Christmas getaway begins at LJLA

Despite the arctic conditions experienced throughout the region and its impact on travel arrangements, Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LJLA) is once again gearing up for the great Christmas and New Year ‘Getaway’ with over 200,000 passengers expected to pass through the Airport over the holiday period.

The traditional Christmas getaway started at the weekend. This followed the end of term for many schools across the region and passengers have started to head off on flights from Liverpool to seek some much needed Winter sun, go skiing, visit relatives, or look for Christmas and New Year festivities across Europe.

With even more long haul connections from Liverpool available with KLM via their Amsterdam Schiphol hub, passengers are expected to be jetting off to a wide selection of destinations not just in Europe but across the world.

As usual, popular flights for passengers are expected to be winter ski destinations, The Canary Islands and southern Spain for some warmer winter weather and Christmas city break destinations. Visitor numbers arriving to the region via the Airport are also expected to continue to grow over the festive period too.

Passengers will also be able to take advantage of the new retail facilities at the airport and grab some last minute presents. A £12m development programme to expand and enhance many passenger facilities is now nearing completion with the new World Duty Free shop already seeing brisk trade.

LJLA Management are once again keen to remind all passengers to allow plenty of time to pass through the Airport during this busy period and that stringent security restrictions still apply with passengers being urged to arrive at the Airport early ahead of their flights.

Restrictions on liquids carried in hand luggage are still in place and can cause disruption for passengers, who are asked to think carefully about what items they are intending to pack in hand luggage, before they set off for the Airport – especially those who are travelling with presents for friends and relatives.

With many airlines encouraging on-line check-in and hand luggage only, passengers are reminded that all items in hand luggage including wrapped Christmas presents are subject to search as part of the current aviation security measures that are in place at all UK Airports. To avoid disappointment at the security search point and to help keep security queues to a minimum, passengers are being asked to travel with their presents unwrapped if they are to be carried in hand luggage.

Andy Gower, Airport Director at LJLA commented:
“Once again we are expecting the Christmas and New Year period to be one of the busiest times of the year for the Airport as passengers from across the region take advantage of the wide choice of destinations available from here this Christmas.”

We are asking passengers to help us to help them and avoid some of the disappointment we have seen in previous years by coming prepared and to think about what they are carrying in their hand luggage.”