Montpellier Airport Arrivals (MPL)

Montpellier is one of the important airports which serve the Languedoc Roussillon region in southern France, which is the third most popular region for tourists, as it offers a wide variety of attractions, including the largest area of vineyards in the country, kilometres of rivers, beautiful sandy beaches and seaside resorts, twenty-two marinas and even ski resorts in the mountains for winter sporting activities. The airport’s official name is the Montpellier-Méditerranée Airport, and it has the official airport code of MPL. The Montpellier arrival area is well equipped for the needs of tourists and business professionals landing at the airport, and there are various transport options for arriving passengers as well.

Several important airline companies serve Montpellier, offering both scheduled and holiday flights, and they link this important area to many local and international areas. Some of the main airline carriers at the airport include Air France, Air Algérie, Easyjet, Cimber Sterling, Iberia, Ryanair, Lufthansa and Transavia.com. They bring passengers throughout the year from the local destinations of Paris, Lyon and Nantes, and from international destinations such as London, Madrid, Casablanca, Fez, Tangier, Nador and Brussels-South Charleroi. Seasonal destinations from these airline companies include Algiers, Oran, Rennes, Strasbourg, Ajaccio, Bastia, Copenhagen, London, Munich, Birmingham, Leeds/Bradford and Rotterdam. The airport handled approximately 1.18 million passengers in 2010, and is therefore currently ranked as the tenth largest airport in France in terms of passenger traffic. The majority of its passengers arrive from national destinations, but a significant number of international passengers pass through the airport as well.

Montpellier Airport is located approximately 7km from the city centre of Montpellier, the principle city of the Languedoc Roussillon region, and the capital city of the Hérault department. The airport is nearby the small town of Mauguio, and in the Mauguio-Carnon municipality. Although the airport serves mainly the cities and towns of the Hérault department, passengers arriving at the airport can easily access all the larger cities nearby as well. They include Nimes, Arles, Orange and Avignon to the north-east, and Beziers, Agde, Narbonne and Carcassonne to the south-west. Perpignan is little further to the south as well. The main road leading from the airport is the A9, which provides access to all the above-mentioned cities, and to Montpellier as well.

Arriving passengers can travel by bus or taxi from the airport, but will need to use the train services from the railway station in the city, as there is no train station at the airport. The buses take passengers to Place de l’Europe in the city centre, and are generally available at times which are convenient for arrival flights. The trip is about twenty minutes, and the bus stop is convenient for connections to the city’s tramway lines and bus services, as well as for the Saint-Roch Train station, which is the main railway station of Montpellier. Taxis are also found outside of the Montpellier Airport arrival area. Another excellent way to travel the area is by rented car, from one of the airport car hire companies, such as Avis, Hertz, Sixt, National, Europcar or Budget. The car rental counters of these companies are found in the arrival area of the terminal building, and their vehicles are parked in the P1 car park of the airport. They are all internationally recognised companies, and have many years of experience in offering excellent customer service and competitive rental rates.

The Montpellier Airport arrival area is located on one side of the large concourse, while all departure proceedings are found on the other side, and mainly take place from the upper level of the building. Passengers will arrive on the ground floor, and will find various useful facilities at their disposal. The terminal buildings cover a total surface area of 14,000 square metres. Passengers arriving on Air France and Easyjet flights will pass through an air bridge straight into the terminal, while those on Ryanair flights will come down the aircraft steps and head for the terminal. The baggage reclaim area is entered, and then passengers can continue into the main concourse area. Baggage trolleys are available. The gourmet restaurant ‘La Terrasse du Sud’ is found in the arrival hall, and offers an excellent menu of Mediterranean cuisine. There is also the ‘France Café’, and a few shops nearby. Various travel agencies are available, and cash dispensers, public toilets and telephones and WiFi connections are found in various parts of the terminal.

The airport is also equipped with a modern business centre, with meeting rooms of various sizes. The largest can accommodate ninety people, while smaller rooms cater for around thirty people. There are also smaller work areas ideal for four or five people. The rooms are equipped with the latest technology, and catering may be arranged. Disabled passengers are welcomed at the airport as well, as the terminal has facilities for their comfort. There are suitable toilets, lowered service desks and adapted payphones, pavement ramps and elevators. Passengers may also request the use of wheelchairs, and can arrange further assistance with their airline company before their departure flight to Montpellier.

Live Montpellier arrival schedules can be found online, and more information regarding the airport’s services is available from the information desk. The airport’s contact number is 04 67 20 85 00.