But the arguement put forward for direct services is that family, 2 kids and luggage will only travel on the train if its direct.
Business travellers on their own with less luggage and no kids, less problem with changing. Incoming tourists (particularly long haul) are likely to be going to Manchester city centre (at least first and last) they then may well travel to other cities/tourist attractions during their vacation, but initially it will be the city centre. Therefore for business and incoming travellers a regular interval, city-centre shuttle would be far more inviting.
Family with 2 kids and luggage on a return trip to the airport is an efficient use of a car. Other users of the railway would be less efficient in cars.
But you have to start somewhere. The airport links are still, in railway terms at least, a relatively new business, and one that is starting to expand rapidly. To cut back the services to some Manchester only shuttle would kill that stone dead. Despite what a few people like to claim, the airport station has seen a 25% increase in just a few years, and this is before many of the services get the full Inter City treatment as opposed to the commuter plus that is TPE if we are honest.
As for passengers only wanting to arrive into Manchester city centre, I say again Manchester Airport does not just serve Manchester. Many passengers arriving there will have onward journeys to Yorkshire & the North East, the North West, Lake District, Merseyside etc. So I strongly dispute your claim about them only going to Manchester initially. For example, someone arriving from the States or the Middle East on an early arriving flight wanting to travel on is far more likely to make connections onwards to their final destination than hotel for a full day in Manchester
The biggest issue at Manchester Airport is that train services stop too early. I will be landing at 01.10 and have precisely zero public transport options.
This is one of its big problems, I've landed there at silly o'clock and there's little option save a long wait or taxi transfer onwards. I wonder if a basic hourly service through the night might be an option, or at least one that meets much of the very early morning arrivals.
I dunno, I think Heathrow is quite nice now.
I like T5, it flows far better than many other terminals I've been to and has a nice, light airy feel to it thanks to the amazing engineering of the main terminal building.
Just getting back on topic, on this and other threads there appears to be the assumption that the current timetable problems are caused by airport services, but they are not. The biggest problems, especially for TPE are caused through he North TP core with the now obviously unrealistic expectation of getting 6 fast, semis & stoppers between Leeds and Manchester per hour. This is what is causing so many delays, so for me the obvious starting point would be to split the stoppers at Huddersfield so at least they can get out of the way of the quicker services sooner & allow them to keep closer to their timings & so get closer to their slots through Manchester. Plus once the new stock starts to land, dwell times should improve meaning they are not holding up services behind them and improve the efficiency through Manchester.
And beyond that, the stalled Piccadilly P15/16, & North TP electrification have added to the problems through Manchester. All the wiring projects, along with Ordsall Chord & the Manchester station upgrades were supposed to be part of a bigger overall upgrade. Take one or more out and you are left with what we have today. Cheaping out, and/or fragmenting major upgrades will result in this & is why as a country we should commit fully to these projects instead of making excuses & offering half-arsed solutions. Yes it will cost, but how much is currently being lost through reduced productivity, tourism etc with the current issues?
