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?
Louis Balfour said:
paulguitar said:
No, but at that time I had not been educated about just how good it is.
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/
Deep Thought said:
I was through it weekly a few years back for 2.5 years.
Fast track, hand luggage only and lounge access were the only things that made it bearable, and it was still pretty crap at times.
I cant imagine its improved since then.
It's been terrible for as long as I have been regularly using it (since about 2002) but I'd say it's significantly deteriorated in the last three or four years.Fast track, hand luggage only and lounge access were the only things that made it bearable, and it was still pretty crap at times.
I cant imagine its improved since then.
Deep Thought said:
Yeah maybe i became immune to it, but certainly those three things - and the same arrival and departure times each week probably made it more bareable.
Its not something i recall looking forward to.
And yes, inefficiency of security was the main issue - and no consistency. You could go one week and walk straight through and go the next and be there 45 minutes.
The whole security thing is a bit of a farce anyway. Waiting forever so that some pensioner or tracksuited Sharon can be berated by security for not having their perfume in a bag. Its not something i recall looking forward to.
And yes, inefficiency of security was the main issue - and no consistency. You could go one week and walk straight through and go the next and be there 45 minutes.
When was the last time someone hijacked a plane using a bottle of perfume?
Deep Thought said:
What bemuses me is all the signs that say you must have all liquids in the one plastic bag and they must be less than 100ml the whole way in, theres signs everywhere, and still there will be a load of Karens who think that didnt actually apply to them who'll then take up a security officers time as she hunts through her bag for spurious liquids.
Absolutely, the f
kwittery seen time after time at security makes a bad situation much worse. mickyh7 said:
We will be using this Airport in a fortnight, and now I'm worried!
I've noticed a lot more planes in the sky recently, so things certainly are getting busier.
Has Manchester Airport managed to sort itself out yet?
Would it help to get there much earlier than normal?
I'm asking folk who have been through this week.
Thanks.
I've been through just over a week ago, leading to me starting this thread. (Along with countless other negative experiences there in the past).I've noticed a lot more planes in the sky recently, so things certainly are getting busier.
Has Manchester Airport managed to sort itself out yet?
Would it help to get there much earlier than normal?
I'm asking folk who have been through this week.
Thanks.
I'd certainly suggest allowing 90 minutes for security alone. I was already checked in, so nothing to do other than go through security and go to the gate. I arrived at 6 AM for an 8 AM flight and had no time in hand as I got to the plane.
Rick101 said:
Just another perspective.
Took an early train in anticipation of it being a total mess.
Lovely journey over, coffee and a cake on route. Arrived bang on time.
Ryanair check in. Queue of about 3 min.
Fast track security queue of about 5 min.
Less then 30 min from arrival to the departure lounge.
Maybe I dropped lucky or maybe like most media it's much ado about nothing.
3 hrs until my flight. Gonna go get pished in the premium lounge!
There is always a story like this of one lucky bugger for whom it all goes smoothly whilst 3309 others are queuing around the car park.Took an early train in anticipation of it being a total mess.
Lovely journey over, coffee and a cake on route. Arrived bang on time.
Ryanair check in. Queue of about 3 min.
Fast track security queue of about 5 min.
Less then 30 min from arrival to the departure lounge.
Maybe I dropped lucky or maybe like most media it's much ado about nothing.
3 hrs until my flight. Gonna go get pished in the premium lounge!
Have a drink for me.
snuffy said:
Freakuk said:
Back again this morning to collect the wife, T2 no signs for arrivals, it's called pickup and you seem to drive all over the place and you are led into a multi-story. Wife had no idea where to go, after walking around for a while until we found each other and another £6 lighter, god it's just horrible.
I think that changed some years ago. You used to just pull and and collect your person(s). Then someone tried drive a car into one of the terminal building at the arrivals bit, so they stopped it all. And instead you now have to pay and park. And so another money spinner was born.Tossers.
snuffy said:
I never ceases to amaze me how much hand baggage people take onto a plane. What on earth can't they manage with for 3 hours or so ?
I hate taking bags anywhere, even carrying a laptop on a train annoys me !
The ones I can't work out at all are those that are up and down out of their seats and opening and closing the overhead locker every half an hour accessing something or other. What the hell are they up to?I hate taking bags anywhere, even carrying a laptop on a train annoys me !
AJB88 said:
Rick101 said:
That's the deal Andy.
I was straight through and up to the lounge!
1903 seems to have closed in T1. I booked Escape but in future I'd book Aspire. Seemed a bit nicer.
I've got free passes to use so will just use them in what ever is available, Taking Andy F with me haha. I was straight through and up to the lounge!
1903 seems to have closed in T1. I booked Escape but in future I'd book Aspire. Seemed a bit nicer.
mickyh7 said:
Not looking for any arguments, but how do some people think it's acceptable to be drinking beer at 6-7am in the morning?
Surely if this happened outside of an Airport,you would be deemed to have a major drink problem.
I'm a drinking lightweight, if I have a beer in the afternoon, I'm asleep by teatime!
It's a sort of unwritten holiday rule that one must start the drinking at the airport, whatever time one arrives there.Surely if this happened outside of an Airport,you would be deemed to have a major drink problem.
I'm a drinking lightweight, if I have a beer in the afternoon, I'm asleep by teatime!
Jaguar steve said:
I suspect the MAG group just like most other businesses in a fairly captive market are using simply using Covid as an excuse that then enables them to do whatever it takes to improve their bottom line no matter how much it pisses their staff and customers off.
Some will walk from their jobs and some will choose not to fly, but those who stick with either had better get used to it as it's likely to become the new normal.
A lot of us are looking into flying from better (IE All other) airports.Some will walk from their jobs and some will choose not to fly, but those who stick with either had better get used to it as it's likely to become the new normal.
Jaguar steve said:
All others?
London Stansted and East Midlands are all owned by the MAG group, and entirely aside from Stansted being a ruinously overpriced grubby toilet I hear it's not exactly been free of extensive delays through security and immigration recently either.
MAN certainly has the worst reputation of any of them. Must confess I have not used Stansted for 20 odd years.London Stansted and East Midlands are all owned by the MAG group, and entirely aside from Stansted being a ruinously overpriced grubby toilet I hear it's not exactly been free of extensive delays through security and immigration recently either.
Shnozz said:
DJMC said:
To be fair, we've preferred to fly from Manchester in the past, perhaps 15 times to Florida, and have never experienced any issues.
It's seems to be down to Covid that the recent problems have occurred.
I guess other airports had a better strategy on staffing.
And to be fair, I have always found Manchester airport dogsIt's seems to be down to Covid that the recent problems have occurred.
I guess other airports had a better strategy on staffing.
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