Manchester Airport. How can it be so bad?
Discussion
I had the misfortune to go in and out of MAN for the umpteenth time this week.
I just don't understand how it can be so terrible? The security was a shambles, taking an hour or so to pass through. The whole place seems to have been designed by Ray Charles. It took me half an hour of walking to get back to my car after my flight. Thankfully, on this occasion, I had only hand luggage.
They claim to have been spending vast sums on improvements. I think the only answer would be to destroy what's there and start again from scratch, but I'm genuinely perplexed at just how it manages to be so unfit for purpose?
I just don't understand how it can be so terrible? The security was a shambles, taking an hour or so to pass through. The whole place seems to have been designed by Ray Charles. It took me half an hour of walking to get back to my car after my flight. Thankfully, on this occasion, I had only hand luggage.
They claim to have been spending vast sums on improvements. I think the only answer would be to destroy what's there and start again from scratch, but I'm genuinely perplexed at just how it manages to be so unfit for purpose?
paulguitar said:
I had the misfortune to go in and out of MAN for the umpteenth time this week.
I just don't understand how it can be so terrible? The security was a shambles, taking an hour or so to pass through. The whole place seems to have been designed by Ray Charles. It took me half an hour of walking to get back to my car after my flight. Thankfully, on this occasion, I had only hand luggage.
They claim to have been spending vast sums on improvements. I think the only answer would be to destroy what's there and start again from scratch, but I'm genuinely perplexed at just how it manages to be so unfit for purpose?
Agreed.I just don't understand how it can be so terrible? The security was a shambles, taking an hour or so to pass through. The whole place seems to have been designed by Ray Charles. It took me half an hour of walking to get back to my car after my flight. Thankfully, on this occasion, I had only hand luggage.
They claim to have been spending vast sums on improvements. I think the only answer would be to destroy what's there and start again from scratch, but I'm genuinely perplexed at just how it manages to be so unfit for purpose?
We've used it once and unless it is the ONLY airport available we won't be going back. It was a pain to get to and utterly awful once there. Finding somewhere decent to eat was one of the challenges. All in all a horrible airport.
Louis Balfour said:
paulguitar said:
No, but at that time I had not been educated about just how good it is.
paulguitar said:
Louis Balfour said:
paulguitar said:
No, but at that time I had not been educated about just how good it is.
It is utterly shocking how bad it has got - back in the 90s a mate of mine worked for a large chemical company and travelled to the far east on a regular basis, and it was his opinion that back then it was one of the best airports in the world.
Nowadays it just seems to be a machine designed to mulct as much money as possible from the public while at the same time rendering the entire experience just degrading and infuriating. As mentioned the security queues are simply extraordinary.
I fly a lot from Manchester for work and last week I decided that I'm just not doing it again; I'll fly from Leeds-Bradford or Liverpool, much nicer small airports. Since there are basically no Gibraltar flights now I need to go to Malaga and you can fly there from anywhere.
Nowadays it just seems to be a machine designed to mulct as much money as possible from the public while at the same time rendering the entire experience just degrading and infuriating. As mentioned the security queues are simply extraordinary.
I fly a lot from Manchester for work and last week I decided that I'm just not doing it again; I'll fly from Leeds-Bradford or Liverpool, much nicer small airports. Since there are basically no Gibraltar flights now I need to go to Malaga and you can fly there from anywhere.
Dog Star said:
It is utterly shocking how bad it has got - back in the 90s a mate of mine worked for a large chemical company and travelled to the far east on a regular basis, and it was his opinion that back then it was one of the best airports in the world.
Nowadays it just seems to be a machine designed to mulct as much money as possible from the public while at the same time rendering the entire experience just degrading and infuriating. As mentioned the security queues are simply extraordinary.
I fly a lot from Manchester for work and last week I decided that I'm just not doing it again; I'll fly from Leeds-Bradford or Liverpool, much nicer small airports. Since there are basically no Gibraltar flights now I need to go to Malaga and you can fly there from anywhere.
Same here. Nowadays it just seems to be a machine designed to mulct as much money as possible from the public while at the same time rendering the entire experience just degrading and infuriating. As mentioned the security queues are simply extraordinary.
I fly a lot from Manchester for work and last week I decided that I'm just not doing it again; I'll fly from Leeds-Bradford or Liverpool, much nicer small airports. Since there are basically no Gibraltar flights now I need to go to Malaga and you can fly there from anywhere.
I detest Manchester airport with a passion. Security is a shambles as the OP says. Always have to allow an hour. Combine that with the pathetic leeds to Manchester train journey taking nearly 1.5 hours for f all distance it means allowing 3.5 hours between leaving home and flying - which is often a flight if only 1.5 hrs to Copenhagen where the in-laws live. These days I often rather fly leeds Bradford to Amsterdam and on to Copenhagen. Crazy that a transfer on such a short route is often quicker and more pleasant than dealing with Manchester airport.
Thankfully my regular commute is leeds to Alicante and through those two airports usually once or twice a month and a breeze. Security at each of these usually takes no more than 10 minutes. Can’t understand how Manchester can get it so wrong. And the staff are often unpleasant and unfriendly.
My journey to Manchester airport from my home takes 20 minutes, I normally arrive an hour and forty five minutes before my flight is due to leave. Security can be bad in high season, the rest of the time it's been OK. IMO Gatwick/Heathrow were far worse, Liverpool and Birmingham better. I wouldn't eat in any airport restaurant unless i absolutely had to, preferring to take food with me. To be honest I find the whole process of taking flights unpleasant. Zurich is survivable, lots of room, interesting architecture and if I have to buy food then it's generally OK.
Edited by popeyewhite on Sunday 13th March 10:56
Not a fan of Manchester. I've found ways of improving it, but it's still rubbish. Usually when I'm returning its from Ireland so at least skip passport control, but it's remarkable that they can get wrong the one job they need to do - meet the bloody plane! It's like we have dropped out of the sky unexpectedly.
Doncaster Sheffield is still the best airport to fly in or out, but the destinations are very limited!
Doncaster Sheffield is still the best airport to fly in or out, but the destinations are very limited!
Security there is painful and they can be quite rude.
I used to fly Southampton to Manchester for regular meetings so 20 times a year.
At Southampton security I never had my bag opened and searched once
In Manchester on the same day on the return journey each time I must have had my bag gone through 15/20 times.
This is after the X-ray machines have done their job.
Seemed very inconsistent.
It’s good they are checking but it seemed a bit ott.
I used to fly Southampton to Manchester for regular meetings so 20 times a year.
At Southampton security I never had my bag opened and searched once
In Manchester on the same day on the return journey each time I must have had my bag gone through 15/20 times.
This is after the X-ray machines have done their job.
Seemed very inconsistent.
It’s good they are checking but it seemed a bit ott.
paulguitar said:
I had the misfortune to go in and out of MAN for the umpteenth time this week.
I just don't understand how it can be so terrible? The security was a shambles, taking an hour or so to pass through. The whole place seems to have been designed by Ray Charles. It took me half an hour of walking to get back to my car after my flight. Thankfully, on this occasion, I had only hand luggage.
They claim to have been spending vast sums on improvements. I think the only answer would be to destroy what's there and start again from scratch, but I'm genuinely perplexed at just how it manages to be so unfit for purpose?
Don't fly multiple times a week?I just don't understand how it can be so terrible? The security was a shambles, taking an hour or so to pass through. The whole place seems to have been designed by Ray Charles. It took me half an hour of walking to get back to my car after my flight. Thankfully, on this occasion, I had only hand luggage.
They claim to have been spending vast sums on improvements. I think the only answer would be to destroy what's there and start again from scratch, but I'm genuinely perplexed at just how it manages to be so unfit for purpose?
My brother flies up to 30 times a month.
I've got a friend who drives circa 4,000 miles a month.
Lifes too short to waste it going back and forth, back and forth..
RammyMP said:
I’m flying from Manchester to Spain for a long weekend in May, I went to book my car into the airport car park, cheapest was £65 for 3 nights. That’s double what it was pre covid.
I managed to save a bit using these people:https://www.skyparksecure.com/
Closest we've ever come to missing a flight was last year at Manchester. Partly as we were held up due to a crash on the M62, but this followed by having to walk from the (admittedly good) parking as the shuttle bus driver was going off on his break.
When we arrived we were hit by the queue for security which although not massive moved at a glacial pace. Me and my sons got through fine but my wife had to wait ages for her bag to be searched.
Whilst there was nothing that was suspicious in her bag, apparently it turned out there was a faulty bar code on the tray which caused the scanner to throw a wobbly and therefore her bag needed to be searched. God knows why.
And of course once the bag had been searched what happened to the dodgy bar code tray? It went straight back in the pile with all the rest of them......
When we arrived we were hit by the queue for security which although not massive moved at a glacial pace. Me and my sons got through fine but my wife had to wait ages for her bag to be searched.
Whilst there was nothing that was suspicious in her bag, apparently it turned out there was a faulty bar code on the tray which caused the scanner to throw a wobbly and therefore her bag needed to be searched. God knows why.
And of course once the bag had been searched what happened to the dodgy bar code tray? It went straight back in the pile with all the rest of them......
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