Manchester For The Weekend By Air?
For some weeks now, Manchester has been advertising itself as a weekend break on the giant advertising screen over Silicon Roundabout.
The adverts also seem to be backed by British Airways and are advertising flights from London City Airport.
Perhaps, these are in response to Avanti West Coast’s problems?
The Anonymous Widower 
According Manchester Evening News (MEN) football fans are worried about getting to Wembley for the FA CUP final because it is Man U v Man City. A huge number of people to get down there via Avanti rail which is pretty awful. Virgin was much better. No doubt some twonks will decide to drive down, in their cars or by hiring a minibus for more people than a car will hold. I know what Manchester is like when ONE of them has a match – we avoid visiting our daughter on those days because the traffic is horrendous – we have to pass Old Trafford to get there. So, a weekend flight deal could be useful. A flight down, and a night in the travel lodge after the game, then fly back up the next day. Most of the (very few) fans I know who will be going will be able to afford a flight and hotel. I am not a football supporter at all, never been to match. But those clubs have players with very different attitudes. I know which one I will be supporting.
I think our daughter, who lives in North Kent, near the QE2 bridge would perhaps choose that way if she was coming up for just a weekend – she usually drives.
Comment by nosnikrapzil | April 26, 2023 |
I remember the Liverpool-Everton final in 1989, where everything went well.
What has changed since then, is that for away matches more fans travel in coaches organised by the clubs.
There is also a charter train too, which I wonder will go to Wembley stadium station, which will be less walking.
I also suspect that as Wembley is easy to get to from Central London, fans living between Manchester and Sheffield might choose to take the train from Sheffield or Chesterfield.
London also lacks park and ride stations, but there is good station parking at quite a lot of stations on Chiltern, the Metropolitan, Jubilee and Watford DC Lines with reasonable parking.
Comment by AnonW | April 26, 2023 |
There is a train from Stockport through to Sheffield so yes, some fans may chose that – I think it comes from Piccadilly. I have used it to go to Meadow Hall in Sheffield, often with Helen, or meeting her there. I remember meeting her there to choose a dress for her Graduation Ball. She was in Nottingham so it was easy for her to get there.
I will probably hibernate that day! And the evening will be crazy, with fans who didnt go to the match.
Comment by nosnikrapzil | April 26, 2023