Manchester Airport

❎ Not Verified | I’m quite a frequent flyer, and I’ve never had any problems anywhere, but I dread flying via Manchester. Whereas I’ve always been treated well at other airports, the staff at Manchester airport have always been rude. Especially while going through security. I’ve never experienced anything like it at other airports both within and outside of Europe.

❎ Not Verified | I use Manchester airport once or twice a year and have done for over 20 years, firstly the airport is not as bad as some claim, it's a busy airport so there will be queues for both check in / bag drop and yes the dreaded security, but unless you own your own airport you will have to share this one with other people. Some people really do think they are the only person there. Last time I used T2 bag drop took 20 minutes, I had purchased a fast track pass and security took 10 minutes to clear even though I accidentally left fluids in my hand luggage and was treated to extra checks, I have always found the security staff relatively friendly and generally treat you as you treat them. Inside T2 isn't great but it's a transit area where you spend a couple of hours waiting, both the spinning jenny and cabin bar are awful, but there are other places to sit and get a drink, the escape lounge has improved vastly over the last couple of years and at 25 quid is a bargain. I arrived at my gate when the screen displayed boarding and encountered a very rude man (MIA staff) who asked why i was late, I pointed out that it was 40 minutes prior to departure and he continued to be rude, once at the plane door I asked the TUI cabin crew if I was late and she politely said I wasn't late, so no need to be rude. Overall a decent airport with queues certainly a lot less than JFK where it took 3 hours to clear. My tips for T2 and TUI would be to use the day before bag drop of you can, arrive early if you can't, buy a fast track pass for a fiver, and if you can book the escape lounge all this goes a long way to making the experience less stressful, oh, and finally treat MIA staff as you would like to be treated, they will generally do the same.

✅ Trip Verified | Sadly Manchester airport is one of the worst I’ve experienced in Europe. Cold, old and badly planned with very limited seating. Most modern airports are light and airy with modern architecture and well plans routes to and from gates and departure areas. No so at Manchester you have to navigate a labyrinth and twists and turns the the shopping area to get to the very limited seating. Obviously passengers are not the priority at this airport it’s shops. Outdated and looking like a load of porta cabins string together. Immigration is slow and most of the passport reading machines are out of order. Then you have to deal with the outdated luggage hall and wait an age for you bags. Take a look at Munich, Copenhagen they put Manchester to shame

✅ Trip Verified | Manchester is our local airport and we use it fairly frequently. Despite the reconstruction that is going on (look forward to seeing the final product), it is as efficient as ever. We went to the US departing and arriving at Manchester. Both departing and arriving was great! No long queues either at check-in or security, friendly staff, good shopping options and all flights on time. Luggage handlers deserve a medal - on arrival, only 20 mins from disembarking to the sitting in the car. Love this very well run airport and well done during this what is a disruptive time. Being realistic, the seating in terminal buildings could be a bit more generous.

❎ Not Verified | I use Manchester Airport at least 15 times a year. Flying to China, Turkey, India, Italy, Germany, Switzerland etc. In comparison to the international airports I travel to, Manchester is a dump! Yes, they have improved the retail aspects and food court area. But the passenger service areas are diabolical. Check-in is cramped and crowded. Security is appallingly bad - severe queues and expect to be treated like cattle (worse in fact). Arrival in to Manchester is horrible: dingy corridors in need of painting, upstairs then downstairs with no easy access. As for passport control - it's an embarrassment. Why did we make this hall so oppressive? Then on to baggage reclaim from belts crammed in to a space so tight you have to fight your way past people having recovered your luggage. It's without a doubt the worst airport I use! What a shame, it should showcase GB but instead creates a bad first impression for any first time visitor.

✅ Trip Verified | Terminal One Security at Manchester Airport have some of the rudest, indifferent, unhappy staff I have ever encountered. I have travelled through the following airports in the prior years: ORD, PVD, LGW, BFS, DUB, SNN, LAX, BOS, SJC, DEN, GRB, LAS, so I am able to make comparisons to multiple airports. Apart from the disorganised chaos at their screening areas which on the morning I was there was the worst I had ever seen it. Almost every passengers baggage was diverted to secondary screening, resulting in no one being able to move forward, causing further backlog. Passengers with imminent departures in danger of missing flights etc. I fully understand the need for screening and security. I understand its frustrating etc. However the staff here need some training in customer service, respect and attitude. Management needs to take a close look at other airports for the staff here need some training more efficient processing. I will always try to avoid this terminal for my future travels.

✅ Trip Verified | The security procedures at Manchester airport have been terrible for the last few years and are showing no signs of improving. It often takes 45 minutes to pass through security and can take just as long to get your passport checked when arriving. Departing this December it took 50 minutes to get through security with my hand luggage, 30 minutes in a queue and then a further 20 minutes to get my bag searched. The queues for the bag searching were so long all of the scanners were held up and queues were not moving at all yet there were still 4 staff members per metal detector just standing around talking to each other. Perhaps you need more staff on the bag searching if that is the hold up. My hold up was becauset the solid mineral deodorants (not a paste/gel/liquid) must go in the liquid bags. Upon questioning why my lush face wash (a rough paste) did not have to go in the bag if this solid stick does I was informed "it just doesn't". I travel about 6 times a year and have never had a problem in any other airport with my hand luggage but almost every single time I get stopped at Manchester and it always takes around an hour. It's just ridiculous.

❎ Not Verified | Arrived early at airport as travelling from Scotland and weather was bad. Arrived at terminal 2 early and as usual Thomsons gates don’t open until 3 hours before departure. So I think I’ll get something to eat, maybe even a wee drink. Well if I want to eat Greggs and have a coffee sorted. Terminal 2 is a disgrace.

✅ Trip Verified | Initially getting off the plane it's not the tidiest looking airport, but that's not the problem. I often fly through Birmingham and have been to Manchester airport less than a handful of times. I had a 3 hour wait between flights so I wanted to make my way to transfers and up to the departure lounge. Straight off the plane opposite me were signs, one directed me to the right for arrivals and one to the left for flight transfers. I headed left and entered through some doors signed flight transfers and didn't question why it didn't seem very busy as it wasn't a bustling terminal I entered from. I also didn't question it as a previous transfer flight I was on only had two transfer passengers on board, myself included, so I didn't expect a busy environment. There were two men at a desk, one who spoke to me and talked down to me like I was an idiot because I went into the wrong transfer office, it was the only one sign posted from the terminal I entered after my flight. After saying this still no staff member told me where to go, not even this man. I was still not being told anything helpful, only being told what he can't do for me. I am a young girl travelling alone and have flown many times, I wouldn't consider myself a novice flyer or an idiot. Luckily a young man came over and politely directed me to the transfer desk for my flight which eased my anxiety slightly. I am a frequent flyer and used the information I was given (the signs) and followed all instructions I was given correctly. I went through the transfers on the other side to the terminal, in departures I found a seat in Costa (at its last free table) for the duration of my wait but there is not much seating in the departure lounge generally unless you want to pay for drinks/food and sit in somewhere, it seems very overcrowded and no staff member seemed willingly helpful to anyone. More passengers were helping passengers and directing each other because we are more reliable than the employees. I have been very put off by the staff. This airport needs to tidy themselves up, maybe partake in some kind of hospitality training, they are in the service industry after all and they need to update their facilities and signs. This is not an anomaly as my last stop here also wasn't a pleasant experience due to overcrowding and rude staff in the lounge, I recommend (if you can, as I know sometimes the cheapest offer does not give you a choice) flying somewhere else if you want to be treated respectfully by polite staff and have somewhere to relax and sit comfortably. It's a shame rude people are representing the whole place as I'm sure not all staff would have done the same, staying hopeful for a good impression some day.

✅ Trip Verified | I travel internationally from Geneva every week. I can honestly say that Manchester airport is the worst airport I have to use. I would not normally be bothered to write a review but after so many bad experiences my frustration has got the better of me. Problems have included staff who have no idea what they are doing. Example - Priority boarding ticket was rejected by one member only to be accepted by another when I complained. Long security queues. The longest I have experienced in any international airport. Security scanning rules that seem to change daily and depending on which member of staff is doing them. Not enough seating in the terminals or gates. Although, this does seem to be a problem with many airports these days. Overall I would try and avoid Manchester airport (especially terminal A) unless there is no other option. Please start listening to your customers Manchester Airport Group, or we will leave you!