Manchester Airport

Not Verified | We have just arrived back in Manchester flying in from Girona, Spain. Very long queues for security although those in the non British queue seemed to sail through. Eye scan machines still not working properly, people having to leave machine and be scanned manually. Then the car park. Our taxi was late because it took him 20 minutes to find a space and then he had to pay £4 to park just for a few minutes. Just a big scam to get you to spend as much time as possible at the airport and spend as much money as possible. I have always said that I would not use the low cost carriers including Ryanair but I am so fed up with Manchester that I will now travel the extra few miles and fly from Liverpool.

✅ Trip Verified | My wife and I were traveling to Abu Dhabi with Etihad Airways. We arrived at baggage drop of point and a girl asked us to put our hand luggage in a basket and the small cabin case would not fit in because the wheels were 10mm to long. She told us it had to go in the hold after waiting over half an hour to get to check-in the queue next to us who had not checked in online went through much quicker. At the check in we were told again that the small cabin case could not go in the cabin because of the way she put the label on the case. We complained. He sent for the supervisor who again said no not going in the cabin. On our return journey from Abu Dhabi at the check-in desk the lady said no problem with taking that case in the cabin as it is only small. We then went through security checks, we are both in our late seventies, we went through the X-ray machines and then they body searched us. They acted like the gestapo even though they say we are only doing our job. When we had walked what seemed to be a couple of miles to our boarding gate we could not believe the number of people waiting to go on the aircraft with massive cases and rucksacks. On our return journey from arriving at the airport going through check in, security and passport control everything was completed in less than fifteen minutes. I suggest that the management at Manchester airport go to Abu Dhabi to learn how to keep customers happy and how checking in should be done.

Not Verified | Everything about this airport sucks! Access roads are chaos. The Hire car drop off is almost inaccessible when cars are being delivered. The pick up buses take ages to arrive. Nothing is organised. Terminal 1 is archaic. The checkin area is from the 60s and on the 5th floor to which you need to get a lift. Security is down couple of flights of stairs and has been designed by someone who has no idea of process or workflow. To cap it all the so called "premium lounge" ran out of beer and red wine at 3pm. Probably the worst airport in the UK. Its actually a shopping mall that planes park at. That's the problem - all the focus is on retail and no one cares about travel.

Not Verified | I love Manchester airport because it takes an hour and a half to drive there from where I live. I've been doing the run for 20 years with friends and also me travelling. The recent charges for the drop off are lets be honest ridiculous. Its always been the taxi drivers queuing up who cause the problem, not just normal people dropping off. The £100 fine for picking up from departures is beyond ridiculous, again taxi drivers abused this easy and quick way of getting people away from the airport. Why doesn't the free bus from the jet park to departures go round to arrivals and take people back to the jet park for free so we can pick people up in the same place we dropped them off. Are these buses empty? If anyone can answer that last question about the bus, it would be greatly appreciated. Just to add a note about the star ratings below, an airport is an airport to me, I'm only there to check in and wait before I fly. Do not complain if you are flying to Spain for £10. You will be with another bunch of people flying for the same price. You will be treated like cattle.

✅ Trip Verified | I could describe the departure security as chaos as a negative, but that pales into insignificance compared to the indignity that I witnessed from the security staff this past weekend. In this day and age, we all understand and appreciate the importance of security in airports and I am sure that most people understand the necessity of personal searches and long queues. In general, applaud the job done by most security personnel. However, I cannot extend this sentiment to staff at Manchester Airport as there is no excuse for the security staff treating people with the lack of respect and lack of dignity that I witnessed a few days ago. I don't believe that any airport staff should have the right to shout at passengers no matter what the circumstance yet the shouting at people and stopping just short of verbal abuse was clearly the norm at Manchester Airport security. This behavior was widespread across the security staff that I encountered as they strutted around and shouted at passengers. I even saw one lady get manhandled by the person searching her and was shocked by the indignity she had to endure when he top was 'accidentally' lifted to reveal her bra to everyone around her. I never noticed an apology. I also noticed a staff member going out of his way to provoke a lady as she packed her goods onto a conveyor box, fortunately she had the strength of character not to lower herself to his level of disrespect, as I expect this is exactly what he wanted. Clearly, there was petty-power and safety in numbers at play because I cannot believe that a group of people would behave this way of their own accord. When asked about why there was such a harsh approach, one of the staff dismissed this by saying that they had just worked a 12 hour shift. True or not, this does not excuse treating people this way and smacks of lack of management, lack of training and inadequate staff controls by the senior staff at the airport. I include the Manchester Airport CEO in this because the buck stops with him. I can only think that transit passengers put up with this anti-social behavior from airport staff because passengers feel out of control and are at the mercy of some unscrupulous security people because these people the power to make life very miserable for people intending to travel. Passengers therefore have no option but to put up with this (and the security staff know it!). I find it interesting that most of the travel experiences that I have encountered at other airports (and I travel a lot) are not like this. This appears to be endemic to Manchester Airport, again an indication of poor management in my opinion. To the security staff at Manchester Airport that feel that it is ok behave as described above, shame on you. It is unnecessary. I am afraid that my entire review of the airport is tainted by this experience. I seldom complain about anything, but this experience, I could not let slip. I only hope that this is an effective platform for this review and that it has goo reach. I will ask readers to push out as much as possible on social media because we simply cannot quietly accept this behavior.

Not Verified | This airport is appalling. Dreadful, ignorant and full of self importance staff and bureaucratic management. No wonder they can't get the staff and have very low staff retention rate. They have tiny bit of power and intend to use it, it is pathetic!. No leniency for geniune people like myself who had not been to the airport for a long while. I pick up my husband and noted lots of signs. Due to a queue of traffic I was unable to slow to virtual stop to read them properly. All I noted was 0-5 min £3 so off I went to pick up my husband and got fined £25. Diabolical. This is a drop off zone only I was told. A guy said "Is this your first time?" and said yes, unaware of what the issue was. He explained further and no mention of a fine so I said "Where do I go to pay the £3" he said "Just go to the barrier". So whilst I was on my way he clearly used his radio to tell control centre, then he scurried off like the snake he is. After a massive row to no avail, I asked for the person's name who put this stupid policy in place, they wouldn't give it, no receipt either for forced payment. Nowhere does it say in Big Letters "You will be Fined". Appalling!. No doubt our Mayor Burnham is behind this as he is behind the mess in Manchester City centre!. I will vote with my feet and money and others should do the same, it is another money making scam. I will be booking my next holiday to go from Liverpool - never an issue there and far more pleasant. Call yourselves an International airport - hilarious.

Not Verified | Without doubt, the worst airport ever. Domestic flight which when landed there was no gate. Sat on aircraft for 25 minutes. Bus arrived and were not allowed to board. Finally we were allowed on only to get to gate and not allowed off. Waited again 15 minutes on bus. Coming back through security was also an awful experience. Systems that didn't work, incredibly rude biligerent individuals, a security person saying one thing and another something different. Ages to get through security and simply for a domestic flight. I am a frequent flyer so absolutely know the drill. I totally accept that in this day and age a high level of security is required but this morning was utter chaos. Never will I use the airport again after this awful experience which spoilt an otherwise special weekend.

✅ Trip Verified | Appalling pick up car parking situation, queued for over 25 minutes to exit the car park. Only two exit barriers. Paid our £4 as we were within 30 minutes albeit by 3 minutes but at the exit point were requested to pay an extra £2.50, not a huge sum in the scheme of things but if every car has this experience Manchester Airport is raking it in! Absolute joke. I’ve given “queuing” one star & “marks out of 10” 1/10, only because this review system required at least one!

✅ Trip Verified | Dreadful experience of this airport. Arrival was appalling. Landed late and were not allowed to exit aircraft. Bus was next to aircraft to take us to terminal but as no gate allocated, we were not allowed to leave aircraft. Captain announced that we would be delayed and asked everyone to sit in our seats again. 25 minutes later we were finally allowed on bus. Got to gate 150 and again stood on but a further 15 until someone received authorisation for us to exit bus and to go through gate. Departure also awful. Security was a nightmare. As a frequent flyer I am used to the extra security but at this airport, the staff were rude, belligerent, unhelpful and simply not enough of them. Queues in T3 were long, unorganised and not enough signage to clearly show procedures. My boarding pass was not recognised by the scanning machine. I asked for help and this was begrudgingly given with no smile or any sympathy. It would still not go through and I was told to either return to check in or go to another long queue and see a colleague. I decided to queue and fifteen minutes later I got to front of queue and miraculously, my boarding card scanned first time. Then queued a further twelve minutes to actually get to the security checks. I only had my handbag and laptop. Split everything into separate boxes, as usual, and that went okish. Went through body scanner and pulled aside. Was then individually scanned. Then asked to remove shoes and sit down. Shoes taken for scanning and then my feet were scanned. Was advised shoes would appear on same place as my laptop and handbag. Everything arrived apart from shoes. I asked where they might be and told I was in right place. Five minutes later still no shoes and stood in tights on cold floor. Asked someone else and advised me that shoes go to a different area. Eventually found them. Lastly, with my boarding card not working my husband and I were spilt up as he had gone through before me. He had no baggage at all. He was quite rightly asked to remove his coat, which he did. He was scanned as was his coat and then he too was pulled aside to be individually scanned. He had his vetolin asthma inhaler in his coat pocket. He as advised this was not acceptable and inhalers must be put in a clear plastic bag and dealt with separately. We are both asthmatic and have inhalers. Never before have we been asked to seperate our inhalers. And, actually, mine was in my handbag and went through without issue. I fully accept the necessity for security at airports and have absolutely no problem with it. But, it should be done efficiently and by staff who are well trained, with consistent procedures, helpful and cheerful. Yes, it is a difficult job but there is no excuse for rudeness or inconsistent procedures.

Not Verified | I have used meet and greet several times this year and found the process to be very pleasant, especially when you return and just want to get into your car and get off. However, I have booked my car in this week and found the charges for a 7 day stay very expensive £79.95 when the most I have previously paid was around £60. Today my son has booked his car in for exactly the same dates as we are going away as a family and he has only paid £49.95. I was somewhat dismayed as I also had the 15% discount voucher so I contacted the airport directly and was told that it was tough on me as they have the policy to change parking prices on a daily basis!! So the message here is, do not book on your first visit, keep checking the prices to make sure that you get the best possible deal that you can. Something I will be doing from now on. Oh, and they said that they would not give me a reduction and or offer me anything as a gesture of goodwill! For a small gesture, they could have kept a happy customer instead they now have someone who will be looking for faults on every visit on principal. The score of 1 below is purely based on my car park booking experience this time.