Manchester Airport

✅ Trip Verified | I was a bit apprehensive after having read some of the reviews here! We recently used T2 for our departure and arrival and I was pleasantly surprised, the check in was swift, security fast and efficient, the only gripe is the number of shopping outlets in the departure area, which hides the wash rooms etc, one has to ask! The return was even better with immigration moving fast, the bags took a while to come on the carousel, but once we had the bags we were out in minutes. I have used T1 and T3 in the past and I have to agree they are abysmal, with stairs everywhere, slow security, windowless security area, over crowded departure areas, the sooner the renovation is complete hopefully things should improve for T1 and T3, my understanding in T1 is going to be demolished?

✅ Trip Verified | On this day there was, for the first time in a few years, snow that actually stayed on the ground! It was only 2" and yet the airport literally ground to a halt. I was flying to JFK on Virgin Atlantic due to depart at 10.45am. we were invited to board at about 12.30 but the plane was not at the gate! So we were bussed to the plane on a remote stand and the had to climb steep steps up to the 747, the we spent over 3 hours just sitting on a parked plane! Finally a de-icer truck came to de-ice the wings, only 1 truck so it took over an hour for both wings, an appology from the caption was forthcoming explaining that there is a shortage of de-iceing equipment at the airport and therefore it took so long. We finally bigan to taxi but had to stop again when the plane met up with a mound of snow! Out came the shovels! We finally took off nearly 6 hours late. I have no claims against Virgin but a so called large international airport does not invest in the Infrastructure necessary to keep the airport open at all times and situations. I sent a complaint to the airport, they claim that it is the airline that has the responsibility to de-ice their planes, what they refused to mention was that the airport just didn't have many de-icers! and therefore the airlines would have to literally take a ticket and line up! There are many other changes made in recent years just to line the pockets of their shareholders to the detriment of the passengers. £3 drop off charge (including taxis) claiming it was to reduce congestion! When I complained that the only way to get to the gates was to walk through the shops, (similar to walking through Ikea) they said this was to facilitate passengers who wished to shop! Do me a favour, and give me the choice! I used to be quite proud of my home airport, but it has now become just a milk cow for their shareholders much to the chagrin of it's passengers

✅ Trip Verified | This airport is now just so awful that despite geographic proximity to my business destination I prefer to fly to London and use the train (so a very low bar!). First the relentless money gouging. £3 for <5 minute drop off with the alternative being inefficient and unreliable expensive train service. Then the crowded terminals with poor organization and very unclean toilets and floors. The only good thing is that the staff are (generally) pleasant. Security is an absolute nightmare with seemingly a much more stringent rejection rate for bags going through screening and interminable waiting times in a cramped and disorganized security area. Yes Manchester airport now considers contact lenses a “liquid” as well as powder Ventolin inhalers. Boarding at gates is particularly poor especially for the gates which require going down stairs. Speaking of stairs, arrivals requires an obstacle course of going up and down stairs and it’s painful to watch families with small children, elderly or disabled people try and just get from plane through immigration to baggage claim. Then the price gouging starts again with cars and cabs now paying for the privilege of picking people up. Apparently the airport is undergoing a massive redevelopment but the shameful costs and poor service and customer flow under current management by MAG does not augur well for Manchester having the world class international airport and connections that the beautiful North West deserves.

Not Verified | Terrible airport. Departed from T3. Poor layout (arrival and departure overlapping, long walk from security check to lounge, Gates 1-19 are far from lounge). Complicated security check (bad procedure, long waiting time). Poor facilities (only 2 small cafes before security check, no seats or place to wait before security check). Poor transportation network (train station far from terminal, still have to walk outdoors from T1 to T3, used 30+ mins from Manchester Victoria to Machester Airport). Gate arrangement (gate numbers should be assigned earlier, at least few hours before departure). Not enough flight information displays around Lion&Antelope (there's 4 small ones only, wont be seen from outside the restaurant). Airport website (Poor layout, not mobile used friendly, list of restaurants but without map to tell you where it is). Worst airport I've ever been to. No positive comment.

Not Verified | As sadly expected, poor service at Manchester again, from having to wait 10 mins to go into landing slot, more waiting to connect steps and with no evidence of streams of people from other flights waiting in baggage collection we had a further wait of 40 minutes! Not acceptable Manchester - would love to say this was a one-off, but having travelled frequently through this airport it’s a regular occurrence and once again Manchester lived up to its usual poor standards. From landing to leaving with bags 1 hour plus. Tiny Reykjavík we were out in 15 mins. My recommendation fly out of Liverpool if you can possibly. In fairness passport control excelled itself today.

✅ Trip Verified | Departure: Quick and easy, security was quiet so flew through process in 5 minutes. Unfortunately though the runways were closed due to bad weather (30th Jan) but thankfully my flight was only delayed an hour unlike many flights which were delayed several hours or even cancelled. The airport had plenty of seating and food/shopping areas to keep me busy till my flight as well as charging facilities for electronic devices. Arrival: Was all well until I arrived at the passport control. The passport control has been going downhill every flight getting longer and more bureaucratic but frankly this time has outright annoyed me. I was met by three queues which were EU (Electronic Gate), ID Cards and Non-EU. The Non-EU queue was empty as well as the ID Card lane yet the Manchester Airport staff forced people to keep using the E-Gate lane. I had a train to catch due to the flight arriving an hour late and made my way to the front of the empty ID lane only to have an overzealous staff member eject me from that lane back to the E-Gate lane. Luckily a good Samaritan (thank you) let me rejoin the E-Gate lane infront of him for me to get to the train station faster. Oh and to add salt to the wound the E-Gate passport reader failed to read my passport meaning I was sent to a filter queue where my passport was inspected manually anyway by the same immigration officer who would of checked my passport in the ID card lane. The moral of the story is Manchester! Let people choose, we are paying customers. I understand your directing people to the correct lanes but common sense must prevail. If there are empty lanes direct people to use them and have some sympathy! This experience has left a bad taste in my mouth so for my next trip I will be trying Birmingham or East Midlands airport.

Not Verified | Arrivals Terminal 1, 9th January, 7am: Had an hour and a half wait to clear non-EU border checks. There were two border officers sat doing nothing for almost the entire time - there only to service the four or five people using the Fast Track lane at £5 each (and requiring advance booking). Despite the long queue I overheard a supervisor say 'Oh, it's not that bad' after coming around the corner to view the queue length. That was like rubbing salt in the wound. Question to management: Why not use these two staff members to service the general queue, then queue jump the Fast Track ticket holders when they (infrequently) arrive? Departures Terminal 1, 29th January 6pm: Severe lack of parking in multi storey - avoid this airport if you want to park nearby. The whole airport looks as though it needs a renovation. Avoid airport - visit Liverpool or even further afield. The longer journey time to airport will be made up for in quicker border checks elsewhere. This is where I will be taking my business from now on.

Not Verified | Facilities pre-security poor, airport dirty. Security staff appalling making a generally poor travel experince even worse. An airport to avoid if at all possible.

✅ Trip Verified | The airport, in general, has a tone of customers being a nuisance which is at it's worst by far during the security check. There they will help you rekindle the feeling of you being naughty back at school before them putting your bag for a hand search, and for no reason, so you can wait and exchange stories with other disgruntled customers. We waited 20 minutes for our bags to come through to be told there was nothing wrong with them. After security, there is a machine for you to rate your experience and the sad face is very worn out but they do not care. It has been like this for 10 years. if you have a choice avoid this airport.

✅ Trip Verified | It is beyond belief that Manchester Airport has been awarded the Best UK airport for the 5th time in a row. But who is voting, not us passengers that use it - but the Travel Agents whose jobs depend on the routes that the airport offers. No conflict of interest there at all hey! This is an insult to the misery of the millions of passengers who use it - having to go through a shambles of security made to feel like a terrorist with bags held for no reason and waiting 20 minutes for them to empty it out to find no liquids gels or anything suspicious. When are they going to run a peoples vote for the best Airport - well I can tell you who'll win it - Liverpool! Manchester you should be ashamed of the diabolical service you run for passengers and not wear these false accolades like you you doing a great job. You're not.