Manchester Airport

Have been to this airport many times and it remains one of the most poorly laid-out and unnecessarily complicated places to navigate in through and out of. Arrived at T3 on a domestic flight and walked miles to the exit. The design and protocols of the sign-posting are nothing like as clear as they should be and as you find for instance at Heathrow and other BAA locations like Southampton. Rented a car and needed to return it later that day to the on-airport Hertz location but identifying the location was almost impossible. Every airport I have ever been to in the world has signs as you approach advising 'Rental Car Return'. Not at MAN. Not one single sign anywhere. Quite absurd and caused a lot of time to be wasted.

Was going to give a good report for this airport based on our experience for our departure - check-in by staff was efficient and quick and although the queue was long the security staff were also efficient. We had made sure we had prepared ourselves properly such as belt money etc was in hand luggage and iPads were easily to hand. We were let down was on the return (flight TOM163 from Puerto Vallarta 26/09/2014). Aircraft was 35 minutes early into MAN and it was known before we left PVR that we would be early. After a 9 hour overnight flight from the Pacific coast of Mexico the plane had to park up (with engines running) because there were no stands available and we were told his would be about 15 minutes. After about 45 minutes the captain advised that we were still without a stand and apologised for the delay. After an hour we were advised that after "speaking" to the Manchester Airport Authorities the aircraft had been allocated a stand but unfortunately we were to be bussed to the terminal after deplaning down the steps. The only good to come out of this situation was immigration and luggage collection was exceptionally quick for this airport.

Appalling. Arrived 4am. Queue to get to the car park queue to get in to the car park queue to check in bags queue to get to security queue to get through security catch flight if you are lucky. Staff appalling too and have obviously spent too much time on diversity training courses and too little on customer service. It's not all bad news though - if you still have time to go to the loo they have ritual washing facilities!

Our return from Canada into Terminal 1 was fairly easy although were we amongst the first off the aircraft and there were no others flights before us. There were only 2 desks open for passport checks and I felt sorry for the non-EU people in the long queue adjacent to ours who would have to wait a long time as the single official laboriously checked their documents. We also had only one official and he had to constantly deal with people entering the queue from the electronic scanning machines which kept breaking down. Once through we found the signage to the airport meet-and-greet to be quite poor leading us to leave by the wrong door and resulting in a long push of the cart outside. And why do they charge £1 for the cart? Most other airports supply them for free and the low uptake at Manchester must mean the scheme looses money!

Judging by the amount of negative reviews I must have flown from a different airport. Check-in was effortless. Security took less than 2 minutes so did not need the fast-track I paid for. Security staff were polite and professional. The shopping area was a bit weird and the smoking area was a godsend! I do appreciate that many travellers will face delays so I was probably in the right place at the right time.

I arrived at Manchester Terminal 1 and transferred to Terminal 3 for a business trip to Brussels with slightly over an hour between flights on August 8 2014. I immediately joined the security line with an hour to spare assuming that I would then be able to relax at the departure gate. The security line at Terminal 3 was appalling stretching out into the main Terminal and with only a few of the scanners actually working. Passengers were constantly being called out of line to meet flight deadlines but the inept handling staff clearly didn't have a proper list as the flight I was on was not called. Passengers were treated like cattle and the security search staff seem to positively relish adding to the humiliation sneering sarcasm dressed up in a false "have a nice day" tone. I travel extensively throughout the world and that was the worst example I have seen of inept handling and rudeness that I have ever encountered.

Queues at check-in and security need to be shortened. Took 30 mins to check in and 40 to clear security. Businesses must be suffering as passengers have not time to shop or eat. Airport claims to be trying to ease the situation but it is clearly not working.

Arrived back to the UK before 11pm on Sunday and queues at passport control were horrendous - all the way down the corridor long before you even saw the passport control area. Queues to the Non UK & Non EU control was very short with maximum 10-20 people at any one time . Also the E-passport gates were closed. The only good thing was that at our bag was at the carousel when we eventually got through. We travel to Finland often and at that end the non-EU passport lane is 'All Passports' which means EU passport holders can spread out to that one as well when it is busy. Maybe something the UK should consider?

We flew from Manchester on 31/8/2014. On arrival we noticed there was 2 check-in desks open for 2 flights. Fortunately we had got there early and we still queued for just over an hour. The rather unfriendly lady on the desk made us open our cases to balance the weight all our cases were under the required weight. When we finally rid of our cases the queue was like a snake all the way down the terminal. It was absolute joke your holiday starts at the airport. You need more (friendly) staff at the check-in desks and let people start their holiday in a happier frame of mind.

Awful airport out and on return. Left via terminal 1. We were in the 'fast' queue with kids and it took us an hour to go through security. I saw some people horrified as they were about to miss flights. Returned via terminal 2. Immigration are the most miserable disrespectful and sullen people in creation. Just what you want to see after returning from a holiday.