Busy fortnight ahead as Christmas getaway begins at LJLA

Liverpool John Lennon Airport is once again gearing up for the great Christmas and New Year ‘Getaway’ with around 190,000 passengers expected to pass through the Airport over the holiday period.

The end of school term on Friday triggered the first increase in passengers through the Airport as families across the region headed off on flights from Liverpool to seek some much needed Winter sun, to go skiing, visit relatives, or looking for Christmas and New Year festivities across Europe.

As usual, popular flights for passengers over the coming days are expected to be winter ski destinations such as Salzburg, Innsbruck, Lyon and Grenoble, The Canary Islands and southern Spain for some warmer winter weather and Christmas city break destinations.

Christmas is also a time to meet up with family and friends with many passengers taking advantage of flights to Northern Ireland and The Republic of Ireland. Visitor numbers arriving to the region via the Airport are also expected to continue to grow over the festive period too.

Helping to put passengers in the holiday mood, World Duty Free have the Liverpool Town Crier in their store in the departure lounge today and on Friday 23rd December. They also have a gift wrapping service available at certain times too, for any passengers wanting to purchase last minute presents, ready to give to friends and family.
JLA 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 at least 2 hours ahead of their departure times as usual.

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. Airlines operating from Liverpool do not permit Christmas crackers in hand luggage either.

Paul Staples, Airport Director commented, "We expect another busy Christmas and New Year period here at JLA with passengers taking advantage of the wide choice of destinations available. Whilst many of our staff will be working over the festive period we always look forward to helping get the Christmas and New Year holidays off to a great start for everyone.

Once again we’d like to remind all passengers to help us to help them and avoid some of the disappointment we have seen in previous years by allowing extra time, coming prepared and thinking about what they are carrying in their hand luggage."