Manchester Airport

✅ Trip Verified | Arrived in security hall to overhear the staff saying how stupid people were by not emptying their pockets. They sent people down to a queue that was already busy. This was busy with pushchairs and backed up. My turn to empty my pockets. I went to put my 8kg bag in the box. Oh no I had to empty my pockets first. Then I was allowed to put my bag in the boxes. Another staff member said don't forget your sunglasses, to the first staff saying they never listen. These people are rude and unprofessional.

✅ Trip Verified | Although this subject has been aired at regular intervals it is apparent that the authorities at Manchester Airport, having little regard for the passengers that provide their income, remain oblivious. This is terminal 3 where, having undertaken the usual, unnecessary slalom through the tapes we encounter the first level of security. My wife’s cosmetics all in bottles of 50ml were correctly encased in a clear, re-sealable bag and in total were less than the legal capacity of one litre. We anticipated no cause for concern but sadly the bag in question was, asserted Mr Security, too big. My wife was therefore given the challenge of transferring the various items into the smaller bag he kindly provided. Since this proved impossible the excess had to be left behind at a loss of approximately £30. These could easily have transferred to her suitcase, an option not suggested by the staff, or indeed my own re-sealable bag but as I had already passed through the security gate this was naturally impossible. I was nevertheless now in the position where I could witness my backpack being pushed into the second level of security where after a wait of around 20 minutes the sole staff member triumphantly produced my medication (an inhaler and a small bottle) which although on open display in the tray should also have been encased in a bag. When I refused the offer of a bag since I already had one the surly operative told me to ‘Go and get it now.’ I refused to do so until he rephrased the request more politely in particular including the word ‘please’ at some point, a task he was able to rise to only with considerable effort. Technically the staff were correct on both counts. The transparent bag was bigger than the 20cm x 20cm they demand although (a) it caused no concern at the three other airports through which it travelled in recent weeks (b) these dimensions do not feature in EU rules (c) other airports are less rigid referring to an approximate size of 20 x 20. A 20 minute delay for failing to correctly baggage the medication which is of course not subject to the same restrictions? This is punishment, not a logical response to a security issue. Numerous others waited in line at this second level for a variety of trivial reasons. I have travelled through this terminal on numerous occasions and never once have I seen a significant intervention. How it is justified I cannot imagine. It appears to be a job creation scheme in need of urgent review and I would seriously request that the authorities initiate it without further delay.

❎ Not Verified | The airport is fine. They can always be better but as a facility I have no complaints worth recording, with the possible exception of some pretty long walks, still not a problem. Then we get to "security" and it goes wrong quickly. Not satisfied with the completely unnecessary 20-turn zigzag queue tapes that seems to be present only to wind customers up, the "security" staff at MAN are the most aggressive, abusive, arrogant and self-centered in the world that I have encountered in over 500 flights around the planet. They need reminding that the purpose of security is to keep passengers safe, not to provide an outlet for security staff members' control-freak tendencies. My partner was accused of carrying "liquid" that ultimately wasn't in that category at all (it was powder), and as a "punishment" they blatantly ignored and delayed her for over 20 minutes after the inspection. Total abuse of authority by double-digit IQ staff with a twisted agenda. Disgusted by airport staff superior and confrontational attitude every time I reluctantly go through this place.

✅ Trip Verified | As someone who travels extensively as part of my work I get to experience security at many of the planets airports. Firstly, let me say that I completely understand the need for pre-flight security. However, therr are good ways of achieving the desired goal and bad ways. Without doubt Manchester Airport security operates an inefficient and massively overbearing system. This combined with continuous inconsistencies and surly staff makes Manchester probably the worst airport security experience I have come across in 40 years of flying.

❎ Not Verified | I have been using terminal 3 for a long time at Manchester Airport and have grown to dread spending any time there. Normally on arrival we can get out quickly enough but this time there was a huge queue and we were stuck in it for at least 45 minutes. This led to us missing our train and having to buy a new one. The only reason given by an employee was that there was a staff 'changeover'. Very disappointed at my local airport. An airport that I have used for the last 15 years that I will now be actively avoiding.

❎ Not Verified | The staff are so rude and unfriendly. I couldn't believe the way they spoke to me, for standing in the wrong place. At the check in gate, I kissed my boyfriend goodbye (I'm sure this is very common in airports) it was not overly romantic or inappropriate and a rude staff member said we couldn't kiss incase children complained. I'm a teacher and am fully aware of what would be acceptable and what would not. Horrible experience.

✅ Trip Verified | Worst airport I have travelled through, parked in meet and greet car park, at 8am for a 10.30 flight, very narrow lanes, went into terminal 1 to find long queue for lifts to departures no signage to any alternative, why no ramps as at Gateway. 15 minutes later arrived in departures eventually, found check in desk around back in small overcrowded narrow room, queues for several airlines all jumbled up. No bag drop for pre-checked in Finnair passengers, then told that soft sided bags can't go on conveyor! Another long queue to lift bags to waist height to go through antiquated scanner. No space for proper feed conveyor as in all other major airports in Europe. Abysmal security who insisted on unpacking virtually everything from bags and then berated me for taking up too much space with my three trays. Then insisted on re-scanning a clearly empty water bottle but overlooked two other tubes of ointment which should have been scanned. Just time to buy a bottle of water as no time to find water fountain if they have such a facility as plane boarding. Bitterly disappointed, reminded me of Heathrow 20 years ago.

✅ Trip Verified | My least favourite airport. Always get lost finding car hire returns and or petrol. No signs to either and then you find a petrol station and it's closed. You are then super late and stressed and security is an even worse experience and always an awful end to my trip. You are treated like cattle and herded through lanes of walk throughs I am sure just to delay the queue. You are yelled at and told to hurry up despite the lack of anywhere to go. Almost half the bags are funnelled off to one side. The elderly blonde lady on security seems very intent on ensuring your toiletries fit in the correct plastic bag and often need me to remove and leave an item. Whereas my boyfriend's toiletries didn't fit and were in the incorrect bag and this was ok with her. I guess Chanel body lotion and mac make-up is more of a security risk than men's hair gel. Carrying money in quantity also always seems to require the extra bag check and my bag often dissapears out of my sight for lengths of time. It always takes me about 40 mins to get through security and I have almost missed my flight several times and I always leave short of some cosmetic that got to Manchester through another airport security just fine. I purposely boycott Manchester airport for shopping so the inefficiency and rudeness of security staff at least means Manchester airport gets no more than the minimum money out of me. They should be ashamed.

❎ Not Verified | Terminal 3 on Good Friday is an experience to avoid. Totally overcrowded, way beyond safety levels, hot and rude security staff. Felt like animal livestock rather than a paying customer. And all this photographing, again rude staff manning these gates. Never ever again.

❎ Not Verified | Just arrived in Barcelona Terminal 1 Executive Lounge. What a contrast with Manchester. Manchester have rebranded their Executive lounges as Leisure Lounges. As such they sell entrance to the bucket and spade travelers who drink as much as they can before they take their annual holiday. The Business traveler is excluded. This morning I was excluded, my card not acceptable at either T1 lounge. Not that they were full, quite the contrary. The staff just wanted a quiet life and to be as bloody minded as possible. It was not a case of making things happen, but of how to ensure that they didn't. My advise to the Business traveler is to avoid Manchester like the plague and where possible to use Liverpool where i have never been refused entry to their lounge