Manchester Airport

On two of our last three visits, we have found Manchester Airport a stressful and unpleasant experience. On the latest occasion, even though we checked our bags in at the required two hours before our flight, the Airport seemed utterly overwhelmed by the volume of passengers it needed to screen through security. Given that the numbers were obviously predictable, this was inexplicable. We stood for an hour in a long snaking line, with officials raising the tension still further by informing already stressed passengers that people making mistakes with electronics/liquids etc would "have to wait an hour to get their bags checked" and "people are missing their flights." By the time we got through, we were exhausted, anxious and ran to our gate. We were supposed to be starting our much-needed and hard-earned holiday. Staff at Manchester seem to be nearly uniformly unfriendly and unhelpful, with no concept that passengers are paying customers. It left us wondering about the leadership culture which produces this approach; moreover, the management of predictable flows of passengers seems wholly inadequate. If we have a viable alternative choice in future we will avoid Manchester.

The company that owns Manchester airport is a disgrace. Every 6 months they put the price of car parking up by about 20 pence, that might not seem a lot but think about how many millions of people use this on a daily basis. I went today and they have put it up by another 50p, so it's now £3.50 to park and pick up. There is no reason to put the price up except greed.

Security in T3 is dreadful. Woefully understaffed in a cramped undersized area. Fast track means nothing (unlike other airports where it is separate) - don't waste your money. Spent 45 mins waiting for my bag (random check) observing the staff - one good efficient member of staff, two painfully slow (and don't mean with the search part - you can't rush that, it's too important) and one extremely rude to many customers. I shall try not to fly from Manchester T3 from at all possible in the future. Shameful treatment of customers.

The automated passport machines at Manchester are useless. I arrived from Iceland where everything just works - the technology at Keflavik is brilliant so it's a total embarrassment arriving back home to useless technology. The airport is scruffy and I'll try to avoid it in future.

Totally shambolic and inadequate facility. Terminal 3 departure lounge is full of staircases to negotiate and far too small for the crowds. Baggage desk area becomes log-jammed if three people walk abreast. Parking is shockingly expensive. On departure, you're made to queue in the stairwells to the apron while passangers alight your plane. On arrival, you're immediately met by stairwells to negotiate, often more than one flight, once you enter the terminal building. Passport control is understaffed, with biometric scanners so dysfunctional, they require as many border security staff as the standard control desks. Staff speak to users as though it's their fault they don't work. Staff then start shepherding the growing queues and bark at people. Staff on passport control are rude and frown a lot. The whole Manchester Airport City £800 million investment completely misses the point and ignores the fact that the terminal three building is an utter failure and unfit for use.

In common with so many other passengers we had a poor experience with the e-passport machines at Manchester Airport. I know how to use these machines (which way to insert the passport, where to stand even though this means I can't see the instructions on the screen when I remove my glasses like you're required to do etc) and despite this I had to try twice and then have my passport checked by a border force officer after waiting in another queue. Why do the machines at Schiphol work so well and why are the ones at Manchester so ineffective?

Departure - long queue for dropping off outside terminal, queue for baggage drop, long queues through security, lots of empty shops, long walk to the gate. Arrival - long queue for immigration, long wait for the luggage to arrive, arrival hall a crush, making it difficult to get through. This is a very poor airport.

Having travelled from Manchester Airport in February and April of 2016, I really do not wish to do it again. I understand the need for the increased security, but on both occasions of my return, the scene at the passport scanning machines was chaotic. With (by my calculation) around 10% having a 'refusal' by the machine, and having to join another queue for manual checking. The staff at these machines are unhelpful to say the least, and shout at people unashamedly. They should be told that such arrogance will only antagonise passengers more than the machine is doing. It is obvious that these machines are not fit for their intended purpose, and the sooner they are scrapped the better. Also, prior to departure from this airport in February, on collecting the tray containing my belongings after the security scan, I noticed my coat was covered in a grey dust like material which contained what appeared to be cobwebs. After trying to remove the dust, I went to join my wife who was, as usual, having her myriad packets of tablets tested with the 'probe'. It was then that I noticed that a small phial of electronic cigarette liquid which I had originally placed in my tray, had at some stage been removed and placed in my wifes tray and was also being probed. I did not transfer it, and neither did my wife. Maybe I have watched too many Border Control programmes on TV, but firstly, if my jacket picked up so much dust from a tray, then it is obvious that cross contamination is not just possible, but highly likely. And secondly, if staff are moving items from one tray to another without the owners consent, then it puts them in a very serious position indeed.

An organisation in meltdown. Had the misfortune to depart from this airport with my family. A disaster from the start, 50 minutes to queue at the bag drop. Security awful, directed to the overflow T1 lanes as an hour wait at the normal lines, boarding pass reader did not work and the staff member could not be bothered to help - just rude. My bag was screened 4 times and pulled apart, seemingly an asthma inhaler is a novel item here. All the staff were rude, my son was shouted at for having a "bum bag", it was an orthopaedic sling for a dislocated shoulder. Out of the dozen or so airports I've used in the last quarter, this is the worst by a mile. Rude staff and chaotic organisation are the consequence of a business who think they have a captive customer base. Manchester should take a look at Munich, Zurich, Dusseldorf, all a mile better.

Over the last few years the service and efficiency at Manchester has improved significantly. Queues for security moved swiftly, despite the best efforts of some travellers who still don't understand the need to be prepared to have their laptops, liquids, coats off and pockets empty. Screening staff were pleasant, patient and helpful. Like most airports now the airside experience winds you through an array of duty free options before you get to the main departure and seating area. On return bags were slow getting onto the line, however we were through immigration in only five minutes from leaving the plane so some latitude should be afforded baggage handlers here.