Manchester Airport

What has happened to Terminal 3? This used to be pretty efficient however in their usual random wisdom MAN has once again re-assigned airlines from one terminal to another resulting in a sudden influx of KLM/AF and Ryanair flights into Terminal 3. The entire experience is horrendous check in is very tight on space so you'll "join a queue to join a queue" and face passengers with trolleys trying to squeeze past each other in both directions. Outbound security is now very busy at peak times. On the plus side the equipment is modern and efficient and staff pleasant. Once through security T3 is still the poky place it always was fine when it was for domestics (for which it was built) but now completely over stressed. On return similar crummy experience awaits with long queues for UK border - even with 100% manning there are only 4 desks that I can see and unlike other MAN terminals there is no e-gate. Generally I like MAN and most criticism is misplaced but Terminal 3 is horrible.

I fly regularly out of Terminals 1 and 3 most recently out of Terminal 1 and have always been impressed at the shortness of the queues through security. It must help that unlike most airports Manchester seems to have most security channels manned! Terminal 1 has plenty of places to eat drink shop if you have to and most importantly sit!

Flight to Mahon Friday 13th July. Security at passport control was extremely poor. Asked to remove belt etc. I told them my wallet had metal in the young lad shrugged his shoulders and said it didn't matter? It was coins and keys. My wife's tray went thought first and she watched but the lady on the x-ray machine was turned away chatting to some one we both commented at the time. Very worrying. Not surprised young lad got though and landed in Rome!

Security queue in Terminal 1 a joke anytime I travel through here - 35 minutes to get through security last time (normally about 20/25 minutes which isn't good either) - archaic and claustrophobic boarding gates are another minus. Duty free is good though.

I am a frequent traveller at Manchester airport. The check-in concourse is organised and laid out clearly. There is also a selection of cafés and eateries which I have found very useful when arriving too early or waiting for an arriving passenger. Proficient security staff although I fly at peak times I have never had a waiting time of longer than 5 minutes. Departure concourse clearly laid out however I find having to pass through the BIZA duty free store very irritating even more so if travelling with children. The first class escape lounge is good in terms of the service provided.

Arrived from Skiathos and all the passengers endured a two hour wait for their bags to arrive on the carousel. Apparently they were sent to the wrong terminal. However no one took control of the situation and it was only when passengers started complaining that any information came through. Typical corporate buck passing with no one at the airport accepting responsibility.

Travel through Manchester 3-4 times a month and always find it a decent experience. Terminals 1 and 2 are pretty good with a good selection of shops if you're into that kind of thing. Terminal 3 is always a disappointment to me seems to be lacking in restaurants and somewhere to get a drink (unless you find a table in the almost always packed central food court). T1 and T2 have lounges that I can access so a plus there the Wilmslow lounge has fantastic views. If you avoid the busy central area in T1 which is always full of lager louts on a stag trip to Benidorm the terminal has some quiet spots at either end of piers B and C also the toilets just left before the 'walk-through' duty free are usually quieter and cleaner than the rest. Lots of complaints about security on here but I always find it a breeze even at peak times if you're patient and prepare (don't decide to rumble through your pants for change/phones/wallet just before you get to the scanner you've had 10 mins to prepare!). All in all pretty good but it is annoying you can't walk indoors from T1 to T3 anymore.

I travel through Manchester a few times a year. It's always bright and clean. The travelator system connecting the rail station and the terminals is lovely and easy although some people inevitably find it hard to walk in a straight line or are on a last minute and push through everyone else. Security not a problem. The only issue being made to pay £1 for a plastic bag for liquids as the one I bring is never exactly the right kind. The shops past security are big and take up space but if you move past them there's hundreds and hundreds of chairs that are nearly always empty near to the gates. The food/drink is overpriced it's an airport. So I always go to Boots to buy their sandwiches/drinks as they have the same price as their high street stores unlike WHSmiths Burger King etc.

Our family group of 7 including 2 children under 5 arrived at 9 pm at terminal 1. Everything was fine until we went to collect a trolley the pound coin (non refundable) didn't work and nobody had another one. The place was deserted. Meanwhile my son realised that his bike that he had paid extra for had not arrived even though we had seen it put on the plane Went to Global baggage - her response was it couldn't have been put on! You can imagine our frustration the place was deserted the two officials completely disinterested. Eventually a security man came complaining that a bike bag had been left causing a security alert! It turned out the bike had been put at the back of a completely different conveyor belt! No apologies and we were made to feel it was our fault for not looking properly! Eventually left airport at about 10.30pm. Unfortunately this is our local airport!

In my opinion T2 is the most rationally planned of the 3 terminals in MAN airport though maybe the most anonymous. Both floors arrivals and departures before restricted areas have space devoted to the needs of arriving and departing passengers with minimal resources for friend/relatives and passers by. The impression on arrival is about under-utilization of space. At departures security is well planned. Flying out early in the morning on a week day crowd was medium and 6 desks out of 12 were open. Pass through in less than 10 minutes also thanks to body-scanners. Agents professional and respect passengers. The duty free area is just the way I like it to be. If you want you roam around if you don't you just go straight to the gates area. The gates area has plenty of coffee shops takeaways and restaurants. Most of the gates are just at hand but you should allow for a 5 minutes walk for the farthest at the two sides. Excellent view of apron. A few mini coffee shops spotted near the far gates are a gem for people which are rushed to the gate by the speakers only to find out that a 200 people line is just lazily forming. From the airport it is a 5 minutes indoor walk to Radisson Hotel and 10 to the Airport Train Station if travelators are working. From the station you are at Manchester Piccadilly Station in less than 15 minutes.