MANCHESTER AIRPORT review : 30 July 2008 : by J McIlwain
|
Customer Rating : 2/5 |  |
Travel each year through various terminals and have done since the early 1990's. What was a pleasant
experience to have pre-flight has now become effectively - a cattle market. Most services are now
moved to airside so ensuring the trapped passengers have to avail themselves of what the airport has
to offer including allowing passengers to get drunk pre-boarding from early morning. No doubt the
airport makes a hefty cut from the airside services it provides to a closed audience, particularly
on flight delays which are becoming more frequent. MAN now has all the aspects of a shabby bus
terminal - hardly a glittering portal to the North West for a visitor. I'm surprised that there
aren't vagrants walking around airside. I suppose what is worse, due to security, is that time spent
in the airport often actually exceeds time spent flying, which also means the need for more toilets,
particularly in T2! I feel sorry for flight crews as well with little accommodation for them. A big
piece of real estate badly utilised in the modern world.
MANCHESTER AIRPORT review : 29 July 2008 : by Kevin Halouska
|
Customer Rating : 3/5 |  |
I question how MAN has managed to ruin its airport. It use to be so nice. I have been using it since
the late 1960s. This century it has declined markedly! It is interesting that from the outside all
three terminal buildings look fine – even good by the standards of some European airports its size.
But one cannot imagine how bad it is inside these terminals. Terminal 2 is so so, terminal 3 is not
much better. But what has happened to terminal 1? Check ins are spread throughout the terminal.
After security, to get to your gate you have to actually walk through a duty free shop. (I already
thought UK airports were bad enough with the airport attached to a shopping mall concept – but I
have never had to walk through the shop itself to get to my gate). I was able to hide in the
executive lounge upstairs, avoiding the slot machines downstairs and other annoyances downstairs.
And then there is the “concept” of walking up and down stairs on the piers before you get to your
gate. I do not know which architect they employed for this maelstrom. Recently I had a 6am departure
from terminal 2. It is strange that at 5am you can get a beer (plenty of passengers had) yet the
coffee shops there open later than the pubs in the terminal. Other airports make an attempt to have
charter flights in one terminal and scheduled/business destination flights in another. Manchester
has commingled them all together in each terminal creating an unpleasant experience. Do not try to
transfer from one flight to another flight here. Best to check your bags through to Manchester,
collect them, then recheck them again. It may be annoying, but I waited at the belt once as despite
checking my bags through to Amsterdam, I knew they would throw them on the arriving flights belt.
MANCHESTER AIRPORT review : 29 July 2008 : by H Winstanley
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Customer Rating : 5/5 |  |
I have been travelling in and out of this airport for many years and had no problems. It has fast
security, number of shops on offer is pretty good and distances between the terminal are tiny!
Honestly, 10 minutes is nothing between the farthest terminals.
MANCHESTER AIRPORT review : 25 July 2008 : by Marsden
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Customer Rating : 3/5 | |
Manchester used to be a shining example of how to operate a regional airport. Big enough to
accomodate the big boys but small enough to have that friendly atmosphere we like. Over the last 20
years it's turned into a monster which either the executive board don't want to fix because the
budget isn't there or because they're making money hand over fist whilst it's crap they just dont
give a stuff. I have never had a really bad Manchester experience, maybe I'm just lucky. But I see
everytime I go through there the poor quality of cleaning, the overpriced and overpushed shops and
overpriced and poor quality catering outlets. The place is filthy. The horror stories you hear of no
seating available in departure lounges, rude staff, baggage delays just kills you to be a Mancunian.
With the correct management, board level support, Manchester could be a shining example of a quality
airport terminus.
MANCHESTER AIRPORT review : 23 July 2008 : by Julian Lyons
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Customer Rating : 4/5 |  |
The distance from check in to gate is identical, it's just that more of the airport is airside now
than landside. The new security is simply amazing. No need to take off shoes, you can leave
wallets and money in your pocket and we were through the whole thing in 5 mins. There is still a
lot of work going on but the new departure lounge looks like its going to be much more spacious. If
only now the arrivals procedure from gates 1 - 10 can be streamlined and the airport would get five
stars!!
MANCHESTER AIRPORT review : 30 July 2008 : by J McIlwain
|
Customer Rating : 2/5 | |
Travel each year through various terminals and have done since the early 1990's. What was a pleasant
experience to have pre-flight has now become effectively - a cattle market. Most services are now
moved to airside so ensuring the trapped passengers have to avail themselves of what the airport has
to offer including allowing passengers to get drunk pre-boarding from early morning. No doubt the
airport makes a hefty cut from the airside services it provides to a closed audience, particularly
on flight delays which are becoming more frequent. MAN now has all the aspects of a shabby bus
terminal - hardly a glittering portal to the North West for a visitor. I'm surprised that there
aren't vagrants walking around airside. I suppose what is worse, due to security, is that time spent
in the airport often actually exceeds time spent flying, which also means the need for more toilets,
particularly in T2! I feel sorry for flight crews as well with little accommodation for them. A big
piece of real estate badly utilised in the modern world.
MANCHESTER AIRPORT review : 29 July 2008 : by Kevin Halouska
|
Customer Rating : 3/5 | |
I question how MAN has managed to ruin its airport. It use to be so nice. I have been using it since
the late 1960s. This century it has declined markedly! It is interesting that from the outside all
three terminal buildings look fine – even good by the standards of some European airports its size.
But one cannot imagine how bad it is inside these terminals. Terminal 2 is so so, terminal 3 is not
much better. But what has happened to terminal 1? Check ins are spread throughout the terminal.
After security, to get to your gate you have to actually walk through a duty free shop. (I already
thought UK airports were bad enough with the airport attached to a shopping mall concept – but I
have never had to walk through the shop itself to get to my gate). I was able to hide in the
executive lounge upstairs, avoiding the slot machines downstairs and other annoyances downstairs.
And then there is the “concept” of walking up and down stairs on the piers before you get to your
gate. I do not know which architect they employed for this maelstrom. Recently I had a 6am departure
from terminal 2. It is strange that at 5am you can get a beer (plenty of passengers had) yet the
coffee shops there open later than the pubs in the terminal. Other airports make an attempt to have
charter flights in one terminal and scheduled/business destination flights in another. Manchester
has commingled them all together in each terminal creating an unpleasant experience. Do not try to
transfer from one flight to another flight here. Best to check your bags through to Manchester,
collect them, then recheck them again. It may be annoying, but I waited at the belt once as despite
checking my bags through to Amsterdam, I knew they would throw them on the arriving flights belt.
MANCHESTER AIRPORT review : 29 July 2008 : by H Winstanley
|
Customer Rating : 5/5 | |
I have been travelling in and out of this airport for many years and had no problems. It has fast
security, number of shops on offer is pretty good and distances between the terminal are tiny!
Honestly, 10 minutes is nothing between the farthest terminals.
MANCHESTER AIRPORT review : 25 July 2008 : by Marsden
|
Customer Rating : 3/5 | |
Manchester used to be a shining example of how to operate a regional airport. Big enough to
accomodate the big boys but small enough to have that friendly atmosphere we like. Over the last 20
years it's turned into a monster which either the executive board don't want to fix because the
budget isn't there or because they're making money hand over fist whilst it's crap they just dont
give a stuff. I have never had a really bad Manchester experience, maybe I'm just lucky. But I see
everytime I go through there the poor quality of cleaning, the overpriced and overpushed shops and
overpriced and poor quality catering outlets. The place is filthy. The horror stories you hear of no
seating available in departure lounges, rude staff, baggage delays just kills you to be a Mancunian.
With the correct management, board level support, Manchester could be a shining example of a quality
airport terminus.
MANCHESTER AIRPORT review : 23 July 2008 : by Julian Lyons
|
Customer Rating : 4/5 | |
The distance from check in to gate is identical, it's just that more of the airport is airside now
than landside. The new security is simply amazing. No need to take off shoes, you can leave
wallets and money in your pocket and we were through the whole thing in 5 mins. There is still a
lot of work going on but the new departure lounge looks like its going to be much more spacious. If
only now the arrivals procedure from gates 1 - 10 can be streamlined and the airport would get five
stars!!
MANCHESTER AIRPORT review : 17 July 2008 : by D Rogers
|
Customer Rating : 3/5 | |
MAN is undergoing yet another refit, across all 3 terminals. This inevitably causes problems. My
recent flights have used all 3. Checked in online for my departures, standard check-in queues were
tensor barrier happy in all terminals. Security was smooth enough, I'd suggest that the guys asking
for liquids might be better deployed in the check-in halls, getting people queuing properly. T1
Departures: think near-complete shopping mall with airplanes as an afterthought. Seating was poor,
hard wooden chairs just after the duty-free maze and a lack of comfortable seats. Some gates have a
weird access route, due to arrivals corridor bisecting the piers. Info screens near gate 2 were
throwbacks from the 80s and should be replaced. No real facilities prior to security, meaning a trip
to a shabby arrivals hall with an overload of games machines and a poor selection of outlets (though
this apparently is due to improve in 6 months). T2 Departures: all right, a little grubby, but a
decent selection of shops, food court not amazing but bearable. Info screens need replacing. No
screens at gates to inform passengers of the current flight boarding. T3 Departures: Cramped when
you first get through security. Good level of seating, hot food choices limited to one unpleasant
looking café, however. Main bar under atrium quite pleasant though. Info screens again need
replacing. Confusing numbering system for the gates. Arrivals in all 3: immigration severely
understaffed. Baggage reclaim not too bad, max wait I've had has been 15 minutes.
MANCHESTER AIRPORT review : 11 July 2008 : by F Bates
|
Customer Rating : 1/5 |  |
This is one of the few airports I use that has actually been made worse by redevelopment (Terminal
1). It is now twice as far to walk to get from check in to the gates, plus there is now a shop to
negotiate. It is clear that MAN's priority is to fleece charter passengers as much as possible, and
they freely admit to this in their ubiquitous 'splash out, you're on holiday' adverts throughout the
terminal. Any attempt to masquerade as a serious business airport has been given up on, and this is
seen in the low quality 'executive' lounges there, offering only crisps in the way of food. The
situation is no better for arriving passengers, with farcical arrangements in place to keep arriving
and departing passengers separate in both T1 piers. Best avoided.
MANCHESTER AIRPORT review : 11 July 2008 : byG Cloherty
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Customer Rating : 1/5 | |
Whatever happened to Manchester Airport? My wife and I have travelled through Manchester Airport
since the 1980's and always thought of it as customer friendly and a pleasant start to the holiday.
Not any more. Horrendous queues to get through security; unhelpful and sarcastic staff - when I
asked for some directions to a gate I was advised " its where the queues are!". On our return, no
steps could be found to dis-embark the aircraft; after half an hour some were found. Baggage took
one and 1/2 hours to arrive. My wife has written a letter of complaint on the 17th June - needless
to say no response. Avoid at all costs, particularly Terminal 1.
MANCHESTER AIRPORT review : 11 July 2008 : by P Brown
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Customer Rating : 1/5 | |
Manchester T1 is an absolute disgrace. Following check in there are no facilities to spend with non
travelling family members. The new development is a crass and cynical method of exploitation with
little style or class. I found it an affront to have to walk through a glorified perfume shop into
the catering atrium. The Lancaster Restaurant had been replaced by what could best be described as a
drinking den and the food hall (and I use the term food very lightly) was expensive and poor
quality. What a depressing way to begin a journey. I did not notice a tattoo and body piecing
parlour but it wont be long in coming. It scores 1 on the basis that the flight was on time, much to
my relief.
MANCHESTER AIRPORT review : 7 July 2008 : by Peter Harrison
|
Customer Rating : 2/5 | |
Terminal 1 - As others have commented the construction work at MAN is interminable. It seemed to me
that the security area had been revamped since my last visit and this is much larger than before.
The food offering is ghastly and expensive. I found everywhere very crowded and noisy - a pleasure
to leave!
MANCHESTER AIRPORT review : 3 July 2008 : by N Barnsley
|
Customer Rating : 2/5 | |
Terminal 3. Arrived from Madrid at 8.45pm - 50 minutes late. Only one passport control desk open,
resulting in a long queue and 20 minute wait. Even so, bags were still not on the conveyor belt when
I finally made it to the arrivals hall: another 15 minutes. I had a train to catch and, by now, was
definitely on the minutes. Since I last arrived at T3, access to the airport's train station via T1
is no longer possible, but there is a bus service, however, it only operates every 20 minutes "at
this time of night". I made it to the station just in time. On my return trip, check-in, security
and passport control were fast and manned by courteous and efficient personnel. But the departure
lounge has far more shops than it used to have, largely at the expense of seating areas, and there
is only one, rather grotty, self service cafe, if you're feeling peckish, and a couple of bars. It's
not especially clean. Manchester Airport is not what it was.
MANCHESTER AIRPORT review : 26 June 2008 : by G McNab
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Customer Rating : 2/5 | |
Once an efficient, clean and friendly airport, Manchester seems to have building work going on
everywhere. The mezzanine walkway link between Terminal One and Three is now closed to be converted
into an airside shopping zone or something. Trying to use the lifts in the Terminal 1 car park to
reach car hire parking areas was a nightmare with two out of three lifts not working on a Sunday
afternoon and with long queues of passengers with trolleys and luggage waiting to get to the various
levels.
MANCHESTER AIRPORT review : 21 June 2008 : by Barry Hamilton
|
Customer Rating : 2/5 | |
Arrived back after tiring flight from Vancouver - landed 15 minutes early at 07.00. The captain said
as there were a lot of aircraft departing, it might be some time before we reached our stand. On
reaching the stand cabin crew made an announcement to the effect that due to there being nobody to
operate the airbridge, there would be some delay. Thirty minutes later we left the aircraft to the
obvious amusement of some of the handling staff. On reaching passport control there were two booths
for non UK residents, only three were in operation for the far greater majority of passengers with
UK status. Then we move along to the luggage hall, One hour after arrival no luggage had arrived. We
left the terminal at 9am What a shambles
MANCHESTER AIRPORT review : 19 June 2008 : by T Hamilton
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Customer Rating : 1/5 | |
What a filthy place the departure lounge in Terminal 2 is and the cost of food is utterly
extortionate. The only slight plus I can give this airport is that getting through security didn't
take too long on the way out. On return however we had to queue for about 35 minutes to get back
into the UK whilst we watched Foreign nationals being processed in about 5 minutes. To make matters
worse only half the booths were manned and because there was nobody manning the other end of the
queue we watched about 40 passengers from another flight jump the queue. I will try to avoid this
airport in future.
MANCHESTER AIRPORT review : 17 June 2008 : by R Mortara
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Customer Rating : 2/5 | |
Having used Manchester in March I was not surprised to find things had not improved when using the
airport last week. Arriving from London City at T3 I had to go outside and walk across to get to the
Rail Stn, now the areas between T3 and T2 have been closed off. Imagine that walk can be a pain when
its wet. On the way back you are signposted to use a free bus, which leaves from outside the rail
stn entrance and run about every 15 mins. The driver was nearing the end of his shift so was in good
spirits - nice to see someone with a sense of humour amongst the mess that Manchester airport has
become. I used the self service machines so did not have to queue and thankfully the queue at
security was not too bad. A tip if you want to find somewhere to sit in T3. Once through security go
up a level and past the duty free shop. Bear left towards the gates and you'll find lots of seats.
If you continue round to the right and walk behind the bar there are more seats there. Few know
about them so both areas are quiet and the toilets are nearby. Beats trying to find a seat
downstairs!
MANCHESTER AIRPORT review : 7 June 2008 : by Tony Ashton
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Customer Rating : 2/5 | |
I departed from terminal 2 last weekend and was shocked at how standards have slipped! Packed
airport, all the airside seating space seems to have been replaced by attempts to squeeze the last
bit of cash out of the passenger before he departs the UK! It sums up this airport when the airside
cafe is offering a 'special' full english breakfast plus a pint of lager for 9.99! What is this
obsession with drinking alcohol at 7 in the morning? Tatty and dirty terminal, seems to be mainly
for charter flights, not really a serious contender for a business/scheduled traveller. Generally,
the airport standards are not good, travelators out of order, escalators and lifts not working, not
a good advert for the North West of the UK. Why cant the airport management realise that passengers
dont want in your face commercialism all the time but just want somewhere quiet to sit without
having to pay for it
MANCHESTER AIRPORT review : 3 June 2008 : by James Halley
|
Customer Rating : 2/5 | |
Transited MAN en route to EDI from Doha. The transit was uneventful although I thought charging
premium customers for internet access was disgraceful. But what really got me was that having stayed
airside the entire time and been escorted from the QR flight to the gate for the connecting BMI
flight (QR flight was late), Manchester airport security staff deemed it necessary to remove from my
possession the amenity kit which Qatar Airways had given me on the inbound flight from Doha. All I
got was you cant take it on board, and reasoned discussion on the matter was dismissed with the old
jobs-worth attitude. Or has the staff there found a nice little 'sideline' in acquiring the contents
of business and first class amenity kits.
MANCHESTER AIRPORT review : 30 May 2008 : by Tony Bowker
|
Customer Rating : 1/5 | |
I had the misfortune to arrive at Terminal one from Mahon on sunday evening. The contrast was
alarming. Mahon was clean, bright and airy with plenty of comfortable seating, reasonable bar prices
and helpful staff. Manchester was the complete opposite. Filthy toilets, torn carpets,only three
gates open at passport control-causing queues ,long wait for baggage to arrive, and after all that,
no pick-up point for our pre-booked taxi. We eventually made telephone contact with the taxi but
could not leave the car park because the automatic pay machines were not working. Our departure
one week earlier was even worse - long queues at check-in, miles to walk to Gate 4, the whole place
filthy and neglected-apart from the duty free shops, where they obviously want to take your money.
MANCHESTER AIRPORT review : 28 May 2008 : by Ian Grundy
|
Customer Rating : 1/5 | |
Very poor airport when subjected to delays (going out) with dreadfully overpriced catering, and
horrendous delays to pass through immigration and over a 90 minute wait for baggage to arrive
(coming back). Will not be choosing this airport again - the smaller airports are far superior.
MANCHESTER AIRPORT review : 19 May 2008 : by Daren Stubbs
|
Customer Rating : 2/5 | |
Manchester Airport is undergoing a massive revamp in T1 where we were checking in. Only the check-in
hall looked vaguely familiar. I was flying with Thomas Cook and they check all their flights in at
one dedicated zone rather than each individual flight. This caused a massive queue and cramped
conditions at one side of the hall, whereas the rest was vacant. It took about an hour to get to the
front. Staff very friendly. Not a lot to do land-side, since they have decided all facilities be
moved air-side. Opted for a walk along to T2 to pass time before we HAD to be subjected to the
shopping Mall that replaced the departure lounge. Security when going air-side was a breeze and the
staff very pleasant. I pass through lots of airports and it seems the norm that these staff are
amongst the rudest in the travel industry. Once you are through, you emerge into what was once the
pre-security departure lounge, minus the chandeliers that used to hang and be a point of interests.
From there on until the gate it is a gauntlet of retail hell. No clear path to next point, you have
to weave through strategically placed booze, perfume, chocolate and jewellery stands. In a fire it
would not be a very good place to try and exit in a hurry. There are some departure lounge seats but
not nearly enough. These are taken by the lucky few, if you dont get one you have to then sit at the
many seats allocated to each food and drink outlet and these seats come with airport bar prices.
On return into Manchester at 6am we had to wait 1.5hrs for our cases at baggage reclaim, there were
apparently 7 flights being dealt with and hardly anyone around to explain the reasons for our wait.
Parents with young children were left sitting on ay available object like refugees, it was a
disgrace, and taunting us was an LCD display claiming all luggage would be on the belt at 0650, the
first batch of bags did not appear till around 0700. when they did the system stopped after about 20
bags under stress no doubt. A baggage worker did appear to try and sort it and he got the fury of
the waiting passengers, shouting abuse but he looked pretty nonplussed about it, so he obviously is
used to this. Manchester has a long way to go before it is a proper functioning facility, in the
meanwhile try to avoid T1 at the very least.
MANCHESTER AIRPORT review : 19 May 2008 : by B Wainwright
T2 - flew Thomsonfly to Palma and this airport is poor! The check-in & security were pretty swift
and staff helpful but the airport is very shabby and tired with limited shops, bars & food hall.
We only had to spend 2hrs marching around but any longer would drive you crazy - seems to be
catering for the holiday traffic and that is all its good enough for!
MANCHESTER AIRPORT review : 11 May 2008 : by Gavin Stewart
|
Customer Rating : 4/5 | |
Man T1 has now opened its new security hall. I breezed through in the early evening rush, with only
4 or 5 scanners active out of an apparent total of 15-20. Seems to be ample capacity to cope with
high season (assuming they ever open all the lanes). Wide, football stadium like gangways then lead
off the scanner area, but quickly filter you into the innards of a shiny new Duty Free shop which
you are obliged to negotiate. Exiting that brings you to the old airside area, where the former Duty
Free is now being dismantled. Is it too much to hope, that they will turn that space into some
proper passenger seating? If they do, and also tear down the prefab structures blocking the outer
glass walls, MAN will leap forward into the stratosphere. Until then, there is nowhere to sit - tip
: head out to the main pier (gates 5, 6 etc.) where there are some very spacious boarding lounges,
and you can backtrack later if necessary. This pier has also received new carpets and seating and is
looking much smarter. To free the space for T1's new security, Manchester have completely ditched
all land-side food and drink/retail. It looks like a good decision, and potentially T1 is on the
verge of being a very pleasant facility once again. Beware, there is now only one car park pay
station at T1 Arrivals, leading to some massive queues; however you can now pay direct with your
credit card at the barrier.
MANCHESTER AIRPORT review : 30 April 2008 : by Thomas Kidd
|
Customer Rating : 3/5 | |
Terminal three. Flight to Dusseldorf. Environment adequate, but the big bonus was no waiting.
Luggage delivery was speedy, security no wait at all. Used valet parking. However, even if there was
a 20 minute walk from train station, I would prefer to use this airport than nearby Liverpool. Only
problem was passport/immigration on return journey, but no way as bad as Liverpool.
MANCHESTER AIRPORT review : 29 April 2008 : by Steve Fenton
|
Customer Rating : 1/5 | |
I fly about 40 times a year in and out of this airport, and it just gets worse and worse. Its dirty,
over crowded and in general a disgrace as a business. From arriving to flying out is really an
ordeal despite some pretty friendly staff trying to make up for this farmyard of an airport.
Arrival is a joke with huge treks to baggage reclaims and often no staff at gate to greet planes
adding further delays. It is a total lottery how long it will take them to get your luggage to you.
|
