Coventry Airport

[Cochise]

Not in the trip planning as this is specific to a trip to Spain.

I have booked a flight with Thomsonflyin March from Coventry, what are people experiences with this airport ?

I have read lots regarding this place and I am very concerned. They have uncontrolled airspace from 1.5 miles around the airport to some distance away, this means that any plane can fly uncontrolled by any ATC in the flight path of a landing jetliner. Also there is an area of large flocking birds directly below the flightpath, this is probably even more dangerous that the airspace control.

Are there locals that know more about what is happening here? I know problems are still very remote but i dont want to put my family at any increased risk when i could scrimp up £190 to fly from manchester with monarch on the same dates, although i would lose £100 on the thomson.

I just dont know what to do

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

I have to say, that you have been fed scare stories by a small group of NIMBYS who have tried to use scare stories to frighten people away from using Coventry.
The airport is no more "uncontrolled" than Birmingham, i.e. as safe. There is no huge flock of birds waiting to throw themselves into the aircraft engines, in fact you can check birdstrikes for the airport with the CAA who will tell you that there are more problems with birds at places such as Liverpool, Manchester and Heathrow!
I have used Coventry more than seven times this year to go to Spain, its without a doubt the friendliest airport I have travelled through as well as being the quickest.
Its excellent!

 

[Goofyish]

I worked next to Coventry (Baginton) airport for quite a few years, before it started commercial flights. The biggest thing I saw take off from there was an old DC3 which used tyo do site seeing flights around the area

It is a VERY small airport, but I think they have spent quite a bit building the facilities up. I would imagine that it would be very quick and easy to passthough though as there can't be many flights, if any, taking off at the same time.

There is also a little aircraft museum next to the airport and a re-built Roman fort.

Access is quite easy, although the roads directly round the airport are fairly small. It's close to the A45/46 and M6/M69 access.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

The new terminal (temporary because of this small group of protestors, there is now a planning enquiry over the terminal, but will not effect flights) is actually now the other side of the airport from Baginton Village. You now come off the A45 and through the industrial estate to the entrance. not a lot of traffic and from the A45 to the airport entrance is about 2 mins (alternative places to go to park your c`ar and then you are taken back to the terminal by bus) there is also a bus service from Coventry Station, plus "stay and park" hotels. See http://www.thomsonfly.com/en/index.html
and http://www.coventry-airport.co.uk/
The terminal is great, has a bar, food kiosk, newspapers/books and the check in is very quick.
Out to the aircraft, and away within 10 mins of boarding.
On return, as there is only one aircraft normally at a time landed, your luggage is with you in again 5-10 mins.
very friendly staff at the airport, yes its not a bustling, noisy big airport, but more like many all over Europe, small but excellent.

 

[jockey]

Cochise
I have no specific experience of this airport however I am an air traffic controller and I can assure you that any aircraft flying outside controlled airspace can still be under the control of airtraffic it's just the rules are slightly different! Passenger aircraft will request a higher level of service than maybe a private pilot.

If a controller was to see two aircraft on the same flight path he/she will give the pilots instructions to make sure they are seperated!!! Aircraft also have systems on board (called TCAS) that allow them to see other aircraft in the vicinity and if required can also give them avoiding action!!

As for the bird activity this is a problem at all airports however the airport authority will have bird scaring methods in place!


Have a good holiday and DON"T worry!!!

 

[Cochise]

It was hard to judge exactly was correct on the issues for this airport, and living in the north west I had no local knowledge. Thanks for the info its really put my mind at rest, i like Liverpool airport as it is nice and quiet so I should love it there. Hope that Travelodge have a tennertastic sale before we go so I can get a cheap room the night before we fly

 

[Seamus]

Hello Cochise, I have used Coventry airport 3 times and you certainly have nothing to worry about!! The airport is very well managed and security there is very good. There have also been no reports to date of any bird strikes. This can be favourably compared to a more well known International airport in the UKs second biggest city (allegedly) which managed to allow a journalist with fake explosives on to a plane and had two reported cases of bird strikes over the summer, and yet still manages to poke fun at coventry! lol. Enjoy your holiday, I know for sure you will like flying from Coventry.

 

[Cochise]

The program on Manchester was quite disturbing, i remember the staff cull there some time ago whilst the amount of people coming through the door is increasing all the time