September 6th 2024.
When it comes to traveling, many people turn to fellow travelers for advice and recommendations. And if you're a proud Londoner, you know that there's no better airport than City. But if you're from the Midlands, Nottingham East Midlands is the way to go, and for Northerners, Leeds Bradford might be the top pick. However, according to new research, there are some surprising rankings for the best and worst airports in the UK.
The study, which took into account various factors such as seating, queues, and range of shops, revealed that Liverpool John Lennon Airport took the top spot. Visitors gave it glowing reviews for its friendly staff and short queues. On the other end of the spectrum, Manchester's Terminal Three ranked as the worst airport in the UK for the third year in a row. Travelers cited issues with rude staff and overpriced shops and restaurants as major drawbacks.
The annual Which? member survey, which received almost 7,000 responses, also showed a preference for smaller airports among UK holiday-makers. Airports like Norwich, London City, and Bournemouth were all highly praised by visitors. To determine their results, Which? took into account factors such as queues at check-in, security, and passport control, as well as the quality of seating, customer service, WiFi, and toilet facilities.
Manchester Airport, the UK's third largest, received a low rating in almost every category, giving it an overall customer satisfaction score of just 37%, the lowest in the country. This was due to complaints of long walks, broken travellators, and difficulty finding seating. One reviewer even described the queues as "horrendous". Which? advises consumers to avoid this airport if possible.
Belfast International Airport also ranked near the bottom of the list, with a satisfaction score of 44%. However, it received praise for having only 1% of flights cancelled within 24 hours of departure and for its limited queues at bag drop and security. Interestingly, Aberdeen, which ranked in the middle of the list with a satisfaction score of 56%, had the highest rate of flight cancellations at 4.9%.
On the other hand, Liverpool John Lennon Airport received an impressive 81% satisfaction score, with visitors raving about its staff, short queues, and clean toilets and WiFi. London City Airport came in second place with a score of 80%, thanks to its efficient queues and friendly staff. Norwich rounded out the top three with a score of 78%, praised for its convenient location and helpful staff. Surprisingly, London airports did not fare well in the rankings, with Heathrow's T5 coming in at number 14.
It's worth noting that smaller airports like Liverpool and Norwich, despite having fewer shops and no private lounges, received high ratings for their efficiency and customer service. This just goes to show that bigger doesn't always mean better when it comes to airports.
For more information, you can visit the Which? website. Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, suggests that when booking a flight, it's worth considering not only the airline but also the airport you'll be flying from. After all, a smooth and hassle-free start to your holiday can make all the difference. Do you have any travel stories to share? We'd love to hear them, so feel free to reach out to us.
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