MAN (especially T1) - is it getting worse?
Oct 8, 2014, 8:47 am
#16
Moderator: UK and Ireland & Europe
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Biggleswade
Programs: SK*G, Lots of Blue Elsewhere
Posts: 13,611
But isn't the area in T3 that you come from as you enter security inherently public, i.e. it should be assumed that whoever managed to get there got there legally, much like within Schengen (as long as you're in a member country of the Schengen agreement, it is assumed that some other member has verified your eligibility for being there)?
Add to this 1) there is no exit immigration, 2) there is no ID requirement for domestic/CTA travel and 3) the UK allows international-international transit without entering the country.
So, for example, a passenger holds, say, a CDG-MAN-GOT ticket, and has a non-EU passport with visas for France and Sweden, but not the UK. This passenger is allowed to connect in MAN without passing through immigration, as it's an international-to-international connection.
A third party buys a MAN-LHR ticket, which the passenger loads, say, as an electronic boarding pass on a mobile phone. This passenger can simply walk to the MAN-LHR gate, use the boarding pass to board and land on a domestic flight to London - thereby entering the UK without passing through immigration.
Formerly, domestic/CTA and international flights were segregated. But this wasn't popular with domestic passengers (who had few facilities) or airports (cost them more, and passengers spent less). People in the UK are very resistant to ID cards, and not keen on exit immigration (nor, indeed are the woefully underfunded UKBF). So this is the compromise.
Oct 8, 2014, 10:01 am
#17
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: LGW/MLA
Programs: AX/Accor/IHG Plat, Hilton Diamond, SPG/Carlson Gold, BA Silver, KM Permanent, JJC (Retd)
Posts: 607
A third party buys a MAN-LHR ticket, which the passenger loads, say, as an electronic boarding pass on a mobile phone. This passenger can simply walk to the MAN-LHR gate, use the boarding pass to board and land on a domestic flight to London - thereby entering the UK without passing through immigration.
It needs a catchier title, though. We've had the Lille Loophole. Perhaps this is Manchester Mischief, Sleight of Land, Gate Expectations?
Oct 8, 2014, 10:14 am
#18
Moderator: UK and Ireland & Europe
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Biggleswade
Programs: SK*G, Lots of Blue Elsewhere
Posts: 13,611
Ringway Runaround?
Anyway, it's well known that this could be the case, hence the digital photo requirements. Seems to work at LHR And LGW.
At MAN however...
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co....atchdog-904196
This was when T3 was domestic, though.
Anyway, it's well known that this could be the case, hence the digital photo requirements. Seems to work at LHR And LGW.
At MAN however...
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co....atchdog-904196
This was when T3 was domestic, though.
Oct 9, 2014, 1:18 am
#20
Moderator: UK and Ireland & Europe
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Biggleswade
Programs: SK*G, Lots of Blue Elsewhere
Posts: 13,611
In theory, it is only accessible to the immigration officer (or boarding pass checker) and gate agent, and is destroyed once the flight has departed. In practice, I have little faith in the authorities in this country when it comes to data privacy.
Oct 10, 2014, 2:59 am
#23
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Anwhere ex-MAN
Programs: A3 *G, BA Silver
Posts: 2,706
Just back from an overnighter in Ireland via T1 and AerLingus.
Outbound was no problem. Minimal delay at security, with helpful security staff working that day. Once you navigate "Biza", the main terminal is good, with reasonable bars. The newly refurbed Apsire lounge is pretty good, with excellent views of the apron.
Out to the Gates. Not so nice in the old charter pier, with limited seating and space. Boarded by airbridge.
Return: Arrived back at T1, but needed a bus to avoid immigration. Delay for bus. 5 minutes on cramped bus waiting for "back door" to be opened, so we can go straight to baggage hall. An improvement on Dublin, as you still need your passport there to avoid immigration problems, annoying to wait on a bus.
No bags so can't report on that.
Final Point: I avoid any international flight out of T3 due to the passport desks - no auto gates and very long queues if you time it wrong. AA/KLM/AF - you're losing my business because of this!
Outbound was no problem. Minimal delay at security, with helpful security staff working that day. Once you navigate "Biza", the main terminal is good, with reasonable bars. The newly refurbed Apsire lounge is pretty good, with excellent views of the apron.
Out to the Gates. Not so nice in the old charter pier, with limited seating and space. Boarded by airbridge.
Return: Arrived back at T1, but needed a bus to avoid immigration. Delay for bus. 5 minutes on cramped bus waiting for "back door" to be opened, so we can go straight to baggage hall. An improvement on Dublin, as you still need your passport there to avoid immigration problems, annoying to wait on a bus.
No bags so can't report on that.
Final Point: I avoid any international flight out of T3 due to the passport desks - no auto gates and very long queues if you time it wrong. AA/KLM/AF - you're losing my business because of this!
Oct 12, 2014, 1:17 pm
#24
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: North West England/MAN - originally the Steel City
Programs: BA Exec Club, LH Miles & More, AF/KLM Flying Blue, Le Club Accorhotels, Tesco Clubcard
Posts: 362
On a similar but unrelated note, when I was passing through T1 a couple of weeks ago there was an AA jet parked at the T1 pier... I swear I saw this and am not going crazy... Has this happened before?
Oct 12, 2014, 4:00 pm
#25
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Anwhere ex-MAN
Programs: A3 *G, BA Silver
Posts: 2,706
Plenty of space and facilities at T2 - I am at a loss why AF/KLM want to be in T3.
AA/BA (and now US) I can understand as T3 was the BA terminal, when BA used to have a bigger presence and the whole of the lounge space upstairs. The terminal was not built to handle the volumes of PAX that they see now, especially the widebodies on the US runs.
AA/BA (and now US) I can understand as T3 was the BA terminal, when BA used to have a bigger presence and the whole of the lounge space upstairs. The terminal was not built to handle the volumes of PAX that they see now, especially the widebodies on the US runs.
Oct 13, 2014, 3:49 pm
#26
Ambassador: Emirates Airlines
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 18,613
Plenty of space and facilities at T2 - I am at a loss why AF/KLM want to be in T3.
AA/BA (and now US) I can understand as T3 was the BA terminal, when BA used to have a bigger presence and the whole of the lounge space upstairs. The terminal was not built to handle the volumes of PAX that they see now, especially the widebodies on the US runs.
AA/BA (and now US) I can understand as T3 was the BA terminal, when BA used to have a bigger presence and the whole of the lounge space upstairs. The terminal was not built to handle the volumes of PAX that they see now, especially the widebodies on the US runs.
Oct 13, 2014, 5:25 pm
#27
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 360
Probably AA55 which I believe normally goes from T3. As T3 and T1 are adjacent to each other are you sure it was not actually at T3?
Oct 14, 2014, 1:42 pm
#28
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: North West England/MAN - originally the Steel City
Programs: BA Exec Club, LH Miles & More, AF/KLM Flying Blue, Le Club Accorhotels, Tesco Clubcard
Posts: 362
I wish I had taken a picture but I was more engrossed in my Bloody Mary and getting the plug sockets in the lounge to work!
