City of Liverpool Airport

One of the country’s major airport hubs has introduced a new twilight-hour service to give early morning budget travellers more time to relax before taking off.

One of the UK’s major airports has introduced a new check-in service that will ease the burden of early morning flights. The new check-in option will ensure budget travellers are “ready to relax and unwind” before their flight.

Liverpool John Lennon Airport is the latest England airport to introduce twilight bag drop and check-in services. Many airlines have introduced twilight bag drop to ease stress on travellers and check-in desks, especially during heavy travel periods.

Twilight bag drop services allow passengers to arrive at the airport the night before their scheduled departure and check-in their large bags well before the flight’s check-in window.

According to the Liverpool Airport website: “Twilight check-in is now available at Liverpool John Lennon Airport, making it easy for you to turn up the night before your flight and check-in your hold luggage at your airline’s dedicated check-in desk.

“Then, simply turn up the next day, bypass check-in and head straight to security, ready to relax and unwind in departures before your flight.”

Twilight services were previously only available for passengers flying with Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, however a recent announcement confirmed expanded availability.

An “amber alert” announcement from the airport reads: “Passengers travelling with easyJet, Jet2 and Ryanair and departing on flights before 08:00 can all now check in their hold luggage up to three hours before their departure, giving more time to relax and make use of the facilities in the Departure Lounge.”

This service is particularly convenient for anyone living or staying close to their departure airport. But again, not every airline offers this service – so it’s best to check with your tour operator first.

The first step of Twilight check-in is to complete online check-in via Jet2’s website, app, or through their travel agent, at least 24 hours before the flight.

Check-in luggage can then be dropped off at the Jet2 desks at Liverpool Airport between 4.30PM and 9PM the evening before scheduled departure. The following morning, passengers can go straight through to security – bypassing check-in entirely.

Passengers driving to the airport to make use of twilight check-in services can park in the airport’s Drop-off 2 car park. Travellers get one hour complimentary parking to check their bags in, but anything over that time (or the use of other car parks) will be subject to standard parking fees.

Liverpool John Lennon Airport also urges passengers to arrive a minimum of two hours before departure to allow enough time to check-in and pass through security.

Liverpool John Lennon Airport has been named the best airport in the UK – despite being significantly smaller than some of its southern rivals such as Heathrow and Gatwick

Liverpool John Lennon Airport has soared above its UK counterparts, despite being smaller than southern giants like Heathrow or Gatwick.

The local airport secured an impressive 35th place out of 250 in the 2025 AirHelp Score, which evaluates airports worldwide, making it the highest-ranking UK airport.

London City followed as the next best UK performer, landing at 56th. However, big hitters such as Gatwick and Heathrow didn’t fare as well.

In fact, Gatwick was dubbed the worst-performing UK airport, ranking a dismal 235th globally.

Heathrow, the busiest airport in the UK, also failed to impress, managing only 178th place, reports the Liverpool Echo.

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Both major London hubs have had a challenging year, grappling with staffing shortages, strikes, delays, and even a power substation fire at Heathrow causing significant disruption.

The annual AirHelp report, running since 2015, assesses airports based on punctuality, passenger service quality (including staff and comfort), and the variety of food and shops.

This year’s report evaluated airports in 68 countries, providing valuable insights just as the bustling summer holiday season kicks off.

Other UK airports also struggled. Leeds Bradford landed mid-table at 132nd, while Manchester and Birmingham languished near the bottom at 220th and 214th respectively – largely due to complaints about delays and subpar customer service.

The latest findings reveal a concerning trend for some of the UK’s major airports, yet also shine a light on the dependability of smaller hubs like Liverpool as holidaymakers prepare for their summer getaways.

Globally, Cape Town International Airport in South Africa has clinched the top spot in this year’s airport rankings, with Doha Hamad and Riyadh King Khaled not far behind.

Conversely, Tunis Carthage Airport in Tunisia finds itself at the bottom of the list, deemed the worst globally.

AirHelp CEO Tomasz Pawliszyn commented on the significance of these rankings for passengers. “As millions of people get ready to fly off on holiday, our data shows exactly where you’re most likely to have a smooth trip – and where you might want to pack a bit more patience,” he remarked.

He praised the performance of Liverpool and London City airports but noted that there is room for improvement at other large UK airports.

Pawliszyn also offered advice to those travelling during the summer season: “For anyone flying this summer, it’s worth knowing your rights if your flight is delayed or cancelled. Being prepared can make all the difference to your trip.”