I'm guessing to keep the free drop off area clear. Pick up The changes that we are introducing only impact those dropping-off. The process for picking-up passengers remains the same – passengers can be picked-up in the arrivals car parks and multi-storey car parks with a charge of £4 for 30 minutes. We will have staff on hand to direct those dropping-off and picking-up to the right places.
Strangely I flew from Manchester last Saturday. Whilst manic the drop off was painless and free. But then again it was at terminal one. Out cases out and driver took off. Get picked back up tomorrow. And have been asked to call him at the point we have our cases and are just about outside. They probably done this before so must know a trick or 2.
It is, but they've also got a £3 sting going on for drop offs. You don't know till you try getting out of the car park. Got caught with that.
It will cost you about £25 each way in a taxi from Leeds station to the airport, more at busy times. There is a good shuttle bus service that only takes 40 minutes from the station, which I'd recommend. Not sure what parking charges are like. If you have early / late flights Mercure Parkway do a park & fly scheme: https://www.mercureleeds.co.uk/offer/park-fly-mercure-leeds-parkway-hotel/
I rate Manchester the worst airport in the UK by miles. Last year it took two hours 15 mins to get through security. Made flight cos it was delayed by an hour! Another time I waited 1and a half hours for bags to come off (it was 11pm on a Saturday night).
And to think I moan about Heathrow which is the worst airport I use with any regularity - haven't flown from Manchester for over 20 years and thought it was fine in those days. I wish all large airports were as good as Singapore's Changi airport Generally I find smaller airports are fine
Agreed, we usually go on the train. £31.50 full price return from Dodworth, but £20 for me with a railcard.
flew from newcastle last weekend, took wrong entry to car park, cost £1 for 10mins to get back out, was early but we were the the only 2 in security, decent music in the bar and a few smoking/vaping areas too, dreading mancs next month but was the cheapest flights, minibus this time though usually get a train from sheffield for under a tenner
Total opposite to your story, but 20 + years ago we flew to Amsterdam from Sheffield Airport (the one at Tinsley not the Robin Hood thing that Sheffield tries to claim). Least stressful experience ever. Up at 6:30am. Drop off 7am. Pass bags over a table to a man. Get on plane. Man puts bags on plane. Airborne 7:45am . Amsterdam airport 8:45am. Hotel 9:45am. Sightseeing by 10am.
There has actually been a story in the paper this week about huge delays to get your baggage at Manchester. It happened to us in 2011. We were flying back from Madeira and suffered a 10 hour delay for the flight because of a technical fault so arrived back in Manchester at 2am instead of mid afternoon the previous day. We then sat there for 3 and a half hours waiting for our bags. Whilst we were waiting, after being there for about 2 hours, the belt next to us started up and started tipping out bags from a flight that just landed, more than 1.5 hours after we landed. Naturally some people were pretty pissed off about this so started demanding to see a manager. When the manager came, his explanation for the other flights bags coming out was that their flight was on time. So because we were late it didn't matter to them if they pissed us off some more! That was the worst flying experience I ever had. We left our hotel at 9am and walked through the door at 7am the following day. Manchester - worst airport in the world. We have never used it since. I would rather pay an extra 100 quid on the cost of the trip to fly from anywhere else than use that place again.
Flown from Manchester to Tenerife a few times and book a hotel and parking. Used Bewleys ( now Clayton Hotel) and used their shuttle service to get to the terminal outbound/inbound. When we went to Fuerteventura we booked a taxi from Wakefield to Manchester. They charged me £50 return which was really reasonable. Flown to Tenerife from Leeds/ Bradford in December. Never again. The airport complex is fine, but if it's windy, as the highest airport in the U.K. it can be hair raising. Captain came out for a coffee as I was queuing for the loo and in response to the hostess he was talking to's question " will we land on time"? his reply was " yes, providing we can get it down.! If I can't we might have land at Manchester." He made three approaches before we finally touched down. Scary.!! Best airport experience for me, was at Doncaster/Sheffield when we flew to Majorca. Really quick booking in and getting through the inspection process before getting to the departure area. Always pay to get into the Exec lounges. Comfortable seats, plenty of snap and a beer on tap until the flight is called. Very civilised.
They charge for pick up and drop off at Leeds/Bradford - which is also limited by its short runway, altitude and proneness to cross winds. There will be an accident there at some point. Manchester is the nearest airport to get direct flights to the Far East. Doncaster has the runway, but poor infrastructure and transport links.
I always try and use East Midlands. Nice airport and easy to get to - a lot easier than Leeds-Bradford in my eyes and sometimes just as quick. Donny has all the space and runway length - have they finished off the final bit of the bypass now? If so, it’ll be a lot easier and will lead to quite a bit of growth in travel from there.