MAN …. OMG

[Dave likes planes]

Hello from Manchester T3.

I haven’t used MAN for a number of years, and quite frankly I don’t want to ever again.

I have seen posts on this forum that don’t paint the airport in the best of lights. Until now I imagined they must be exaggerated…

Queue for security was appalling. Not just because it took so long (only a couple of belts open) but also due to the staff treating passengers as though it is their fault for the delays. How silly of us to come to the airport for a flight!

Then, when you finally make it through Security you are welcomed by a near riot of drunk football fans banging on tables and singing (badly) at the top of their voices. There is no escape…

Grim, grim, GRIM!

[PeteM]

I read all these posts about Manchester Airport and am starting to think I really should visit…! In a masochistic way 🤣

[AL]

Dave likes planes wrote:

Hello from Manchester T3.

I am so, so, so sorry.

[davefl]

Airport management is regularly qouted in the press as saying it’s all the passengers fault for not being aware of rules etc.

It would help if they didn’t make up arbitrary rules that aren’t correct every day. You daren’t challenge them and there’s no recourse for complaint or retrieving illegally confiscated items.

Terminal 1 was supposed to have a “new and improved security experience” this summer, there’s been no sign of it.

I’ve got to go through the hell of T3 again the week after next and I’m not looking forward to it.

[FlyingPtarmigan]

I agree with you about the arbitrary rules – many of which I’m sure they’re making up for the sport of it. The last time I went through they were telling everyone to take shoes off at my security point, but not at the adjacent ones.

I do think Manchester suffers from a disproportionately small number of business travellers though. Very few people prepare for security in the queue.

Airside is horrendous. TopShop in the sales bad.

[Anna]

Ha, you thought we were making all this up?!
My countdown app says 43 days to my next MAN experience 😬. BA closing the lounge has made it a double kick in the teeth.
Still, it makes LHR T5 feel like the Four Seasons by comparison!

[Blair Waldorf Salad]

PremiAir private terminal cannot open soon enough. Alas no sign of that happening for public purchase. Reserved for the specials.

[Blair Waldorf Salad]

Doing MAN T1 tomorrow morning with fast track. Will report back.

[Nigel Keya]

I have to give you guys the benefit of the doubt (ie and believe you re: MAN/ I never flew from there).

Bit of healthy scepticism doesn’t hurt though – to wit: Luton Airport is a very pleasant experience these days – everything brand spanking new incl parking, terminal, check in, lounges, airside shops, good free seating. Nobody would ever be keen on drop off fees but you see why the airport has to do it.

Yet there are still people here banging a drum about how awful Luton is, about 15-20 years after it ceased to be useless and turned into a pretty good airport.

[Dave likes planes]

Anna wrote:

Ha, you thought we were making all this up?!
My countdown app says 43 days to my next MAN experience 😬. BA closing the lounge has made it a double kick in the teeth.
Still, it makes LHR T5 feel like the Four Seasons by comparison!

I am so sorry (mostly for myself!) for doubting. Lesson learned!

[davefl]

Nigel Keya wrote:

I have to give you guys the benefit of the doubt (ie and believe you re: MAN/ I never flew from there).

We who use it regularly don’t give it the benefit of the doubt.

This is an airport where during the pandemic, they closed T3 completely but still forced the LHR BA flights to depart from there. So passengers had to check in at T1, use the lounges/facilities at T1 and then walk 15 mins through dark corridors to a terminal with no heat/light/facilities to board from a corridor gate with no seating.

When you arrived back in the abandoned T3 you had to play luggage lottery because from time to time your bags ended up in T1 after 2-5 hours if they arrived at all.

Abysmal management and treatment of customers but again there is no recourse/method of complaint.

Signage is a joke, facilities like toilets are mainly filthy, especially at arrivals. No sources of filtered drinking water post security (even LHR has that). One of the things that really narks me is T1 – all the FIDs (flight info displays) after you walk through duty free, are facing the wrong way. The adverts face toward you, but the FID is on the reverse, so everyone has to stop, turn round and obstruct everyone trying to get through so that they can see their gate number.

[davefl]

Lol… https://insideflyer.co.uk/2022/11/is-manchester-really-the-worst-airport-in-the-uk/

[Bill]

I will do pretty much anything to avoid Manchester T1 and T3. I haven’t used T2 yet.

[Aston100]

davefl wrote:

Lol… https://insideflyer.co.uk/2022/11/is-manchester-really-the-worst-airport-in-the-uk/

I think the most shocking thing about that article is that Insideflyer still exists.

[davefl]

Bill wrote:

I will do pretty much anything to avoid Manchester T1 and T3. I haven’t used T2 yet.

it’s slightly less depressing but since the extension opened it’s a very long way to the end of the pier (comparable to one of Schipol’s far gates). And still no sign of the long promised Virgin lounge.

The only thing it has going for it would be that it’s closer to the railway station for people coming by train.

[AL]

The VAA lounge is on hold until 2025. Terminal 2’s only redeeming feature is Pot Kettle Black. This £1bn they’ve put in T2 has mostly gone in to vanity crap, and nothing of actual use. T2 Security is the pits. T3 today was shambolic (see chat thread). I live very close to MAN and I rent a one-way car to drive to LHR to avoid it. Abysmal

[cabal of rabid baboons]

A very pleasant journey through T1 this morning, walked from the Doubletree at 3-30 and was sat in Starbucks airside at 4-05.
Plenty of helpful staff around to help.

[Michael C]

Blair Waldorf Salad wrote:

Doing MAN T1 tomorrow morning with fast track. Will report back.

Blair, I think you mean “fast” track!!

[DarrenS]

Does anyone know if I can use T2 fast track as KLM Gold?

TIA

[Anna]

@Blair Waldorf Salad – expect them to treat you with even more contempt, query your boarding pass and push random families into the fast track queue in front of you!

[Sip]

Jokes about the football teams aside…is there actually a recommended way of travel for someone who wants to go from London to Manchester for a football match?

I’ve driven twice before and that ended up being a 6hr journey due to traffic…
Now by air sounds like torture
Have not tried trains yet but are the trains quite nice?

We’ve tagged on trips to the lake district last couple of times we’ve been there as well which was also why we drove.

[PeteM]

Trains from London to Manchester are quite nice and normally quick (around 2hrs) and frequent (3x per hour from Euston). If you book in advance the prices can be quite reasonable.

Sadly, at the moment, Avanti West Coast, the operator, is having a meltdown due to industrial relations issues, so it’s a bit of a gamble. Schedules are majorly reduced and the trains which are running are often late. Prices are also very high, as advance tickets are not being sold on many days.

So as much as I hate saying this, car may be your best bet currently. But hopefully in a few months trains will be back to normal and are then very much preferable.

[AndyGWP]

ah, the West Coast mainline… what a beautiful thing

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/oct/28/just-too-unreliable-avanti-promises-to-do-better-while-passengers-despair

[Anna]

They wanted £378 for Preston-Euston return last week, it was cheaper to drive and stay over, even with London hotel prices!
I am starting to wonder if there’s a secret plan to let the North West become a wasteland then try and sell it to an (eventually) independent Scotland 😂

[Anna]

*We did have the 6 hour drive home on the M6 though, and the standard gnashing of teeth and swearing we’ll never drive down south again.