Manchester Airport

I find the majority of the ground staff surly and at times rude and disinterested. My recent experience involved arriving back from Gran Canaria touching down at approximately 3:15 am on 3rd January having already been delayed by around 4 hours in departure. Having made our way to the baggage collection area with my family and disabled 6 year old son in an airport wheelchair we waited over 2 hours for our baggage to come around including my sons own wheelchair. If this wasn't unacceptable enough no logical or legible information was given to us as to the reason for the delay other than the weather was too cold for the baggage handlers to work (even though it wasn't cold enough to stop planes from landing and taking off). The ensuing response from the baggage staff was unacceptable. Even though they were under pressure from many tired and angry passengers the Thomas Cook representative along with the Global Baggage attendants were rude and avoided giving any indication of when baggage would be available. There was no management of the situation evident and those that proclaimed to be in charge were wholly inexperienced in handling a situation such as this so much so that at one point they called the airport police to assist in quelling the growing anger being demonstrated by the crowd. All in all one more highly unacceptable experience within Manchester Airport. Given the amount of footfall through arrivals in terminal one it should be expected that there would be back up plans should there be problems of this nature. To keep already delayed passengers waiting and uninformed many with children and small babies is at best an amateur effort at situation management but in my opinion it is an affront to customers who have paid considerable amounts of cash to travel and expect a minimum level of customer service way better than that demonstrated.

Flew Emirates which now leaves from Terminal One. On departure I was disappointed with the rude security staff. Don't mind being told what to do as long as it is done in a polite manner but this was severely lacking. Had to pay a pound for 2 plastic bags to put toiletries in and these bags are given free in Terminal one so a lack of consistency here. On my arrival disappointed at having to pay a refundable one pound for trolleys. I'm not sure what visitors would have made of this having arrived from Dubai where such amenities and even pushchairs are complimentary as it should be at any major airport. Needs to improve if it has ambitions to attract other major carriers.

Disgusted with security check in staff. I appreciate there was a backlog from previous days problems due to inclement weather but passengers were treated like cattle! I have never been so disgusted with fellow mancunians employed at the airport. I suggest Manchester Airport enrol staff on a customer care training course - they did not speak to passengers they bawled at them as if they were stupid. I travelled to Zurich and was so relieved to arrive in Switzerland where people are treated as human beings and given support with their travel plans.

On arrival all UK passengers with new passport being directed to e-passport however only 3 of the 5 machines working so ended up slower than the human channels. It does work well though if the equipment is ok. No disappointment as usual regarding lifts to parking - only one working. Manchester never really pulls off professionalism.

My daughter arrived at Manchester from NZ on 7th Dec 09 with two children and six items of baggage. New there was going to be a problem when passengers coming through were complaining that they had to be given pound coins by kind UK based passengers. On arrival at baggage collection with children my daughter couldn't get a trolley because you needed a pound coin! where does a foreign traveller arriving in UK get a pound coin for use at baggage collection. Unhelpful staff compounded problems which led to tears and eventually a trolley was found. Manchester Airport still haven't answered my email.

T2 with Qatar Airways to HKG. Both flights on time. Afternoon departure: busy terminal 5 minute queue at check-in cleared security within 5 minutes as queue was short. Early morning arrival: cleared immigration 15 minutes after landing despite a long taxi from runway and several long-haul arrivals. Bag on belt 5 minutes later. No air bridge on return short bus ride to terminal. Terminal mostly clean and tidy but toilet cleanliness could be improved. Staff polite and efficient throughout. Valet parking remarkably good value at £39.99 for 9 days.

Appallingly stressful security arrangements long delays and herded around by surly staff. Plastic bags for a pound - a rip-off. Should be free considering the enormous airport taxes we all pay. Customs officers intimidate passengers as I was yesterday apparently randomly selected and put through the most intrusive interrogation about my movements (at a wedding) and even as a non-resident pensioner having to detail what my last employment in the UK was over 15 years ago.

T2 early in the day so few passengers but security still slow as no-one could go through while previous passengers being wanded/hand searched. Some additional employees would solve this.

Queues at checkin and security can be long but it moves so is tolerable. Immigration is always quick when I arrive here. The shops and restaurants are extortionate so these are best avoided. The staff are friendly and enthusiastic. Some areas look a bit dated now but there is renovation work going on.

T1 overall a bit better than last time - which isn't saying a lot. Only one lift working in T1 multi-storey car-park. Ground floor check-in for Swiss/Lufthansa worked well; new security area in T1 seems to have shaken off the worst of its gremlins. However the exit from T1 security right into the heart of shops shops and more shops is a nightmare - fortunately we weren't pressed for time but if you were then trying to pick your way through crowds of people aimlessly milling around looking at stuff they don't need would be v trying! The departure piers remain as dire as ever with multiple murky ups and downs brought about by segregating inward and outward flows in a place that wasn't designed for it. Baggage return very slow.