Great airport, shame about the name (George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD))

Member Name: jamesontheroad

Product:	George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD)
Date:	06/01/09 (116 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Convience to Belfast, modern design, easy to navigate, excellent train/bus connections

Disadvantages: Named after a wife beating alcoholic. There have been Ulstermen and women who achieved much more

I remain open to correction, but I believe Belfast City Airport can probably claim to be one of the only airports in the world to be named after a wife beater. I'd add the word "alcoholic" but then there are more than a few airports named after famous politicians who appreciated too much of the grain or the grape...

I digress. Belfast City Airport (IATA code: BHD), not to be confused with Belfast International Airport (IATA code: BFS) is Belfast's most convenient airport. It's just a ten minute drive (never more than thirty, even in the worst rush hours) from the city centre and has excellent public transport connections, more of which later.

The airport started life in the thirties when Shorts started building aeroplanes in the city. Aircraft components continue to be manufactured in the city today, with Shorts now subsumed into the mighty Canadian conglomerate Bombardier. Commercial flights only started in the eighties, but flight and passenger numbers have grown due to the greater convenience of the airport to the city compared to Belfast International.

A period of upheaval in the nineties saw British Airways mainline operations leave Northern Ireland, and British Midland (now bmi) moved from Belfast International to the city airport. bmi remain one of the major carriers into the province, primarily because their multiple daily services to and from London Heathrow carry thousands of connecting passengers travelling on the Star Alliance. FlyBe offer a large number of regional connections and Ryanair also offer a handful of routes to primarily UK airports. Unlike Belfast International, there are no long haul flights since the shorter runway cannot support them: bmi currently bring the largest planes into the airport with the occasional Airbus A321.

The terminal is extremely modern and attractive, although apparently not designed with continued growth in mind. A coffee shop appeared in the middle of the check-in hall and continues to get in my way every time I visit, and the usual departure lounge retail assault is still quite invasive. As with most airports, retrospective security arrangements make dropping off and picking up a bit of a hassle, and short term parking is not cheap. For passengers using public transport, there is an excellent bus service to the city centre every 20 minutes. Alternatively, on request at the information desk a free shuttle bus will convey you to the footbridge adjacent to the old passenger terminal, which carries you over the motorway to Sydenham Railway station, on the fast and frequent Bangor - Belfast - Portadown line. Note that at the time of writing the shuttle telephone at the station entrance is not functioning, and you'll need a mobile phone to call for a shuttle to take you to the airport terminal. Do not attempt to walk from the railway station bridge to the terminal.

Inside the terminal is bright and airy, and a world away from the dingy and heavily altered terminal at Belfast International. There are limited views of the apron and runway from the lounge, although the landside cafeteria and bar has an excellent view of aircraft movements and the panorama of the Port of Belfast and Cavehill Mountain beyond. bmi, Star Alliance and FlyBe frequent flyers or business passengers can enjoy a more spacious and quieter pair of lounges after security.

The intense competition between airlines is, in some ways, reflected in a competition between Belfast's two airports. Belfast City wins on convenience, design and public transport. Belfast City has more destinations, however, and ultimately you will probably find that your ultimate destination will determine which airport you use. When I have a choice, however, I always choose the city and enjoy the convenience of a free shuttle to the train, which gets me to where I want to go in Belfast city centre much more quickly. I also enjoy the superb views of the city or lough that landing or taking off at BHD always provides.

Summary: Ultimately your flight will choose which Belfast airport you use, but BHD is my preference.