Manchester Airport

✅ Trip Verified | I was travelling with my elderly parents. One with wheelchair assistance and the other part sighted. Having checked our bags in, we proceeded to the lift which takes us to the security check. On reaching the security level, I realised that I had left a bag on the trolley at the side of the lift. I immediately took the lift back down, only to be met by the rudest, most arrogant middle aged security man in a suit. He was incredibly bad mannered and made me feel like a criminal for leaving the bag. He told me that the bag had to be scanned and out of spite and self importance, he decided to punish me by telling the Woman with the scanner to go away and return in 15 to 20 minutes. At one time I touched him on the shoulder and he shouted that I had assaulted him. My parents joined me while he played his little power game. Eventually the scanner slowly strolled back, they nodded to each other and left without a word. While I understand and recognise the importance of security, Airport customers should be treated with a bit of respect and these security people should not be allowed to abuse their position. I have to mention that on our return, the airport staff could not have been more helpful in assisting my parents all the way to the baggage reclaim and I thank for that.

✅ Trip Verified | I agree with the earlier review. This airport has become the epitome of the ‘hostile environment’. Travel to and from the airport is made as difficult and expensive as possible. There is little space to secure motorbikes or cycles either and the only space now is outside the station which is as far away from the terminals as possible. The security staff in contrast to most European airports I visit are clueless and rude and it takes two or three times as long to get through. The terminal is dated and dirty with long distances between drop off and departure gates. If there was a pattern for getting the customer experience completely wrong this would be it.

✅ Trip Verified | This airport is outrageously bad and is getting worse every time I travel from here. Staff are inconsiderate and incompetent at their job. Security is an absolute joke. Two security checks open for an entire terminal, not sure who approved that. Waiting times are insanely long, only to then mostly experience delays in the flights and being made to wait outside for the plane to pull up in the freezing wind. Stairs everywhere, completely ignoring the fact that there is families and elderly people travelling who might need help carrying luggage up and down the stairs or even walking up and down the stairs. NEVER not once have I seen airport staff offer help in those cases, because they are not even there. Honestly worst airport in the world probably, you are treated like an inconvenience rather than a customer. Would give -10 stars if I could.

Not Verified | This airport is steadily getting worse. The size of the security area is now cramped into the downstairs with long wait times and totally clueless staff. It seems to me the airport has its priorities wrong with a tiny cramp security section however there is lots of room available for shop and food outlets. Once though security the experience is improved however this airport now looks outdated and seating area is limited. I think now Manchester is the worst airport in the UK, I hope this improves soon.

✅ Trip Verified | Going through security and then through the retail area, trying to get to a flight was like something out of Dante. The priorities are totally wrong, acres of real estate devoted to retail, after a cramped, under equipped, under-staffed security. Everyone knows that Manchester has had some horror terrorist incidents, so no sane person could object to proper security, but some airports do make an effort to make the process less unpleasant then others. But not Manchester. There is almost no space to prepare for security: remove a belt - get your phones, wallet, watch etc into a jacket. You do this while in a long queue. You then compete for space at the crates, with no control on keeping a single passenger's crates together. At the other end it's chaos, and if your bag need searching its worse- anything up to a 30-minute wait. The staff are officious but no more so than most - in fact they were pretty good, but if I were entrusted with a serious task like theirs in those surroundings and with that equipment, I'd walk off the job. Once you are through you still have to go endure a tortuous winding course through the retail section, tripling or quadrupling the distance from security to gate - infuriating if security has already made you late. This is by far the worst so-called first-world airport that we have experienced. Avoid if possible.

✅ Trip Verified | I am unfortunate have to travel out of Manchester airport on business about twice a month. I always fly business class which includes fast track security and baggage handling. The airport seems incapable of delivering on these services. The security fast track takes as long, if not longer, as the standard entrance and I have yet to receive my baggage first off the plane.

Not Verified | Picked up my friends last night after their 10 hour flight and had to endure the new pick up car park, 10 minute walk each way and absolute bedlam, cars moving everywhere with people trying to negotiate around them this is an accident waiting to happen. The airport really has to have rethink on people’s safety and perhaps customers but then no money in that is there. I think Liverpool is a far better arrangement for picking friends/relatives up

Not Verified | Manchester Airport T1 check I’ve very good fast and pleasant. The security staff on the other hand mental shouting all the time at travelers passing through. Very rude and arrogant one or two on an ego trip. I understand the have a difficult job to do but they have lost the balance eg telling people that they would make them wait if they made a mistake going through the security search. The place and staff are a mess. Someone needs to sort it out, the worst airport I have been through.

✅ Trip Verified | Being charged to drop off and pick which is being handled poorly causing traffic chaos only to be told it's being introduce to ease traffic. It's another tax on the traveler and I for one will be using alternative airports when possible. I have had my suitcase damaged 3 times in 12 months. Now they just give you a new one at the airport but no one is accountable. No one in the industry cares a damn about the customers.

✅ Trip Verified | Hostile environment. Manchester is my local airport so I always have to use it wherever I go. It gets worse every time I travel. My destination airport always puts Manchester to shame. After the queues for check in, follow the chaos and panic of security checks at Departures. The rules keep changing and the staff are yelling orders at passengers to keep them moving fast enough to get to their flights on time. This is unpleasant and stressful - not a happy start to a holiday. I am in my late 60s and, while I don't need airport assistance, the amount of walking, queuing and inexplicable going up and down stairs makes using this airport an ordeal. The airport is confusing and sprawling and most escalators and all travelators appear to be out of order. At Arrivals there is a long walk with no toilets until you get through security - it's pot luck how long this takes. The impression I get from this airport is that their only focus is on selling. All refurbishment has gone into duty frees while everything else seems to be shabby and run down. No thought whatsoever has gone into making your transit through this airport more bearable. It's an absolute disgrace.