UK’s best and worst airports named in Which? survey: From Liverpool airport to Manchester Airport - full list

Liverpool John Lennon Airport has been named the UK’s best airport, according to a recent survey conducted by consumer group Which?. Manchester Airport, on the other hand, found itself at the bottom of the rankings.

In an extensive survey that spanned the past year and included nearly 4,000 passengers, respondents were tasked with evaluating airports across 11 vital categories, such as seating, staff service, toilets, and the notorious queues at various checkpoints like check-in, baggage drop, passport control, and security.

The Liverpool airport took the top spot with an impressive overall customer score of 82%. This score was determined by a combination of overall satisfaction and the likelihood of passengers recommending the airport to others.

Passengers who participated in the survey described the airport "first class" and "well-run." The airport staff also received glowing reviews for being “friendly” and “helpful.”

Following closely behind in the rankings was London City Airport, securing the second spot with an overall score of 78%. Passengers commended it for its "relaxed" atmosphere, and it boasted some of the shortest security waiting times, with an average estimated queue of just 10 minutes.

The list of top-ranking airports continued with Southampton at 77%, Bournemouth at 75%, and both East Midlands and Newcastle airports securing a commendable score of 72%.

Meanwhile, Manchester Airport found itself at the lowest rungs of the rankings, with Terminal 3 scoring a mere 38% and Terminal 1 not faring much better at 44%. Passengers at Manchester Airport lamented "huge queues" at check-in, labelling the situation a "joke." Others characterised their airport experience as "crowded”, “noisy”, and “generally stressful."

Manchester Airport also grappled with security queues, reporting an average wait time of 28 minutes at Terminal 3, with only Birmingham Airport faring worse at 29 minutes.

Joining Manchester at the bottom of the list were London Luton and Belfast International, each garnering a score of 49%. A passenger at Belfast International expressed dissatisfaction, saying that "every level of service or quality is poor."

In response to the survey’s findings, a spokesperson for Manchester Airport told Sky News that the research was "deeply flawed and misleading," asserting that it was "out of date" and based on a "tiny and unrepresentative sample" compared to the airport’s annual passenger volume of 25 million.

They pointed out that their own survey of 840 passengers conducted in July and August resulted in a 94% rating.

Similarly, Birmingham Airport also defended itself, suggesting that the survey underscored the potential pitfalls of relying on anecdotal estimates over concrete data.

Best to worst airports in the UK - full list

• Liverpool John Lennon - 82% overall customer score
• London City - 78%
• Southampton - 77%
• Bournemouth - 75%
• East Midlands - 72%
• Newcastle - 72%
• Glasgow International - 62%
• Leeds Bradford - 58%
• London Gatwick North - 57%
• London Heathrow - Terminal 4 - 57%
• London Heathrow - Terminal 5 - 57%
• Bristol - 56%
• Aberdeen - 55%
• Edinburgh - 55%
• London Gatwick South - 54%
• London Heathrow - Terminal 2 - 54%
• London Heathrow - Terminal 3 - 54%
• Birmingham - 53%
• London Stansted - 51%
• Manchester Terminal 2 - 50%
• Belfast International - 49%
• Luton - 49%
• Manchester Terminal 1 - 44%
• Manchester Terminal 3 - 38%