not over crowded, not understaffed. Staff polite and knowledgeable (e.g. when does Starbucks…read moreopen, who has bacon before 8am)

I love me a small airport! This was easy peasy from drop-off by a hotel shuttle to getting through…read moresecurity to getting something to eat and drink before a flight. I had a super early flight (6:20a) and was able to arrive just before 5, get in, get Starbucks (Coffee, Water, Breakfast Sandwich) and eat and drink it with time to spare. They could use a few more amenities, but for the size, it's Ok with what they have. Getting in was super easy and getting an uber to downtown Manchester was quick and not super expensive. It's not too far from downtown like some airports.

I really like this little airport for a lot of reasons. I first used it many years ago (in the 90s)…read morewhen I had an important customer in Westborough, MA that I visited a few times. It was so much more hassle-free than Logan at that time. Even though Logan has improved a bit as far as terminating and originating accessibility, ORH is still my port of choice if I am working west of Boston. This small 6-gate airport has sometimes struggled to maintain regular passenger service. But Delta (NY LGA), American (PHL) and JetBlue (3 FL destinations) currently operate out of here, and hopefully it continues to maintain at least minimum viability. The airport served just shy of 230K passengers in 2024. Another reason I like this airport beyond the huge advantage of hassle-free travel is the fact that it is small and easily navigable. It allows easy check-in and security clearance with TSA people who are actually pleasant to interact with. The downsides to that, of course, are that there are far fewer amenities at this airport and far fewer flight options. However, the size of this airport means that I can arrive for my flight with far less time buffer compared to a large airport like BOS. In that case, the amenities become less important. There is a convenience store/food bar behind security where you can grab a coffee, soda or snack. That's all you really need at a place like this. It's also a pleasant, clean and modern facility. The facade is fairly attractive and the interior is quite nice. If I read correctly, I don't think this is the same building I used in the 90s when I first flew into this airport. But I was impressed with the facade even then given the size of the airport. With regard to logistics, I do have to connect to get to ORH. As a Delta afficianado who uses Detroit as my home airport, I always have an intermediary stop at NY LaGuardia. But given the advantages I experience on the other end, usually it's worth it. There are rental car facilities at ORH and it offers easy get-away (and return, as previously noted). However, my last trip revealed the negative aspect of this as we flew from LaGuardia all the way to the Worcester area and they would not let the plane land due to low visibility (I understand that fog is not an infrequent problem here). We turned around going back to LGA. The flight was canceled and I ended up having to re-book to Logan and driving to Worcester (fortunately late at night with no traffic...tip in case this happens to you: if I had it to do over, I would have flown to Providence instead). This was not a positive experience. But in the grand scheme of things, this is the classic case of a "first-world problem". I keep it in perspective. While overall I am a big fan of this airport with the caveats already noted, there is one infrastructure gripe that I have. Most airports, even small ones, are generally easily accessible via a major thoroughfare (a highway of some sort). This one and Lansing (Michigan) are the only two that I have used which I would classify as out-of-the-way. It seems like it requires a long drive through traffic-light controlled roads and Massachusetts traffic (some of the worst in country due to populaton density). There is a bus to the city that is at the airport hourly between 1:15 PM and 6:15 PM, but that does not make up for it. Beyond this one primary complaint, however, I view this airport as a very nice alternative to the crowded mega options. I wish it a long and happy business viability with prosperity and growth (not too much!). It serves an important purpose and I hope it continues to do so. Let's hope airlines continue to view this with general perspective and less ivory-towered, cold and calculated finance perspective that is often far too narrow. Sometimes, bean counters need to remember that Main St. can be more important than Wall St.

Not too much to say about this airport. It's a smaller airport, and if you live in the middle of…read moreMassachusetts it's closer than dealing with the craziness of Boston.

Such a gem of an airport. Beautiful runway, and 100LL. It's too bad that there isn't a restaurant…read morehere and MOGAS. My old Piper would be a regular here if they had those items.

Nick was so helpful, cheery and kind. Flew in for a family emergency and he was so helpful to those…read morepicking me up and to myself upon landing and again when I left a week later. He is a wonderful face for representing goodwill and efficiency at the airport! Just a keeper! They are lucky to have him!

For a small airport, adding a feature such as a helpful or respective airline other than Cape Air…read more may inspire return travelers. I would pursue a happy personality when hitting the next check-in attendant.

This is a small airport that caters to light planes for rides plus for owners of small craft flying…read moreout to area states other airports. Who would have known?

I flew there a week ago with a Piper Arrow. It was Saturday night and at that time the airport was…read morenot busy at all. The air controller was both nice and professional. The runway was properly lighted. I stayed only for three landings/takeoffs so I can't really comment on any other aspect of the airport. The impression of the airport was certainly good.

10 or more years ago I got a Groupon for a "flight lesson" at the airport. The way I remember it,…read moreyou were given a lesson on a flight simulator and then went up in a plane, depending on how you did in the simulator, determined how much control you were given in the plane. I called to make a reservation and the Groupon had expired several weeks in the past. I'm still disappointed. Drove by the airport tonight and watched a plane take off. Wish that could have been me.

A Nasty Place I…read moredecided to learn to fly and signed up for lessons there. They set me up with Mike K, one of their instructors. He is a sarcastic guy from Germany, and while I thought his cutting remarks may help me become a safer pilot, the fun ended one day when Mike told me to perform a maneuver he never explained - to reduce both speed and altitude. When I fumbled, he took over the controls and threw the plane into a violent dive, then just as violently pulled it up. "If you stare at instruments, that's how you'll end up flying" he said, but I could not respond because my lunch was in my throat. I could not fly and continued to feel sick for the rest of the day and the next morning. Mike was casually apologetic and wanted to schedule the next lesson, but I wrote back that I would never get in a plane with him again. I felt he physically roughed me up, only not with his hands but using an airplane. The manager of the airport, whom I cc-ed, ignored the event, and when I called him brushed me off. I went to the FAA safety office, and after their inspector got involved, I got a note of apology from the airport owner's clerk and a promise of a refund for that last 'lesson' - that dragged on for over a month. This airport has "the home of friendly flying" painted on the office wall, but that's a lie.

Great spot to watch single engine planes take off and land. Take a spot at Tobiko's rooftop bar…read moreand you'll have a front row seat!

Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport is a 182-acre public & military airport, strategically located in…read moreWestern Massachusetts in the town of Westfield, MA. Barnes is one of Massachusetts' largest airports with a strong flight training, general aviation, and military presence. The 104th Fighter Wing of the Massachusetts Air National Guard is based out of Barnes, and it is an operational flying unit assigned to the Air Combat Command. They proudly claim the honor of being one of the oldest flying units within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. There is a specific Fighter Squadron assigned to the base which is responsible for providing defense of the northeastern US airspace. As a result, this small airport plays host to a lot of general aviation (propeller and jet) planes, and some very spectacular military fighting aircraft. I generally stay down the road at the Holiday Inn Express hotel in Westfield, and I'm often treated to some amazing sights and sounds when the F-15 Eagles roar by while practicing their touch n' go's, or heading off on a mission. On a recent trip, earlier this Fall, I was fortunate enough to watch the 104th conduct two early morning launches of the F-15 Eagles. One mission of the 104th is Aerospace Control Alert (ACA), providing armed fighters ready to scramble in a moment's notice to protect the Northeast from any airborne threat. This unit is responsible for protecting a quarter of the nation's population and one third of the country's Gross Domestic Product. Mighty impressive! Located inside the airport is a terrific little pub and grill known as Papps. You can choose to sit inside down on the first level, or upstairs on the covered observation deck to enjoy a drink and your meal, along with a great show down on the airfield. If you are an aircraft fanatic then you'll enjoy the opportunity to sit up on the observation deck and take in the activities at Barnes Airport. If you're lucky enough, you might even get to feel the ground shaking as the F-15's take off.