Liverpool is one of the UK’s busiest regional airports.
Located around 7 miles south of the culturally important city, the airport has a unique location on the banks of the River Mersey. It is known as John Lennon airport, named after the member of music group The Beatles, which hailed from the city.
It is not as busy as nearby Manchester airport, but still sees a good mix of leisure, low-cost and general aviation traffic.
There’s also a nice heritage collection next to the airport.
Airport Layout
Liverpool today has a single runway, 09/27, which runs east-west along the banks of the river.
The parallel taxiway to its north side links the main parking apron and single terminal on the northern side, with an easyJet maintenance base among this area.
To the east is the general aviation parking apron and hangars.
Original Speke Airport Site
The original Liverpool airport was known as Speke, and is located just to the north of the current airport. It featured an iconic Art Deco terminal building, which today has been converted into a Courtyard by Marriott hotel.
The original site had a number of runways. When the current runway was built in the 1970s, a taxiway was built to link the sites and allow larger aircraft to use the airport.
However, the Speke site was slowly closed down in favour of the modern airport. Today, apart from the old terminal, the Speke site has been taken over by industrial buildings.
There is, however, a small heritage group working on the preservation of a number of old airliners and aircraft on part of the old parking apron.
The Speke Aerodrome Heritage Group (see here https://www.facebook.com/SpekeAero/) is working on a Bristol Britannia, BAe 748, BAe Jetstream 41 and Percival Prince.
Airlines at Liverpool Airport
The main operators at Liverpool airport are easyJet and Ryanair, which each offer a range of city and sun destinations around Europe and the UK.
Other airlines you’ll see include Aer Lingus, Loganair, Lufthansa and Wizz Air.
PLAY will soon launch flights to Keflavik, Iceland, and Wideroe also offer seasonal links to Norway.
There are often charters related to football and other events.
Liverpool is also an active general aviation airport, with based private and training operators, and various biz jet flights throughout the year.
Spotting at Liverpool Airport
1. Terminal Departures Area
If flying through Liverpool, the departures area has large windows overlooking most of the parking area and gates, and the runway beyond.
2. East Side
The eastern end of the airport has a number of opportunities. Follow Hale Road east from the terminal, and after the general aviation area turn right onto Dungeon Lane.
There are places to park down here, including along Viscount Road towards the flying club. You can then enjoy views through the fence over the threshold of runway 27, and see aircraft on the GA apron.
3. South Side
A little further along Hale Road, turn right onto Bailey’s Lane and follow it past the houses and to the south side of the threshold to runway 27. This is a better spot for photographs, with the sun behind you, but is not easy to park along with double yellow lines along its length.
Do you know any good spotting locations at Liverpool Airport? Leave a comment below.
Airport Spotting Guides UK & Ireland
The latest edition of this spotting guide book is now out!
Discover the best spots for photographing and logging aircraft at hundreds of airports, airfields and military fields across the UK and Ireland. With maps, directions and information on what you’ll see.
Order Your Copy Today
Author
3 comments
My father, who will be 101 in three weeks time, tiled the clock face as an apprentice tiler when just 15 years old. I spent many hours spotting on the observation deck below the clock throughout my teenage years completely oblivious to the fact! I took him to see the clock on his 100th birthday last year, many thanks to the Marriott Hotel staff for making his visit so enjoyable.
John Madden
Fantastic John! Thanks for sharing.
A few years ago my nephew, who lives in Liverpool, paid for his Mum and myself to stay a night in the lovely art deco hotel at the old Liverpool airport. Not only did I enjoy all the art deco detail of the hotel but there were aeroplanes at the rear as well!! As soon as we’d had breakfast the next morning I was outside looking around and taking photographs of the ‘planes, some of which were obviously undergoing restoration. It was really interesting 🙂