Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LPL)

About Liverpool John Lennon Airport

Liverpool John Lennon International Airport is seven and a half miles south-east from the centre of Liverpool, adjacent to the estuary of the River Mersey. It is one of Europe’s fastest growing airports with annual passenger numbers that have increased from 875,000 in 1998 to just under 5 million in 2006. The airport handles boy scheduled and charter airline flights and is currently serviced by a number of high profile airlines including easyJet, Ryanair and First Choice Airways.

Parking at the Airport

There is both short and long stay parking available at Liverpool John Lennon International Airport. If you are dropping off or picking up the best option is the short stay car park as it is close to the terminal building and is free for stops shorter than twenty minutes.
There are two long stay parks, both onsite which are suitable for stays longer than two days. There is also an off-site car park nearby that also offers a valet parking service if required. There is however, a frequent courtesy bus service for those opting for park and ride.

Facilities and Services

The terminal at Liverpool John Lennon International Airport offers a variety of shopping and dining options, as well as cashpoints and money changing facilities, internet access, toilets and baby care amenities and prayer room. For those looking for a quiet and comfortable atmosphere to relax in prior to their flight, the Halewood International Executive Lounge provides all business facilities, as well as complimentary snacks and beverages and also leisure amenities if required. The airport is also fully accessible to disabled travellers and includes suitably adapted facilities.
Liverpool John Lennon Airport has an executive lounge, available for both business and leisure passengers, for a small fee.

Getting To The Airport

There are frequent rail services running from Southport, Ormskirk, Kirkby, Chester, New Brighton and West Kirkby to Liverpool Central. There is a Merseyrail service that runs from Liverpool Central to the airport, stopping at Brunswick, St Michaels, Aigburth, Cressington, Liverpool South Parkway and Hunts Cross.
Bus and coach stops are situated at the front of the terminal building. The Airlink 500 stops at a number of points before terminating at Liverpool City Centre. The Airlink 700 stops at Burtonwood Services, Eccles Interchange and Salford Regent Street before terminating at Manchester Piccadilly. In addition there are several bus routes that connect the airport with local town and cities in the surrounding area. The Terravision Coach Service runs between Shudehill Interchange and the airport via Manchester.
Liverpool John Lennon International Airport can be accessed by the M57, M62 or M56. From the north/north east follow the M6 southbound to Junction 21A with M62 then head west to Junction 6 onto the A5300 to the A61. From the south/east follow M6 northbound to Junction 20 with M56 then at Junction 12 take the A557/A562 dual carriageway via Runcorn Bridge to merge with A561. From the Wirral follow the M53 and then the M56. From North Wales follow the A55 to join the M56 eastbound.

History of Liverpool John Lennon Airport

Schedule flights commenced from Liverpool John Lennon International Airport in 1930 and at that time it was known as Speke Airport. The airport was officially opened in 1933 and by this time it had become apparently that there was a strong market for air travel from Liverpool, particularly for Irish Sea crossings. In order to accommodate the growing number of air travellers, a develop programme was instigated resulting in the construction of a passenger terminal, control tower and two large aircraft hangars by the end of the decade.

The site was taken over by the Royal Air Force at the start of World War II and it was here that Rootes Motors built a number of bombers, including Bristol Blenheims and 1070 Handley Page Halifaxes. The airport continued to be used in a military capacity until 1961 when ownership of the site passed to the local authority.

In 1966 a new and longer runway was opened, constructed on a neighbouring site to the east of the airfield and this meant that the airport could operate twenty four hours a day. Merseyside County Council took control of the airport in the 1970s and then in the eighties it was taken over by a consortium of the five new Merseyside councils. A new terminal building was opened in 1986 and this replaced the original art deco building which is famous for the television footage of the Beatles saying goodbye to their fans before leaving the country back in the sixties. This building is a Grade II listed building and has since been restored and utilised to form the Marriott Liverpool South Hotel.

There was another change in ownership in 1990 when a 76% share of the airport was purchased by British Aerospace when the airport was privatised. In 1997 Peel Holdings bought out British Aerospace and then four years later acquired the final 24% to become the sole shareholder.

The airport was renamed in 2002 in order to honour John Lennon, one of the original members of the Beatles and in the check-in hall a bronze statue of the musician can be found.