belfast
Brussels
Bratislava
Budapest

[dwlpl]

* Belfast
* Brussels
* Bratislava
* Budapest


No Madrid?

[Ringwayman]

Funny that Ryanair's announcement that their Inverness, Aberdeen and Kaunas services are to be dropped have not been mentioned previously?

[dwlpl]

Funny that Ryanair's announcement that their Inverness, Aberdeen and Kaunas services are to be dropped have not been mentioned previously?

Not mentioned where exactly, on this BB or by FR?

[Ringwayman]

Within this thread, as the news did emerge on the 19th July, and with FR being the largest player at LPL one would have thought it merited mention here as well as the FR thread.

[dwlpl]

FR being the largest player at LPL

David, they have been that on only two (I believe) occassions, according to the CAA monthly stats. All other months its been EZY.

[Ceannairceach]

Is Brussels likely?

[dwlpl]

Is Brussels likely?

Ryanair said last year they aim to have Brussels and Frankfurt in place sooner or later from Liverpool.

[Ceannairceach]

Cheers dwlpl :ok:

I thought at some point in the past Ryanair had fallen out somewhat with the Belgian authorities.

[Charlie Roy]

At an FR press conference last August at CRL, they said that they would re-introduce the Liverpool route during the next CRL expansion. The "next Charleroi expansion" hasn't happened yet (due to uncertainties regarding the completion date of the new terminal), so maybe they'll reintroduce it with the current Liverpool winter reshuffle...

Hmmm... I'd say Brussels Charleroi is more possible than probable.

[eu01]

At least one of the new route announcements today will concern Poland and to my knowledge it will be Lodz (or Łódź), the country's second-biggest city.

[toledoashley]

I presume this will be either BHD - Lodz or LPL - Lodz. Would have thought that Brussels Charleroi, Madrid and Frankfurt HHN would be on the radar.

**Airliners is report x2 weekly LPLLCJ**

[eu01]

I mean precisely LPL - LCJ (Lodz), it's not a guess, in a couple of hours we'll have an official news anyway.

[point5]

Belfast
30 Oct
Daily

Budapest
31 Oct
4 x week

Bydgoszcz (Poland)
28 Oct
2 x week

Fuerteventura
30 Oct
3 x week

Grenoble
22 Dec
1 x week

Lodz (Poland)
29 Oct
2 x week

Salzburg
22 Dec
1 x week

Tenerife
30 Oct
3 x week

[thebeast]

yeah i ve heard

Budapest
Fuertaventura
Tenerife
and would guess Salzberg will return as a winter destination

[Powerjet1]

http://www.uk-airport-news.info/liverpool-airport-news-140807.htm

[dwlpl]

FR being the largest player at LPL

David, they have been that on only two (I believe) occassions, according to the CAA monthly stats. All other months its been EZY.

Correction it was just the one month, April 2007 and by less than 1000 pax, since then EZY have gone back in front again.

[fast & fat]

As far as i know RYR have 7 a/c based at LPL, with all the newly announced routes starting in late oct/ early nov are there plans to base anymore a/c at LPL?

if so how many? prob 1 or 2?

thanks for your help

FF
:confused:

[dwlpl]

As far as i know RYR have 7 a/c based at LPL, with all the newly announced routes starting in late oct/ early nov are there plans to base anymore a/c at LPL?
Some of the routes that are to be flown are as a result of halting some others.
Stockholm, Valencia and Madrid are flown by aircraft based at those airports.

As for more based FR aircraft at Liverpool, not as yet. ;) ;) ;)

[fast & fat]

Thanks for the info dwlpl,

I was referring to these routes:

From Liverpool
Starts
Frequency

Belfast
30 Oct
Daily

Budapest
31 Oct
4 x week

Bydgoszcz (Poland)
28 Oct
2 x week

Fuerteventura
30 Oct
3 x week

Grenoble
22 Dec
1 x week

Lodz (Poland)
29 Oct
2 x week

Salzburg
22 Dec
1 x week

Tenerife
30 Oct
3 x week

non of which are RYR bases so I presume they must be operated out of LPL, and as they are only canceling Inverness and Aberdeen services I thought they would require the services of an extra a/c or 2 to cover these flights?

I'm just curious to know as i was also under the impression that the reason why RYR have not expanded LPL already was due to contractual negotiations with the LPL management, i.e. RYR not willing to pay as much as LPL want, the usual RYR thing.

for give me if i'm wrong.

FF

[dwlpl]

As I said above, its stopping other routes in order to operate the new routes.

From memory the routes stopping are to Inverness, Aberdeen, Ancona, Bergerac, Nimes, Santander, Kaunas and Santiago.

As for more based aircraft, no more at present. ;)

[gsky]

I see Zoom are advertising flights to New York in December
( todays Daily Post)

"FLYING DIRECT FROM LIVERPOOL WITH ZOOM"

I have not seen any announcements or "chat" relating to this.

Assume this is something to do with Globespan stopping
Are Zoom replacing them?

Anybody anymore info on this service/schedule etc?

[dwlpl]

Zoom are operating one flight (Dec 9th) Liverpool/JFK.

Note no Gatwick/JFK flight operates that day.

Have not seen the advert yet.

[RoyHudd]

I see this route stops early in September. Pity. I was trying to book a couple of flights. Has the route closed down permanently?:(

[lplsprog]

Unfortunately, yes. Flybe want to concentrate everything on MAN, not what they said when starting LPL flights. (Think it was a ploy to get better conditions at MAN)!!:E

[dwlpl]

Starting Saturday 22nd December, Ryanair are to operate 1*per week flight to Friedrichshafen from Liverpool.

[PPRuNe Pop]

Listen up please.

The tread slipped off the bottom because some posts were deleted. Some of them were absolute rubbish and others were stupid. So this is why threads disappear.

Keep to the topic. Think before you post and don't treat the forum or it's threads as a chat line.

[Mouser]

Liverpool voted "UK Airport of the year".

[JulietNovemberPapa]

I have in the past three years flown several times from LPL. And it was always a pleasant, easy, and quick experience. I liked the downstairs landside area after its renovation: it was light, spacious, and appealing. But since then traffic has increased quite considerably. How is it now coping?

[Spandau]

Pretty horrible place really. Seems unable to cope with more than one arrival at a time. Very much a 'bucket and spade' airport in truth.

[Chica]

I have in the past three years flown several times from LPL. And it was always a pleasant, easy, and quick experience. I liked the downstairs landside area after its renovation: it was light, spacious, and appealing. But since then traffic has increased quite considerably. How is it now coping?

Immigration is horrible. I recently queued for over 40 minutes to get through passport control on a flight from SXF - and as a result missed my connection to IOM.

[MANFlyer]

It sounds like MAN is at times then. Arrived from FCO last night and the queue for immigration was back out of the holding area and down the corridor. Thank heavens for IRIS...

[Ametyst1]

All airports suffer from queues at immigration and it is the airport which always gets the blame. Immigration is operated by HM Customs & Excise who are a law on to themselves. The airports have no control over the operation at all.

Having said, that I went through immigration at Liverpool within 5 minutes the other night. I totally disagree with Spandau's comments. I travel through Liverpool three or four time a month and I have always found it to be a pleasant airport to fly through. Liverpool is no more "bucket and spade" than Manchester for instance.

[JulietNovemberPapa]

At particular times of the day, particularly 2230-0000, immigration at STN can be long and annoying, whereas at other times it can be very quick. Indeed, I last time I arrived into STN it was about 2030 (I flew from DUS with AB). There was one person in front of me for immigration. I was through in under 1 minute. So, it simply depends.

[RAPC]

Travelled through LPL on 3 round trips in the past 6 weeks. Find the place pretty awful and slower (yes, believe it or not) than MAN.

Took 45 mins, 30 mins and 40 mins to get through security coming through. They also have the cheek to charge passengers for the clear plastic bags that are required by law to carry liquids through. Can't beat a bit of profiteering.

The only positive was baggage was pretty quick on each return to LPL, although the queues were bad 2 times out of 3 through immigration. The fact that the airport won airport of the year tells you just how poor the majority of UK airports are now. They are places to be tolerated rather than being a nice start to the journey.

[take-off]

along with most things these days the fun has been stripped out of travelling, used to enjoy the airport visit when traveling through, on hols seen it as the start of yer hols, now its just one more long line of hassle, beggars belief to me at times why people go away, so much stress, main reason why i like blackpool airport, sip0le friendly and easy, how it should be , of course blk doesnt have the amount of flights lpl or man does but even so a newish airport terminal like lpl should be such a dive....it truly is a dirty place ...

[Ametyst1]

I really cannot understand how it takes 40 minutes to get through security at Liverpool Airport. I travel 4 or 6 times a month through Liverpool and even in the longest queue I have been in (which went past Burger King) it took 18 minutes to get through security, and I don't find Liverpool Airport to be particularly dirty either!

[RAPC]

Very easy to understand how it can take a while at Liverpool airport. Most times I have been held up there, they are staffing one x-ray machine and queue, whilst keeping the 2nd open for priority passengers who pay £3 or whatever it is to fast-track.

Nothing more than a case of under-staffing (either intentional or illness, holidays etc) really. Some cynical types would say that they are intentionally doing it to make the paid for option more attractive...

[dwlpl]

With easyJet and Ryanair monitoring the queues I do not think that there is a problem in the time taken because both companys are not slow in coming forward to complain.

My advice though is NOT to pay the fee.

[lplsprog]

Can't agree more with DWLPL, the queues seem longer but that is because of a smaller general queueing area with the installation of the fast track facility.

[Mr_Hippo]

LPL - dirty & grubby? Yes but with a good reason or so someone thinks. 2008 City of Culture but they did not get the right definition of 'culture!

[Ametyst1]

I have never flown through Liverpool when only two x-ray machines are working. There has alwaays been a minimum of 4 working and the search area always seems well staffed. Something the BAA at Heathrow's Terminal 4 could learn from

[Ametyst1]

Wizz Air is increasing the Liverpool to Gdansk service from 5 per week to Daily from 15th March, at the same time the Liverpool to Bucharest service will increase from 3 to 4 flights a week

[dwlpl]

The local press are reporting that flyGlobespan are closing its Liverpool and Manchester bases from the end of October.

The airline is saying that “Our Liverpool and Manchester operations have not been able to achieve the financial viability of other flyglobespan bases and, regrettably, we have had to inform our staff that they will cease to be manned bases from the end of October.

“We are extremely sad that, despite the efforts and dedication of our staff at these bases, we are unable to sustain services from these airports through winter, but we fully intend to return with a 2008 programme next spring."

[lplsprog]

Lets hope they are better prepared next year because this years fiasco has won them no friends.

[757operator]

Posted on behalf of a friend. She has just written to Liverpool Airport as follows:



On Tuesday xxth September my colleague and I travelled on business to Madrid. We booked carparking and executive lounge under reference xxxxxxxxxxxxx.

The business lounge was totally unacceptable. In one word, it was squalid.

The carpets were disgusting, and I wouldn't even allow them in a pigsty. Numerous drinks had been spilt over them and no attempt made to clean them up. Curiously, there was no stained carpet anywhere else in the airport.

Snacks were advertised, but all that was appropriate to our time of day were the Danish pastries, which are extremely unhealthy. There were just a few biscuits, and the only fruit was a display of small oranges - I tried one but it was hard, pithy and bitter.

The milk jug stood empty for half an hour before being refilled - not too good if you drink tea, as I do.

Most of the drinks were cheap brands that nobody had ever heard of.

There was inadequate seating for the number of people in the room, and inadequate control over who was coming in. I suggest that several were freeloaders.

Nowhere in the room was there anywhere quiet for conducting business, which makes an executive lounge completely useless.

I will not allow you to charge honest people for such a deplorable service. You should be ashamed.



Any other feedback?

[Ametyst1]

I often use the Executive Lounge at Liverpool Airport and, whilst it is not the best I have been in, I have found the food and drink on offer to be fine. They have Kenco Coffee, Tetley's Tea, Jacobs biscuits/crackers, various cakes/pastries, cheeses and various drinks including Fosters and Heineken. I think you will agree these are known brands.

The staff have always been helpful and courteous, if something is not available such as milk, which happens sometime, then just ask. It is not too hard.

The lounge is not operated by Liverpool Airport but by a company called
Halewood International.

I think the person involved is coming across as being a little snobbish. Everybody has a right to go into the lounge if they pay their money or invited to do so at someone else's expense. The lounge is not free to anyone. Perhaps your friend wants to vet all entrants into the Executive lounge first!

[Skijumper27]

I've only ever used the Excutive lounge once (about 6 weeks ago) and can only agree with Ametyst1. The lounge was clean and well stocked with well know brands. The staff were welcoming. Well done to them.

[757operator]

Relaying (which isn't easy):

Sharing the lounge with other people, from whatever background, isn't an issue. Suggesting a snob attitude is unhelpful and insulting.

By definition as Executive Lounge is a place where business people can get things done that they can't elsewhere in the terminal. Overcrowding and noise are the opposite to what should be available.

So midmorning, I usually eat cheese and biscuits, do I? Fruit, I repeat, was inedible. All brand names except the ones you mention are cheapos. You seem to know them very well, do you work there?

Yes, you can ask for things, obviously, but you shouldn't have to when you've paid a lot for what is supposed to be excellent service.

One look at the carpet says everything about the place. Halewood would seem to be a cheapskate outfit who couldn't really give a fig. I urge Liverpool Airport to get rid of them ASAP, the aren't good for business.

[chrism20]

Why didn't your friend complain at the time?

Personally I would have asked for a refund had it been that bad and if the staff within in the lounge were not forthcoming I would have asked to speak to the airport duty manager and made a complaint through that channel. They incidently would have been able to supply your friend with the business in questions particulars in order to make an official complaint to their head office.

Furthermore, if it were as bad as you are suggesting on behalf of your friend I would have about turned and walked out (after demanding refund) before I even got to the stage of checking whether it was Smirnoff or Tesco Value Vodka

[Ametyst1]

No, I do not work there i am just a frequent traveller who is very pleased with the service I receive at Liverpool Airport. I pay £17.50 to use the lounger (not what I would call expensive) and it is an Executive Lounge, not a Business Lounge.

Any passenger who pays can go in there, It is merely menat to be a lounge with more space plus complimentary products. There are no business service available in the lounge and nor are they advertised as being available. It is purely a place to relax. And yes, I don't mind Cheese and Biscuits mid-morning but then again that is down to personal taste. There are normally a good selection of snacks available and it is certainly comparable to any other Executive lounge that I have used but not comparable to the Business Lounges i have used.

Did your friend expect a 4-course brunch?

[Chica]

I visit the lounge regularly, but never pay because I have a Priority Pass card. It isnt the greatest lounge in the world; it is small and basic (like many lounges at smaller airports operated by airline support companies) and can't be compared to a BA terraces or Virgin club lounge, but I have never found it dirty, and the staff are always friendly.

[dwlpl]

I know of three people that use the lounge often (one earlier this week) and I have heard none of them complaining which they will do, believe me, if its justified.

[RAPC]

Sorry to say it, but the follow-up relayed on behalf of the friend actually came across as very snobbish indeed, more so than the original letter of complaint. I haven't been to the Liverpool lounge, but the tone of the original letter isn't particularly condusive to getting a positive response out of the airport or Halewood.

The complaints may well all be very well and reasonable, but any goodwill will pretty much be lost by the tone of it in my opinion. (I've done my fair share of complaining in the past, so have had a bit of trial and error experience :))

As Chica says, the smaller airports are not a patch on the larger lounges at some airports, but they are adequate for the job and in-line with the airlines you are travelling in. If you want BA Lounge standards, fly with BA and pay top whack as well for a CE ticket.

Sorry your friend had a bad experience, especially as it seems much out of keeping with the experiences of others. Maybe just plain old bad luck to catch the place at a less than well serviced 30 minutes.

[757operator]

Relaying from "the snob", a final word:
(I'm not doing this relay stuff again)

Okay then, have it your way. The Liverpool Airport Executive Lounge is doing a great job, offering a clean and pleasant environment to have a bit of peace and quiet and maybe get some work done. The food and drinks are top quality and the service excellent.

I love my home city but sometimes we think we are doing a magnificent job when in fact the rest of the world has passed us by. I can only hope that enterprises like Halewood International see the light before Liverpool is on the world stage next year, otherwise we will be a laughing stock.


PS If you think that it's Kenco coffee coming out of that ten-year-old Kenco machine, your taste buds are sadly lacking.

[crabbers]

Looks as though LPL has had a great summer - despite the coffee!

http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2007/10/08/wet-summer-sends-1-6m-passengers-through-jla-64375-19912399/

[Ceannairceach]

I'm a big supporter of Liverpool, or have been, but this ludicrous £2 security charge scam at Liverpool is an exploitation of people's fear and an exercise in exploitative profiteering of the very worse kind. It's exploitation of people's nervousness and irritability when it comes to air travel and I'm only glad that so few suckers seem to be using it.

I've travelled through the airport 5 times this week, sadly.

I've noticed each time that the normal security queue has one or maybe two security operatives manning it. Hence the queue has taken about 30 - 60 minutes on each occasion to navigate. There's nowhere to sit for the elderly, tired, hungover and infirm in the queue - they're forced to pay the £2 effectively if they don't want to die of, ahem, some sort of standing up disease.

And of course, there is nothing for the kids to do so they run up and down like screaming banshees terrorising the other poor lost souls in the queue. Just what's required....

The £2 express lane however is well staffed yet underused - the security operatives most of the time sit around laughing at everyone in the other queue it would seem.

And that's not even to mention the horrendous partitioning wall between the two lanes which quite frankly is ugly and oppressive.

But because John Aldridge and other ex-Liverpool FC stars say the security lane is a good idea, we should all shut up about it and fork out for receiving a service the airport are obliged to provide anyway - passenger security without fuss.

Are we really living in a day and age whereby decent service and passenger care are optional, and require further payment?

I also hear extremely reliably that there is still, allegedly, a missing baggage/theft from baggage issue occurring at EGGP, despite several employees resigning pre-inquiry a few months ago (if I remember correctly they were found to be innocent...for the record m'lord) and the denials of the airport management.

I hear from the same source (within the law enforcement community) that the airside baggage areas are not monitored by CCTV at all - at least that's the excuse given. Ludicrous really when some bags can sit there in trolleys for a good while.....

Also, one has to wonder if the security operatives from the deathly-quiet express lane would be better employed keeping an eye on staff coming from airside areas with suspiciously bulging clothing?

And also it begs the question - if people are taking things out with such ease as is alleged - how easy would it be for a rogue member of staff to take something airside?

Above us there may be only sky, but after departing from Liverpool Airport, below you is an airport run by a devious company interested solely in money (like most others to be fair), with no regard to basic passenger comfort or security and no scruples about using the current sad security situation as a means to get money from people.

And a company who, when questioned, seem to resort to the fact that the only place one could fly to from Liverpool once upon a time was Ronaldsway (pretty much) as their sole defence.

I feel so much better now.

Now, where's my next dose of Valium and copy of Imagine.

[conflier]

Wow, axe & grind come to mind:hmm:

[dwlpl]

I've noticed each time that the normal security queue has one or maybe two security operatives manning it. Hence the queue has taken about 30 - 60 minutes on each occasion to navigate.

What are the dates and times of the occasions.

The airport has CCTV and can confirm if the accusation is proved or not.

This is taken from another site and is quoting the airport spokesman “But the delays have never reached an hour.

“There have been delays, sometimes up to 35 minutes, but we have CCTV cameras to constantly monitor demand........"

[Euroboy39]

And which other airports in the UK have seats in the security line for the elderly/infirm/hungover and entertainment for children?

Whilst I agree that Liverpool airport is not the nicest in comparison to Manchester or Birmingham, the security queue is never as bad as you make out. Even when the queue snakes up past the Pret a Manger, it only takes 10 minutes (15 max) to security, where I've always found the staff professional and good natured. When you're paying FR, W6 and EZ prices, what do you expect at the airport, beyond the minimum safety requirements?

[lplsprog]

Your "reliable source" is not as good as you think, all baggage areas have CCTV monitoring and the queues have never been anywhere near 60 minutes. "Bad day at the office" was it?:}

[Ametyst1]

Mmmmm, A lot of unfounded allegations there. I fly through Liverpool several times a month and have seen no deterioration in Security Screening since the charge was introduced. And the charge is optional, you do not have to pay it.

The security queues are longer in length, due to less queuing space in the security comb area, but not longer in time.

Liverpool Airport has incurred extra security costs which they have been unable to pass on the the low-cost carriers.

Perhaps you would like the situation at Manchester and Heathrow, introduced at Liverpool, where Airport taxes and charges can be in excess of £50 per person.

[exloadie]

I also hear extremely reliably that there is still, allegedly, a missing baggage/theft from baggage issue occurring at EGGP, despite several employees resigning pre-inquiry a few months ago (if I remember correctly they were found to be innocent...for the record m'lord) and the denials of the airport management.

I hear from the same source (within the law enforcement community) that the airside baggage areas are not monitored by CCTV at all - at least that's the excuse given. Ludicrous really when some bags can sit there in trolleys for a good while.....


both baggage areas (arrving and departing) are covered by cctv cameras which are constantly monitored by security and by the airport,just because the bags are found to be tampered with (allegedly) when they pax retrieve them doesnt mean the alleged theft took place at lpl they could have been "tampered" with at the point of departure? but that has never been mentioned :=

[Ceannairceach]

So exloadie, these things go missing from bags at every other airport, but never at Liverpool, is that what you're saying? Despite the fact that Liverpool is the only common departure/arrival point in the admittedly limited cases I am aware of?

Anyway, I've re-read my post and it seems rather bile-laden and mudflinging, partially unintentionally. Part of it came from days worth of standing in a long, cramped security queue whilst there was a completely empty and well staffed lane just next to me...

Bitter? Me?

I would be interested - as a counter to some of the positives and good points raised here regarding the express lane - to see the actual figures of how many people are actually using the lane, and therefore just how much of those supposed security costs (which, again, I would love to see the actual figure in impartial black and white) the airport company are recouping. Especially when it's offset against the costs the airport have paid out to install those fancy barriers, the numerous ticket machines, employ the extra member of staff standing at them, and to do the necessary structural work to segregate the two queues. Oh and to continually dig up the bus stops for whatever reason.

Rather than just be told it's too recoup some of the charges, I'd rather not blindly follow what Peel Holdings et al say, and be provided with firm figures.

I actually agree totally with Eurboy's "When you're paying FR, W6 and EZ prices, what do you expect at the airport, beyond the minimum safety requirements?". I guess that's absolutely spot on and cheers for putting it in those simple terms!

A no frills airport for no frills airlines :E

[Suzeman]

Dear Mr Ceannairceach

You said earlier

"Also, one has to wonder if the security operatives from the deathly-quiet express lane would be better employed keeping an eye on staff coming from airside areas with suspiciously bulging clothing?

And also it begs the question - if people are taking things out with such ease as is alleged - how easy would it be for a rogue member of staff to take something airside?"


Airport security staff are employed to prevent restricted items and unauthorised persons going into the restricted zone as outlined in various Aviation Security Acts. So it shouldn't be easy for a "rogue member of staff" to take something in as all persons (including staff), vehicles and goods going into the restricted zone must be screened.

Nothing coming out of the restricted zone has to be screened.The security staff are not employed to physically check people going out although anyone with suspicions should report them. However HMRC and the Police will be interested and may carry out targeted or random checks on restricted zone exit points from time to time.

Hope this helps you calm down :hmm:

Suzeman

[Ceannairceach]

Hey I'm an ATCO and therefore always calm :E

[This Charming Man]

Does anyone know about threats of Legal Action over the ''50 mile'' deal ?
DWLPL your well connected have a sniff ;) . Also anyone from LTN like to comment :E

[cesare.caldi]

On sale now Easyjet summer 2008 flights from Liverpool

[MAN777]

Any news re industrial action over christmas, I have a few flights booked.

[dwlpl]

Any news re industrial action over christmas, I have a few flights booked.

Concerning who?

[MAN777]

I thought there was an ongoing pay dispute with threats of strike action.
Has it been resolved ?

[dwlpl]

I thought there was an ongoing pay dispute with threats of strike action.
Has it been resolved ?
Yes, about ten days to two weeks ago (within a few days of the action being announced).
Was it not reported on Look North West? :rolleyes:

[MAN777]

Thanks, didnt see the news.

[lfc84]

Flybe from 30 March 2008

IOM-LPL From £19.99 single including tax.


Interesting times ahead for Euromanx.......they charge £28 tax, nevermind the fare on top......

[aeulad]

EZY to JER daily S08.

Regards

Mike

[conradmueller]

I´ve just got confirmation from Easyjet´s Oliver Aust, that it is the end of the flights to Cologne.

[Ceannairceach]

I see the Kaunas flight is back in March 2008 or thereabouts?

Any news on the reinstatement of Ryanair's Inverness schedule from EGGP I wonder?

[10002level]

There is now a £1 toll charge for using a taxi at the airport! Are there any depths that the management will not sink to in order to squeeze a little more profit from passengers? This is nothing other than corporate greed.

[Bucephalus]

It is private land, so they can charge what they like. Besides, taxi's have to pay extra for travelling through the mersey tunnels, and pass that onto their passengers, so i guess the taxi drivers will do the same when using the airport.

[lagerlout]

... it seems a move into Manchester is imminent for EZY, how will this affect LPL in the long term and the short term.

Ref: Management trying to squeeze more profit out of the pax with the taxi charge well LPL has yet make a profit since Peel have taken control! More fool you if you get in one of those taxi to town when a bus will get you there just as quick and for 1/6 of the price!

[lplsprog]

From what I understand the charge was introduced so the airport could control the taxis using the taxi ramp. There were instances of people being ripped off and "cherry picking" by some of the more inscrutable drivers and now they have to have a "pass" for the taxi ramp and fee of £1 every time they use it, which of course is passed on to the pax. The airport can now withdraw passes from those drivers who misbehave and deny them access to the lucrative airport business!:D

[DTVAirport]

Are there any LPL ATCo's on here? If so what are your feelings regarding the prospect of taking over Durham Radar from MME? In fact, what are LPL staff's opinions of Peel as a whole? They seem as though they've put effort into LPL and DSA, but aren't applying that same effort to MME?

[dwlpl]

Just to recap that today easyJet have announced a 25% increase in based aircraft, up to 10 from 8, at its 'long established Liverpool base' by 2010.

Tomorrow will see a press conference in Liverpool (and Manchester) by Ryanair to announce its 'largest ever expansion'.

[Euroboy39]

I would imagine that tomorrow's announcement by FR is for two purposes.

(1) to take the limelight away from EZY
(2) to act as a threat towards LPL "if you don't lower charges EVEN more and increase services, then we'll decamp to MAN. You know they would!

I'm not expecting the best for LPL.

[lagerlout]

anyone got any idea what they are expecting....
for both LPL and MAN?

[fimbles]

Sounds about right with the limelight stealing. The speculation of EZY going to MAN has been around for some time but increasing with the purchase of GB. RYR are masters of the art of overstatement so expect a couple of routes into MAN from outlying existing european bases, probably only 3 or 4 rotations but 'statistically' its greatest ever expansion from MAN;)
Rumour has it RYR are after a bigger prescence in LBA

[lagerlout]

but what for LPL???????? More based a/c, if it is to be its biggest expansion from the NW some airport be it LPL or MAN will be a big winner tomorrow?!!?

[HOODED]

Or perhaps even BPL ? Isn't that in the NW too?

[pwalhx]

If it was BLK then I would imagine a press conference would be there and not Manchester and Liverpool

[Ringwayman]

I've read today that LPL says about 750,000 pax per year use them on easyJet services (or is it combined with other carriers?) from the "Manchester area". Perhaps they can co-exist at both but what intrigues me is the quickish expansion for easyJet at MAN. How long did it take them to add 3 aircraft at LPL...specifically from 2 aircraft to 5 aircraft? Must be a bit disconcerting to see a MAN base half as big as LPL in the course of 5 years (including GB Airways's time) even though they would have been at LPL for 13 years by 2010.

[dwlpl]

Ringwayman,

Currently MAN's GB base has two based aircraft which the airline, in terms of numbers, keeps initially at least.

Re 'specifically from 2 aircraft to 5 aircraft'. Based aircraft #3 at Liverpool arrived in September 1999 and #5 arrived in December 2000.

[Suzeman]

but what for LPL???????? More based a/c, if it is to be its biggest expansion from the NW some airport be it LPL or MAN will be a big winner tomorrow?!!?


I would have though BOTH airports will be the winners and pax in the NW will have a field day - for now at least

Suzeman

[dwlpl]

The local media are reporting this morning that the press conference in Liverpool is being hailed as "Ryanair will announce their plans for their biggest-ever route expansion through Liverpool".

[dwlpl]

Liverpool to Malaga and Nantes.

[Suzeman]

Liverpool to Malaga and Nantes

Can someone in the PR or spin business explain how this is "their biggest-ever route expansion through Liverpool". :}

Suzeman

[dwlpl]

Can someone in the PR or spin business explain how this is "their biggest-ever route expansion through Liverpool".

When you see where the quote came from then its plausible!

[dwlpl]

Local media inform us that Ryanair will base more aircraft at its 23 bases in 2008.

They hope to base one more at Liverpool giving a total of 8 based with Ryanair spokesman, Peter Sherrard, saying “Liverpool has always enjoyed faster growth than other European airports.”

Airport commercial director Vic Brodrick says they are looking to Ryanair to fly some routes with European based aircraft as well as more Liverpool based aircraft.

[lfc84]

Radio Merseyside report that the airport is in discussions with a number of carriers to bring back a London service. Vick Broderick is in the interview and says they are substantial talks, the airport remain optimistic & he is quietly confident.

[lplsprog]

Ryanair's services to Teneriffe and Fuerteventura are operating at near capacity, just what does that say about the Flyglobespan operation last year which they said had to route via Stanstead to make it viable!:confused:

[lagerlout]

you could have left that as just what does it say about their operation!!!! (Fullstop)

[greensides101]

"Ryanair's services to Teneriffe and Fuerteventura are operating at near capacity, just what does that say about the Flyglobespan operation last year which they said had to route via Stanstead to make it viable!:confused:"


If this is the case and TFS has such good load figures, then why is it not operating in Summer 2008?

[MAN777]

Because the Canaries are not normally a summer destination.

[MUFC_fan]

I would like to correct you there.

The Canary Islands are all year round destinations and are more popular in the summer months than in the winter. The reason the LCCs operate to the Canaries during the winter is that it is a very popular area and they can certainly make alot more money on these routes than they do on PMI etc. (especially LS! Charge over £300 [highest fares] on some BLK-TFS rotations, the mad thing is that these sell!)

I do agree with you though, the Canaries are certainly winter destinations for the LCC carriers, not so much for the charters who find themsleves filling planes during the winter and summer and this can be seen by the holiday prices during the summer! We went to Cayo Coco is Cuba for 14 nights this year with FCA Premium class because it was cheaper than a 14 night trip to Gran Canaria!

[greensides101]

Because the Canaries are not normally a summer destination.

Rubbish

[MAN777]

Perhaps I should correct myself, what I meant is that the Canaries seem to appear more popular in the winter, because all the mainland europe resorts are cold and quiet in winter. Perhaps people are going all year round but the movements get lost on the departure boards in a sea of Alicante, Malaga, Palma, Corfu flights. Why fly 5 hrs to the sun when 2 hrs will do !

[crabbers]

RE: London flights

Which show was it on on BBC Merseyside? I wouldn't mind hearing it on the listen-again function

[lfc84]

it was on the news on the day of the post

[eggc]

from UK Airport news...

We published an article detailing a reader's view on the Liverpool Airport Fast Track (express lane through airport security) in October. Another passengers has shared his recent experience, and we thought we would close the year with it, as it is the worst 'innovation' at a UK airport this year, in our view.

Our reader says:

'Your news article on the passenger view of the Fast Lane at Liverpool is far too restrained. The Fast Lane is an utter disgrace and one of the worst scams I have come across whilst flying extensively in Europe. I shall not be using Liverpool John Lennon Airport again until they sort it out.

Booked on a flight from Liverpool at 6.30am two weeks ago, and having already done the Ryanair 'Check & Go' routine which allows you to bypass normal check-in and arrive at the airport a little later, I was gob-smacked to turn the corner at the top of the first floor at 5.20am to find a very, very long queue. It took 40 minutes of shuffling to get to the security check. All along the queue, were little pop-up banners saying '30 minutes queue from here- beat the queue and buy a Fast Lane ticket' - '20 minutes from here, etc' - '10 minutes wait from here, etc' and, as you previously said, the security fellas encouraging people to 'beat the queues' by buying the £2 fast-lane tickets.

I was incandescent, but because I'd arrived slightly earlier than planned, had just enough time to avoid having to cough up the £2.

It was clear to me, having used LJLA several times this year and the previous occasion was only about four weeks earlier when hardly anyone seemed to be using the Fast Lane, that careful and calculated changes had been made to create an intimidating queue and force people to have to buy, either because they would miss their flight or because the queue looked far too long for them to stay standing. For example, the queue arrangement at the bottom of the stairs just before the scanners had been changed so that about 10 metres of queue previously at the bottom of the stairs (and previously unseen) was now displaced to the top floor, making the queue appear much longer.

Two points: firstly, creating huge numbers of people queuing and blocking the retail areas creates a massive security risk -remember, this queue is BEFORE bags have been checked at security; do the police and government know and approve of this arrangement?
Secondly, if you spend 40 minutes in a queue, that's 40 minutes less time to buy food, drinks, books or whatever. The scheme must be completely counter-productive as far as revenue is concerned.

I made my views known calmly and politely to one of the security guys - told him what a very bad impression this left of Liverpool - but he turned his head away and said nothing.

I made six flights over the following two days in Europe. No-where else was there a queue for security and certainly there was no rip-off 'Fast Lane'.

Michael O'Leary needs to have a hard word with them - I'll be using other airlines to avoid Liverpool from now on.

Liverpool Airport: You should be disgusted with yourselves.'

We would add to this that it will be interesting to see how the change to the hand baggage rules (the one bag rule) from next week affects this arrangement. Liverpool Airport has so far failed to get permission to relax the rule. It looks like it is in the airport's interest to keep the queues long, which will mean it will not get permission to relax the restriction. However, some airlines might want to relax the rule, which will put pressure on management.

[lbalad]

Flew from this airport 22nd Dec.After a swift one in Wetherspoons,made our way to security,and noticed the queue was backed up to top of stairs.Now I personally hate queing for ANYTHING!.
Saw the fast track option for £2,paid it and hey presto,straight to front of queue!.Best £2 I ever spent!.
I know its just another way of making money,nobody was twisting my arm to use this facility,but I would do it again!.
On a side note,I personally find it much easier and quicker to drive from Leeds to Liverpool Airport rather than Manchester Airport,which I try to avoid.

[eggc]

Much quicker...are you still drunk ?

Leeds - LJLA = 72 miles Est 1hr 20min
Leeds - MAN = 57 miles Est 1hr

..and thats £2 please for the fastrack answer that you obviously won't mind paying :ugh:

[lbalad]

eggc,very funny!,nearly choked on my brussel sprouts!
If I had paid £2 for fast track security,and had to wait 1hr 2 mins,I would have been a bit miffed!.
Happy New Year to you,hic!

[Ceannairceach]

The fast track at EGGP, a topic I've ranted about before, is definitely an absolute disgrace.

The airport's tactics of narrowing the non-fast lane by some considerable amount, as well as some questionable staffing policies, thus making the queue seem longer than it actually is, are just a couple of a number of supposedly clever, yet highly manipulative tactics designed solely to fleece the travelling public out of more hard cash.

Simple as.

And more fool anyone who pays the £2.

[groveaviation]

What would you expect from a bunch of scousers?:E

[gsky]

What would you expect from a bunch of scousers?:E


How witty groveaviation!!!
and how innaccurate. :=

Liverpool Airport is owned and operated by Peel, a Manchester based company...

and the MD is Scottish!

[Keyvon]

Wizz is to ditch its LPL-Bucharest Baneasa service from mid-February due to poor results.
This route is now operating on reduced frequency...juts once weekly, down from 3x, launched on 1st Oct '07.
Wizz had planned to operate this route 4 times per week from 28th Feb '08 but it won't see that date.

[lagerlout]

the times were an absolute joke.... thats the only reason it never worked ....

[djkenrob]

Does anyone know if EZY will continue with NCE in October, I thought I read somwhere it was coming off the route and I need to get 40 pax out.

[Mister Geezer]

Perhaps a spotter may be able to set me straight. I thought that easyJet at LPL was an all Airbus operation? I travelled LPL - PMI the other week and it was on a 737 with cabin crew that distinctly sounded like they were from the BFS base - thought that was a Airbus base as well. Tech problem somewhere perhaps?

[DOOBIE]

Belfast is a 737-700 base.
BFS-LPL-PMI-LPL-BFS is a planned route on a 737.
There are others like this such as BFS-STN-NAP-STN-BFS.

D

[ls_jet2]

djkenrob - Jet2 are on sale from MAN through to the end of October with fares from £3.99:D

[Wonkavater]

Is it true that due to the Shell strike that Liverpool is nearly out of jet A1?

[Mouser]

I would'nt think so, christ the strike only started at 06.00 this morning.

[lplFSpaxagent]

Lets revive this thread - for starters...

What do you think of having to queue with PAX to go airside??

[sammy01]

just another stupid rule made by stupid people in positions above their intelligence who work in a going nowhere airport coz they don't want to get off their :mad: and promote in it. they are happy as long as easyjet and ryanair are here :mad: the rest.

[lplFSpaxagent]

The so called "official" airport response was that it wasn't fair that staff were going to the front of the queue while the paying FastTrak passengers had to wait...

Can just about see where they are coming from, but having staff queueing for 10-15 minutes just to get through security seems ridiculous.

Either open up a seperate staff channel or scrap the rule because it just isn't working..

[TSR2]

Passengers getting priority ..... whatever next.

Sound customer service policy if you ask me.

[lplFSpaxagent]

Its not the fact that passengers are getting priority that bothers me, but if they want to implement this new rule then a seperate staff channel has to be made...

Whats the story in other airports? Do staff have to queue in security?

[lfc84]

at other airports that i have been to where no staff channel exists, the staff just push their way to the front.

why not just barge your way to the front as well ?

passengers arent going to moan about it cos without the staff the flight goes nowhere....

[lurkio]

lfc84 - Want to bet. They, the passengers might not say anything to you but the stare is of the "who the hell do you think you are" variety and any prolonged eye contact will result in unpleasantness. This will of course last as long as it takes me to tear up the valued customer's boarding card. After all 2 pounds entitles you to the very best you can get and sod the guys (and girls) in uniform.
I have to say that the vast majority of security personnel at LPL that I come into contact with on an almost daily basis have always been courteous and friendly. The attitude was almost apologetic when the subject was brought up last week. Indeed we can bypass the queue up to the desk at which point we have to join the queue which will probably be 4 people at most.
I will draw the conclusion that one pax has muttered something and claimed compo for not staying at the front of his personal security queue and can only assume that airport management (not security) have overly knee jerked.
Please do not have a pop at the security staff as they are only dealing with the hand that LPL gave them regarding other staff, speedy security etc. If anyone wants to rant do it in the direction of Peel management.
As for other airfields, well that is another thread entirely.

[lfc84]

Indeed we can bypass the queue up to the desk at which point we have to join the queue which will probably be 4 people at most.


That was what I tried to suggest - not realising that you can bypass the queue already. Perhaps my reply was not worded very well.

I wasn't having a go at any of the staff involved. I think you shouldn't have to queue.

:ok:

[lurkio]

Defintely with you on that one but I don't want to fly slowly or carry less fuel but that is the way it is at the moment (and probably will stay this way).
Thanks for the support.

[kriskross]

The whole point about the staff queeing at LPL security is that the former staff channel is now used for the airport fast track passengers who are paying extra for the privilege of by-passing the non-paying pax.

This has led to delays for crews, sometimes significant at busy times when you are trying to make a first wave departure on time.

It has been standard practice for crew to go to the front of this queue as we do after all have to be at the aircraft first. One of my CC was shouted at very rudely last week by the security person and told very loudly in front of our passengers to go to the back of the queue. After I passed this on to my Company, we are now cleared to go to the front to security card/ boarding card check then wait in turn for the scanner ( this can also cause delay with pax unfamiliar with procedures not realising about taking off shoes, coats, handbags, phones etc).

All of this would be avoided if the aiport wasn't trying to fleece extra money out of pax, or provided a proper staff channel. With the current rebuilding in the Security area, hopefully these problems may be resolved.

[lplFSpaxagent]

Yeah thats a good point lurkio - the security staff have always been sympathetic and courteous - in fact they have to go through the same procedure as well.

[GuessWho78]

LPL will panic soon as it seems one of its biggest airlines are moving there slots over to MAN and their are about 40 of them (a day) to start next year.

[virgin_cc_wannabe]

If you are refering to easyjet in the last post, I doubt it. There was a clause in the contract staing they are not allowed to 'move' their slots to MAN.
They can start 'new' routes from MAN, but not move the services.
Easy have applied for 43 new slots at MAN next year, with 4 based A319 and aircraft ops from other bases, so that could be where you got that from.

[GuessWho78]

Agreed, but over a period of time the number of destinations out of LPL for EZY is dropping.
They only say they have new routes as they have been taking old routes away so its never really expanding. ie. a busy early morning flight to CGN has now stopped and replaced with a JER....

Easyjet will favour MAN rather than LPL, easyjet only been in operation for a little time in T3 at Manchester with having 10 destinations already within a matter of months. compared to Liverpool's 19 desinations and how many years??

Easyjet out of Manchester are already pushing out big airlines such as American and BA ( which was just ther terminal being relocated to T1 which will be soon.) they will take up if not half of the checkings starting next year. EZY will become big soon at MAN.

so i hope liverpool airport do something in their power to gain more airlines quickly and to keep what they have got...

[bigg G]

Easyjet have not pushed BA or AA out of Manchester, BA decided along time ago that they much prefer to be called London Airways and fly out of London only,in the future i can see LGW being the same as Manchester, Liverpool and all other Uk airports with BA only operating out of LHR.
BA now only operate London shuttles to MAN the JFK route that has always made money and still does is being axed end of October, this has nothing to do with easyjet, all that easyjet have done is taken over the GB airways/BA slots and same destinations as flown over recent years, Flybe have grown the most with BA's departure.
Re:-AA they are cuttting back for winter season only, this is a quieter period for transatlantic flights and the situation in America regards fuel increase seems to be hitting airlines that much harder.Nothing to do with easyjet unless they've applied for Manchester to Chicago via how many stops!!!!!!!!!!
easyjet will grow at manchester and will take passengers away from liverpool in the future just the same as ryanair are doing, ryanair have increased more routes from the winter, do you really expect easyjet to sit back and watch????????
Ryanair and easyjet will grow at Manchester, however manchester will loose some of its established airlines as a result, purely the fact theres not the demand for 2 or 3 airlines on the same routes flying daily to certain destinations.

[GuessWho78]

pushed out of their own terminal... there going to T1 not out the airport never said that. read between the brackets. but all agreed .

[Ian Brooks]

Not pushed out by Easyjet
The plan is to change the use of the various terminals and T3 is to be the locost and T1 the scheduled airline terminal
I think BA bought the change on themslves in that they wanted T3 to themselves with the terminal branded in their own colours etc and then kept on cutting back and cutting back until there is nothing left except the shuttles

Ian Brooks

[mybrico]

is this the MAN thread?

[lplFSpaxagent]

How about getting back on topic about LIVERPOOL now?

[sammy01]

Whats your problem? if you don,t like LPL go and get another job.:ugh:

[shobakker]

Is there some indecision at LPL with regards to their expansion plan? No planning applications have been made with respect to the expansion plan and the only bit of work related to the plan has been the purchase/demolition of a couple of properties at the end of the runway. One or two local contacts have expressed the view that given EZY's move to MAN and the looming credit crunch may have had a rather negative effect on Peel Holdings plans for the expansion of LPL...

[undw]

Didn't peel come to a new agreement with easy that their new operation at MAN would lead to a new lpl-easyjet contract leading to the basing of 2/3 extra aircraft at LJL by 2010? Anyway, as you know plans for runway extension have no bearing whatsoever on commercial negotiations with LOCO operators.

Peel are a deadly serious operator and usually deliver.

[giblets]

Not sure if this has been covered before (its a long thread!), but whats goiing on with the passport control at Liverpool? Got in Sunday 11pm, and the place was an absolute joke.
Passengers were queued either up on the apron, almost 100m either side of the entrance to the terminal, as well as those joining the queue to passport control from intermally.
Other than the security/ safety aspect of having several hundred people on the apron, which is obvious. The fact that not all the passport desks were in operation either did not help, clearly last thing in the evening there is a rush as the last of the LO-Cos.
To compound this, both airline staff and disabled wheelchair users had the indignity of having to push their way through several hundred people queued up waiting for passport control, not a great situation for either.

This has clearly been going on some time, with special covers set up and printed forms appologiesing for delays...no doubt there were 'unforeseen' circumstances.

[AndyH52]

Unfortunately it happens from time to time and is generally outside the control of the airport - they don't control whether aircraft arrive on time or not and they don't control how many staff the UK Border Agency deigns to put on at any one time.

[fimbles]

The size of the immigration hall is something the airport is responsible for. With 15 based a/c and a known peak arrival period at lunchtime and again about 11pm the airport should provide a hall capable of dealing with more than half an a/c load. One of the UKs fastest growing airport in terms of pax numbers, loads of new retail development but a pathetically unsuitable immigration hall:bored:

[Ametyst1]

Liverpool Airport is indeed enlarging the Immigration arrivals hall and it is moving to a new location to allow for more baggage belts to be installed. The work is planned to take place over the winter. UK Border Patrol Agency will also double the number of staff on duty at Liverpool.

The Security departure area is also to be expanded to allow for two more security lanes. This work will commence once WH Smith has relocated in the departure lounge.

[ESCNI]

Any chance of getting Starbucks to stay open later on a Saturday evening while you are at it?

;)

[Bergkamp10]

Sorry if I have missed it, anybody know if LPL-LIS flights will run after Christmas. Wanting to book some Golf early Jan, and the flights have gone from there website??

Any thoughts or Info? :hmm:

[AndyH52]

Flights due to operate M, W, Fr and Su during the winter. Not sure why they are not showing after December. Certainly had no indication locally that the service is stopping.

[Hudson Bay]

No flights between Liverpool and Lisbon the winter.

bmibaby are your best option from Manchester. (Much better operator in my opinion) no running for your seats and very punctual etc.

[Ametyst1]

Liverpool to Lisbon is not bookable after 14th November. Surprising considering the good laods they have been getting and there do not appear to have been many cheap seats.

Manchester, however, is not an alternative as BMI Baby are pulling the Manchester to Lisbon route from 25th October

[sammy01]

The charge to go thru security at Liverpool Airport has risen from £2 to £3. This is getting out of hand how low can this airport stoop

[AndyH52]

I take it you mean the optional fast track charge? As for how low can they stoop, not as far as Leeds Bradford and Bristol who charge up to £5 per passenger for the same priviledge....

[dwlpl]

The charge to go thru security at Liverpool Airport has risen from £2 to £3. This is getting out of hand how low can this airport stoop

Bit of thinking 'out of the box' is needed here.

Don't pay it.

[jettesen]

BMI baby punctual???????? youre having a laugh arent you!! They have to be the worst / least punctual airline going!!! Old scanky aircraft, tech problems all the time.................:}:}:}

[Ringwayman]

New Ryanair route on offer for the winter is a daily service to Beauvais

[Ametyst1]

Ryanair are also introducing a weekly Liverpool to Turin service from December.

[Keyvon]

easyJet is to scrap its Liverpool-Basle route from November 2nd.

On the other hand, Balkan Holidays Air will operate a new summer charter flight to the Bulgarian coastal town of Bourgas. It will run from May 22nd to 2nd October, on Fridays.

[kriskross]

Basle still shows as available on the timetable section on the website for the winter, but only Mon, Wed, Fri and Sun. when you try to book it is missing on the booking engine.

[Ametyst1]

easyJet has suspended the service between Liverpool and Basle & Mulhouse. The service will return in March/April 2009.

[Bergkamp10]

Extremely sorry if this has been covered already...!!

Could anybody confirm either way if these flights will operate or not..:ooh::oh:

I am having different views from the Orange Crew at LTN.:ugh:

Mo,We708308:5011:30708412:0014:50


Thanks DB10

[1station]

Apparently closing the doors later this week for good. A sad day for all concerned, good luck to you all and for the future. You will be missed. :D:D:D:D:D

[trumptonville]

We had flights booked on the above route at the end of Jan, had no communication from Easy but one of the party noticed a problem with his booking while checking in for a different flight.After eventually getting to speak to someone at Easy they confirmed route was non op and they were adamant that they had informed us (as there were various booking refs for our party and no-one had been told the route was non-op we put them right on that).They re-booked us on LTN-ZRH at no extra cost though

[citygal]

today is the last day a very sad day and still no call from bt of course not he has managed to destroy us at lpl without care or concern but we hold our heads up high and seen our last flights out of here with the same pride as we seen in the first. with the help and support of our best friend and manager jk where would we be, we did it all for her and only her and absolutely no one :mad: else. It may have started as AR,s station years ago but it has finished today as JK,s and only JKs . Look forward to seeing B T and tramp in the gutter with nothing and no one and with not an ounce of respect from a living sole you have deserved nothing else we will walk past that gutter and spit all over you both.

[euromanxdude]

So sorry to see Flight Support LPL go - from first hand experience they were the best group of guys n gals to work alongside. Through all the good times and sometimes the bad they always kept a professional head and gave every pax either VG, W6, 3W, FUA & even GSM the best possible service.
All the best people, it was a honour to work alongside you all.....


P.s Hope you all enjoy tonight!

;)

ex eurmanxdude

[granddaddy]

So what about the memo circulated to all remaining FS personnel.Looks like LPL might not be the last !!!!!:suspect:

[lplFSpaxagent]

It's a very sad day - met the nicest bunch of people working for FS LPL that I have ever came across in my life. Shame its always the good ones that get s%^t on. Guys and girls of FS Liverpool it was a pleasure to work with you you all helped me along even when i was being a bit thick!

Everyone worked really hard and I guess this is the way you get treated for it - JK was a great boss and I'm sure a lot of it's down to her keeping everyone together.

Its been great working with FS LPL, I've left with fond memories that I will remember forever, I hope you all find jobs in no time and thanks again for all being great people to work with :ok:

[supersnake]

it is a shame what has gone on we can only hope the people at the top end up on the dole and see what we have had to put up with long live jk rip ar/bt
:D

[citygal]

thankyou all for your kind words, nice to hear from you euromanxdude miss ya over here, nice one supersnake

it has been very emotional and alot of tears have fell we have said our goodbyes to jk not a nice time at lpl right now

she supported us to the bitter end even up to today,enjoy your well deserved holiday:ok: