Manchester Airport

Customer Reviews

No Skytrax Rating
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Queuing Times 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Staff 12345
Customer rating from 1370 reviews
2/10
No Skytrax Rating
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1/10

"totally inadequate"

(United Kingdom)

Trip Verified | First of all we had to get to jetparks 3 to park our car but because of the road changes going on around the airport we were faced with a long traffic queue to get down to Style Road (this was about 12 mid day and our flight was at 3.15pm). Then we had to wait ages for a bus to come along because the buses were being held up by the same traffic chaos, and they were taking at least twice as long to make the round trip. When a bus eventually turned up there were too many people and some had to wait for the next bus. We flew from Terminal 1 with Jet2 and the signs to get to the check in desk were misleading. Having checked in the luggage we had to queue through security for almost an hour. The Terminal 1 layout is largely devoted to shops and eateries so you get funneled into quite a small sitting area which is totally inadequate - not everyone wants to eat / drink, but just to sit in comfort and peace, which is not possible in this unpleasant environment. We went to the smoking area and it was a disgrace - we are not animals and should not be treated like one. We are paying customers, just like anyone else and should be treated with respect and given a smoking area fit for purpose and pleasant to be in. We came out and had a drink at a nearby bar and the table was dirty and sticky. The eateries and shops are all over priced, presumably because of the rents charged by the airport - it is disgusting that customers are overcharged just because they have no where else to go and can not bring their own liquids.
Experience At AirportDeparture Only
Date VisitJune 2018
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
2/10

"over an hour to get through security"

(United Kingdom)

Not Verified | I travelled through terminal 1 on 1st June and it took over an hour to get through security. As mentioned in other reviews only about 50% of the available security gates were open. Once at security despite complying with all the hand luggage requirements my bag was pulled out to have a swab of the exterior. Unfortunately the swab machine wasn’t working so the staff were running over to another lane with several swabs in hand to test them. I’m not sure about the traceability of this process if something was found and legal proceedings were required. The woman next to me had her bag checked and swabbed because “it was full”. It seems that at least one person in every party gets stopped meaning no one gets through smoothly, and this level of scrutiny and security would be bearable if you hadn’t had to wait an hour. It is a thoroughly dismal and depressing process. I was travelling for business but there were many people going on holiday and it’s the worst start to their holidays. As others I had no time to get a drink, let alone shop, before heading to my flight. I returned from Berlin where there is a security lane at each gate and therefore only very short queues if at all. Manchester is my local airport and in recent years the excitement I used to feel about going to the airport has been replaced by dread and trepidation. I’m ashamed that this airport represents our area.
Experience At AirportArrival and Departure
Date VisitJune 2018
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
4/10

"not overly impressed"

(Finland)

Trip Verified | First time I have used this airport recently and not overly impressed. I did arrive early for check-in which is always advisable, there are good transport links to the airport though Rail link from Piccadilly or Metrolink, a little on the slow side. My first observation there were no self service machines for check-in as at many other airports including Gatwick, had to check in a desk which went very smoothly, the next stage was the difficult part, long queues at security moving at a snails pace and staff somewhat disorganised. In the confusion I left my liquids bag in my carry on luggage which was flagged for additional search, eventually got through and into the main airport area,fairly good choice of food and drink outlets. Flight slightly delayed due to technical problem but arrived at destination more or less on time.
Experience At AirportDeparture Only
Date VisitJune 2018
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
1/10

"over an hour at security"

(United Kingdom)

Not Verified | Had to queue for over an hour at security in terminal one. Security staff rude and offensive. Most security points not staffed. Makes me ashamed to be a Mancunian. I'd have thought, incidentally, that it would be in the airport's interests to get passengers through security speedily and efficiently so that they had time to shop in duty free, As it is, we had no time to do anything but run to get to the departure gate.
Experience At AirportDeparture Only
Date VisitJune 2018
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
1/10

"very poorly managed business"

(United Kingdom)

Not Verified | Manchester Airport desperately needs to raise its game. It's been getting worse now for a long time. Even with "fast track" security (an extra £5 if paid in advance), security times are generally dreadful. It seems that nobody in security has any sense of proportion - even with full body scanners, I get patted down every time. So many bags are rejected at x-ray that there seems almost no point trying to comply because your bag is going to end up in a 40 minute queue for unhurried staff to hand search it anyway. The airport is full of officious signs about no bags being allowed on escalators as well. Sorry, but it's an airport - that's what people do - work around it, just like every other airport in the world seems to. I travel through lots of airports very frequently for work and it seems to me that bags are rejected at Manchester security for very trivial reasons that seem more about point scoring than any real contribution to security (eg having forgotten to include a lipstick in a clear bag, not knowing that asthma inhalers at Manchester are considered to be liquids, a forgotten little sachet of ketchup). The bag rejection rate at Manchester consistently appears to be vastly higher than any other airport. I am a proud Mancunian and I want to feel proud of my local airport, but for quite some time, it's mostly made me feel ashamed. Its terrible service must be damaging the regional economy - the number of angry and bewildered foreign visitors I've seen there is very high. Some of them are bound to be making investment decisions. If senior managers at Manchester Airport want Tel Aviv levels of security, fair enough - the more secure in the air I am the happier I am, but they need to employ enough staff and equipment to make that possible without routine delays of 45 minutes or more. It seems like a very poorly managed business to me. Until it gets better, I shall continue to drive to Liverpool airport wherever I can and avoid Manchester.
Experience At AirportDeparture Only
Date VisitJune 2018
Type Of TravellerBusiness
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
2/10

"T3 Security area chaotic"

(United Kingdom)

Not Verified | Experience similar to many already posted. T3 Security area chaotic. Waited 40mins with my 83 year old Dad to arrive at front of bag check queue. His bag was rejected, so we had to wait another 30 mins for the bag to crawl its way through the next screening process. Finally the bag was checked and we were told "its not been photographed", so back it went into the original queue. This time it exited without being rejected. During this process a set of house keys and belt were misplaced, so we then had to go to the lost luggage where both were eventually retrieved. Staff were polite and cordial, however procedure was hopeless, taking well over an hour to get through security. At one point thought medical assistance was going to be required for my Dad as he got more and more stressed as the flight departure time loomed large. I travel many times a year and this was more like a third world airport. Surely we should expect better than this.
Experience At AirportDeparture Only
Date VisitJune 2018
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
1/10

"nearly missed my flight"

(United Kingdom)

Trip Verified | The worst airport experience ever. Huge queues for security checks before departure. I had to jump the queue and nearly missed my flight. Very stressful. Air hostess agreed this is the worst airport and hates coming here. On the return journey, huge queues for passport control. Anything else is irrelevant when you don't have any time except for queuing!
Experience At AirportArrival and Departure
Date VisitJune 2018
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages N/A
Airport Shopping 12345
no
1/10

"this airport is a dump"

(United Kingdom)

Trip Verified | As many others have commented this airport is a dump. Baroque transfer procedure to get from an Amsterdam flight to a domestic flight involving a drive round the airfield in a dirty bus, a drop off at the bottom of some stairs and a long queue while a man and a woman worked their way painfully slowly through the queue of transferring passengers. Then entry to the UK via a random walk past some bollards, a long walk through corridors, stopping at a barrier to have your photo taken, then on to the depressing central holding area (the hoovering of some of the dirt behind the terminals at Smith's while they were still being used a masterstroke I thought), then another walk to a corridor with not enough seats and the Manchester airport air of depressed dirt, scruffy signs on doors etc. Spent the entire time longing to get out of here.
Experience At AirportArrival and Departure
Date VisitJune 2018
Type Of TravellerBusiness
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
2/10

"the experience has deteriorated"

(United Kingdom)

Trip Verified | As my local airport, I have tried to support Manchester Airport. Sadly the experience has deteriorated to such an extent, I can no longer. I had a domestic flight at 830 on Saturday morning. Arrived at T3 at 0640. The queue for security was beyond Cafe Nero. As ever the security screening was painfully slow, overly officious and the staff were put simply, rude. Not all the lanes were open, instead the frustrated herded passengers were shouted at that it was in fact their fault for the queues (due to bags being rejected). Not one apology, not one smile, not one hint of good customer experience. Once through screening the shouting proved to be completely unjustified, there was only one rejected bag needing extra screening. In the end it was the airport's loss, I had no time to get a coffee - FlyBe got my £3 instead. Truly dreadful.
Experience At AirportDeparture Only
Date VisitJune 2018
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
1/10

"the worst security screening process"

(Ireland)

Not Verified | Manchester airport has by far the worst security screening process I have ever experienced. Ridiculous queues, constant build up of trays, staff that move at a snails pace and have the personality and face of a bulldog chewing a wasp. I travel over and back to the UK for work almost weekly, trying to avoid this soul destroying airport as much as possible but unfortunately it's the closest to my destination. I always pay for fast track just to ease the pain of going through the place but they still add your bag/tray to the long queue of trays, waiting to scan them...I wonder what the stats are for all their scanning. I always make sure my bag is exactly as per their requirements but it still gets stopped and scanned every single time. The system needs a complete overhaul. Customer service is despicable. Worst airport!
Experience At AirportArrival and Departure
Date VisitMay 2018
Type Of TravellerBusiness
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no