Manchester Airport. How can it be so bad?
Discussion
captain_cynic said:
popeyewhite said:
Innsbruck today: even worse security queue issues than MAN, which is going some. Armed Police in evidence trying to be cheerful but were quick to 'have a chat' to a German or Austrian who got loud. Strike action in France to blame for the chaos in certain Euro airports today apparently.
UK airports too. I was stuck in Gatwick for 10 hours on Thursday thanks to the French ATC strike. OTOH Air Europa did alright by me. Put me up in a hotel in Madrid, dinner, breakfast and got me on the next flight to Medellin which was the next day.
Friends flight from Innsbruck today was cancelled, they were bussed to Munich for their connecting flight to Edinburgh, which was then changed to London. THAT flight was 2 hours late THEN cancelled. They set off this morning at three from Obergurgl, AFAIK they are now staying overnight in Munich!
Columbia looks a much better option than Edinburgh at the moment!
Having had a generally negative image of Manchester Airport, I flew into it earlier this year and it wasn't too bad.
Yesterday, however, I sort of forgave Manchester Airport after passing through Amsterdam Schiphol Airport for the fourth time. Now that is a pretty grim, dark and dingy airport. Very stuffy and cramped, especially upon boarding.
In the toilets the floors were black but evidently filthy, and they all stank of stale pee - especially the toilets at the bottom of a dark staircase hidden behind Gate F2 - the type of staircase setting you'd expect someone to get mugged on.
Yesterday, however, I sort of forgave Manchester Airport after passing through Amsterdam Schiphol Airport for the fourth time. Now that is a pretty grim, dark and dingy airport. Very stuffy and cramped, especially upon boarding.
In the toilets the floors were black but evidently filthy, and they all stank of stale pee - especially the toilets at the bottom of a dark staircase hidden behind Gate F2 - the type of staircase setting you'd expect someone to get mugged on.
I live in the NW and regularly use LPL & MCR
LPL never had many queue issues even when other airports were ..it’s a bit tired and of it’s time let’s say but perfectly functional.
MCR terminal 1 is all a bit tired and due a complete overhaul.
MCR terminal 2 is all spangly and new but unlike many newer international airports the materials used are of dubious quality. Already starting to get tatty in certain high traffic areas.
MCR terminal 3 is now the Ryanair terminal(nothing against RA and used them many times) but let’s just say it’s all a bit chavvy. I reckon the circular central food hall/bar area must regularly break records for selling pints at 4-30am..
My main gripe at both airports is that when you land you are subjected to this sort of escaperoom esque maze of stairs and escalators. Up/down then across then up and down before reaching the joy of PP control and the the inevitable Special Brew strength ’Welcome to Britain’ stench of piss in the first loo you are unlucky enough to have to use.
God knows what most international visitors must think travelling through the average British airport!!
LPL never had many queue issues even when other airports were ..it’s a bit tired and of it’s time let’s say but perfectly functional.
MCR terminal 1 is all a bit tired and due a complete overhaul.
MCR terminal 2 is all spangly and new but unlike many newer international airports the materials used are of dubious quality. Already starting to get tatty in certain high traffic areas.
MCR terminal 3 is now the Ryanair terminal(nothing against RA and used them many times) but let’s just say it’s all a bit chavvy. I reckon the circular central food hall/bar area must regularly break records for selling pints at 4-30am..
My main gripe at both airports is that when you land you are subjected to this sort of escaperoom esque maze of stairs and escalators. Up/down then across then up and down before reaching the joy of PP control and the the inevitable Special Brew strength ’Welcome to Britain’ stench of piss in the first loo you are unlucky enough to have to use.
God knows what most international visitors must think travelling through the average British airport!!
Edited by hmg on Monday 18th September 16:38
hmg said:
I live in the NW and regularly use LPL & MCR
LPL never had many queue issues even when other airports were ..it’s a bit tired and of it’s time let’s say but perfectly functional.
MCR terminal 1 is all a bit tired and due a complete overhaul.
MCR terminal 2 is all spangly and new but unlike many newer international airports the materials used are of dubious quality. Already starting to get tatty in certain high traffic areas.
MCR terminal 3 is now the Ryanair terminal(nothing against RA and used them many times) but let’s just say it’s all a bit chavvy. I reckon the circular central food hall/bar area must regularly break records for selling pints at 4-30am..
My main gripe at both airports is that when you land you are subjected to this sort of escaperoom esque maize of stairs and escalators. Up/down then across then up and down before reaching the joy of PP control and the the inevitable Special Brew strength ’Welcome to Britain’ stench of piss in the first loo you are unlucky enough to have to use.
God knows what most international visitors must think travelling through the average British airport!!
Terminal 1 will be being bulldozed. hat's the next phase. Tbf, after our trip this year which took in Oslo (lovely clean well organised airpotr) and Copenhagen (dump airport - makes Manchester look like an operating theatre) I don't think Manchester is too bad. All they really need to do is sweep up occasionally and clean the bogs more often.LPL never had many queue issues even when other airports were ..it’s a bit tired and of it’s time let’s say but perfectly functional.
MCR terminal 1 is all a bit tired and due a complete overhaul.
MCR terminal 2 is all spangly and new but unlike many newer international airports the materials used are of dubious quality. Already starting to get tatty in certain high traffic areas.
MCR terminal 3 is now the Ryanair terminal(nothing against RA and used them many times) but let’s just say it’s all a bit chavvy. I reckon the circular central food hall/bar area must regularly break records for selling pints at 4-30am..
My main gripe at both airports is that when you land you are subjected to this sort of escaperoom esque maize of stairs and escalators. Up/down then across then up and down before reaching the joy of PP control and the the inevitable Special Brew strength ’Welcome to Britain’ stench of piss in the first loo you are unlucky enough to have to use.
God knows what most international visitors must think travelling through the average British airport!!
Swervin_Mervin said:
hmg said:
I live in the NW and regularly use LPL & MCR
LPL never had many queue issues even when other airports were ..it’s a bit tired and of it’s time let’s say but perfectly functional.
MCR terminal 1 is all a bit tired and due a complete overhaul.
MCR terminal 2 is all spangly and new but unlike many newer international airports the materials used are of dubious quality. Already starting to get tatty in certain high traffic areas.
MCR terminal 3 is now the Ryanair terminal(nothing against RA and used them many times) but let’s just say it’s all a bit chavvy. I reckon the circular central food hall/bar area must regularly break records for selling pints at 4-30am..
My main gripe at both airports is that when you land you are subjected to this sort of escaperoom esque maize of stairs and escalators. Up/down then across then up and down before reaching the joy of PP control and the the inevitable Special Brew strength ’Welcome to Britain’ stench of piss in the first loo you are unlucky enough to have to use.
God knows what most international visitors must think travelling through the average British airport!!
Terminal 1 will be being bulldozed. hat's the next phase. Tbf, after our trip this year which took in Oslo (lovely clean well organised airpotr) and Copenhagen (dump airport - makes Manchester look like an operating theatre) I don't think Manchester is too bad. All they really need to do is sweep up occasionally and clean the bogs more often.LPL never had many queue issues even when other airports were ..it’s a bit tired and of it’s time let’s say but perfectly functional.
MCR terminal 1 is all a bit tired and due a complete overhaul.
MCR terminal 2 is all spangly and new but unlike many newer international airports the materials used are of dubious quality. Already starting to get tatty in certain high traffic areas.
MCR terminal 3 is now the Ryanair terminal(nothing against RA and used them many times) but let’s just say it’s all a bit chavvy. I reckon the circular central food hall/bar area must regularly break records for selling pints at 4-30am..
My main gripe at both airports is that when you land you are subjected to this sort of escaperoom esque maize of stairs and escalators. Up/down then across then up and down before reaching the joy of PP control and the the inevitable Special Brew strength ’Welcome to Britain’ stench of piss in the first loo you are unlucky enough to have to use.
God knows what most international visitors must think travelling through the average British airport!!
Doncaster Airport was actually pretty clean in all aspects, and modern. A relaxing airport to travel from TBH. A shame that one closed down.
The cleanest airports in Europe I've ever been to before the new one in Istanbul Airport have been Bucharest OTP, Munich and Ankara.
Otherwise IMO the airports in the Gulf (KSA, Qatar and UAE) win for cleanliness. Doha Hamad probably wins.
A neighbour is a very senior specialist data analyst with a track record of working with major PLCs.. He was contracted to crunch the data following the recent shambolic scenes at MCR airport.
After an initial assessments he ascertained they had no idea at any one time how many people were actually passing through the airport.. staffing numbers and shift planning must have been VERY difficult without these basic stats.
After an initial assessments he ascertained they had no idea at any one time how many people were actually passing through the airport.. staffing numbers and shift planning must have been VERY difficult without these basic stats.
hmg said:
A neighbour is a very senior specialist data analyst with a track record of working with major PLCs.. He was contracted to crunch the data following the recent shambolic scenes at MCR airport.
After an initial assessments he ascertained they had no idea at any one time how many people were actually passing through the airport.. staffing numbers and shift planning must have been VERY difficult without these basic stats.
Pitiful really, After an initial assessments he ascertained they had no idea at any one time how many people were actually passing through the airport.. staffing numbers and shift planning must have been VERY difficult without these basic stats.
How hard could it be for the airlines to provide an estimate of passengers 14/7/1 day ahead to the airport to allow for resource planning.
abzmike said:
hmg said:
A neighbour is a very senior specialist data analyst with a track record of working with major PLCs.. He was contracted to crunch the data following the recent shambolic scenes at MCR airport.
After an initial assessments he ascertained they had no idea at any one time how many people were actually passing through the airport.. staffing numbers and shift planning must have been VERY difficult without these basic stats.
Pitiful really, After an initial assessments he ascertained they had no idea at any one time how many people were actually passing through the airport.. staffing numbers and shift planning must have been VERY difficult without these basic stats.
How hard could it be for the airlines to provide an estimate of passengers 14/7/1 day ahead to the airport to allow for resource planning.
I can't believe they don't look at that, so is the problem to do with people arriving very early?
In the past, T3 was lovely. BA and internal UK flights only. I used it almost weekly to fly to Aberdeen.
Then it became an overspill terminal for T1 and the budget airlines. Now if they had increased the capacity for this, everything would have been ok, but they didn’t.
So now, for a flight to Aberdeen, I need to get there 2 hours before my departure as more often than not, security is rammed. And never mind trying to get food on the other side….
And don’t get me started on the delay in getting your luggage on the return leg!
Then it became an overspill terminal for T1 and the budget airlines. Now if they had increased the capacity for this, everything would have been ok, but they didn’t.
So now, for a flight to Aberdeen, I need to get there 2 hours before my departure as more often than not, security is rammed. And never mind trying to get food on the other side….
And don’t get me started on the delay in getting your luggage on the return leg!
GT03ROB said:
Pit Pony said:
At 9:20 I have a flight from. Verona to Amsterdam and then another flight to Birmingham.
My colleague has the plan to fill the hire car up at 6:50, have breakfast at 7:00,, when it opens in the hotel, drive to the airport at 7:30. Drop off the hire car by 7:35, walk into the terminal by 7:50, check in at KLM desk, walk through security with 560 presicion turned parts weighing 24 kg between us, in our hand luggage, and queue up at the gate by 9:00
I'll let you know how it goes.
Good luckMy colleague has the plan to fill the hire car up at 6:50, have breakfast at 7:00,, when it opens in the hotel, drive to the airport at 7:30. Drop off the hire car by 7:35, walk into the terminal by 7:50, check in at KLM desk, walk through security with 560 presicion turned parts weighing 24 kg between us, in our hand luggage, and queue up at the gate by 9:00
I'll let you know how it goes.
I eventually dropped the parts off, on the purchasing managers desk, with a post it note, saying. Next time you say it's just a few urgent parts, you can go swivel for them.
This diversion back to the factory on a Friday Evening meant that Instead of hitting the M6 toll at 1pm.on a Froday afternoon, I was hitting the M6 at Spaggettic Junction at 3 pm. So rather than getting home at 3pm, I got home at 6 pm (weekends in liverpool)
captain.scarlet said:
Probably right there. I was thinking the stale pee smell could be a European thing more than a purely British thing, but there mah be other airports outside of Europe that stink. It was particularly bad in Amsterdam Schiphol yesterday, terrible in fact, and in LBA beforehand (as always).
Doncaster Airport was actually pretty clean in all aspects, and modern. A relaxing airport to travel from TBH. A shame that one closed down.
The cleanest airports in Europe I've ever been to before the new one in Istanbul Airport have been Bucharest OTP, Munich and Ankara.
Otherwise IMO the airports in the Gulf (KSA, Qatar and UAE) win for cleanliness. Doha Hamad probably wins.
I'm beginning to think there is a chance of Doncaster reopening....Doncaster Airport was actually pretty clean in all aspects, and modern. A relaxing airport to travel from TBH. A shame that one closed down.
The cleanest airports in Europe I've ever been to before the new one in Istanbul Airport have been Bucharest OTP, Munich and Ankara.
Otherwise IMO the airports in the Gulf (KSA, Qatar and UAE) win for cleanliness. Doha Hamad probably wins.
MAN is an embarrassment (I actually think most UK airports are). The place is grim, amateur and struggles to cope when a PIA or Emirates flight arrives on top of any other traffic through the airport. I’ve had 4 return flights from there so far this year and every time I have witnessed some serious tension/arguments (one almost resulting in physical violence) at the terminal’s 1 & 2 arrivals pick up point which aren’t actually fit for purpose.
The food & drink offerings across the terminals are also abysmal and it’s quite a statement to say that the dark & cramped Pret a Manger probably offers the best quality gastronomy in Terminal 1. If you want a view, Café Balzar could be a nice place to sit and sip a drink whilst looking out over the apron, but you’ll be stepping & slipping on sachets of sauce squashed into the floor and sticking to everything else you touch because it never gets cleaned. A few weeks ago, they couldn’t serve tea or coffee and had no sparkling water (I like a coffee before my first pint at 04.30
).
A beggar at Terminal 1’s main exit door was a new addition last month.
I’d love to avoid the place altogether but unfortunately, it’s the only option in the north with a decent selection of routes.
The food & drink offerings across the terminals are also abysmal and it’s quite a statement to say that the dark & cramped Pret a Manger probably offers the best quality gastronomy in Terminal 1. If you want a view, Café Balzar could be a nice place to sit and sip a drink whilst looking out over the apron, but you’ll be stepping & slipping on sachets of sauce squashed into the floor and sticking to everything else you touch because it never gets cleaned. A few weeks ago, they couldn’t serve tea or coffee and had no sparkling water (I like a coffee before my first pint at 04.30
).A beggar at Terminal 1’s main exit door was a new addition last month.
I’d love to avoid the place altogether but unfortunately, it’s the only option in the north with a decent selection of routes.
shunt said:
Dropped the Mrs off for a flight from T1 last week, that cost me £5. Picked her up from T3 a few days later that was £6, and a pranged rear alloy wheel because of the stupid design of the curb near the entry barrier. They are absolutely taking the p33.
Those curbs are absolutely ridiculous I agree. Must be nearly 6 inches high 
Thought of this thread on Sunday morning during yet another joyous MCR experience.
Plane from JFK 45min early due to strong tailwind. Great, home early
. Nope, one hour stuck on the apron as no gate or handling staff available!
450m walk from gate to immigration (T2).
Told the bloke at the e-gates my passport chip doesn’t work, can I please go straight to see an officer. Nope, yet again told it’s mandatory to try it in the e-gate. Predictably it didn’t work and I ended up in front of the passport officer.
Of the ten travellators and escalators I used from gate to car, only two worked. Some of the travellators in the bridge from T2 to T3 haven’t worked since I started regularly travelling in 2018, yet they can spend tens of millions on new car parks.
Regularly see homeless guys bedding down in the rail station area.
£110 to park for six days.
I detest the place.
Plane from JFK 45min early due to strong tailwind. Great, home early
. Nope, one hour stuck on the apron as no gate or handling staff available! 450m walk from gate to immigration (T2).
Told the bloke at the e-gates my passport chip doesn’t work, can I please go straight to see an officer. Nope, yet again told it’s mandatory to try it in the e-gate. Predictably it didn’t work and I ended up in front of the passport officer.
Of the ten travellators and escalators I used from gate to car, only two worked. Some of the travellators in the bridge from T2 to T3 haven’t worked since I started regularly travelling in 2018, yet they can spend tens of millions on new car parks.
Regularly see homeless guys bedding down in the rail station area.
£110 to park for six days.
I detest the place.
madjules said:
Thought of this thread on Sunday morning during yet another joyous MCR experience.
Plane from JFK 45min early due to strong tailwind. Great, home early . Nope, one hour stuck on the apron as no gate or handling staff available!
450m walk from gate to immigration (T2).
Told the bloke at the e-gates my passport chip doesn’t work, can I please go straight to see an officer. Nope, yet again told it’s mandatory to try it in the e-gate. Predictably it didn’t work and I ended up in front of the passport officer.
Of the ten travellators and escalators I used from gate to car, only two worked. Some of the travellators in the bridge from T2 to T3 haven’t worked since I started regularly travelling in 2018, yet they can spend tens of millions on new car parks.
Regularly see homeless guys bedding down in the rail station area.
£110 to park for six days.
I detest the place.
This is partly the reason why I try and fly out from LBA as my nearest airport. It's about 10-15 minutes away by car during off-peak times.Plane from JFK 45min early due to strong tailwind. Great, home early
. Nope, one hour stuck on the apron as no gate or handling staff available! 450m walk from gate to immigration (T2).
Told the bloke at the e-gates my passport chip doesn’t work, can I please go straight to see an officer. Nope, yet again told it’s mandatory to try it in the e-gate. Predictably it didn’t work and I ended up in front of the passport officer.
Of the ten travellators and escalators I used from gate to car, only two worked. Some of the travellators in the bridge from T2 to T3 haven’t worked since I started regularly travelling in 2018, yet they can spend tens of millions on new car parks.
Regularly see homeless guys bedding down in the rail station area.
£110 to park for six days.
I detest the place.
MAN is always rammed whenever I go and the queues for passport control unreasonably long.
Except flying in last January via Istanbul - it could be to do with the fact that it was Terminal 2.
There is the range of routes as well from MAN which makes it a better choice in that sense.
That said, it's one thing to have a grim airport experience that's on your doorstep, but it's another thing to incur the cost and bother of travelling (whether via train, getting a lift, driving and parking) (to or from) for that grim airport experience.
I try and exercise a degree of compromise, so even though there could be a direct flight somewhere from MAN that shaves two or three hours off a total journey itinerary and may by the ticket price seem cheaper, it isn't really that direct or cost-effective (with an oftentimes grim experience to rub salt in the wounds), and FWIW I often prefer my local nearby airport with a change instead.
Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff