I've also tended to find MAN security rather more officious than at LHR (or indeed than at most airports I use). My most recent episode involved a member of airport staff getting upset for me not stopping to listen to her speech about the need to put liquids in transparent plastic bags. When I excused myself the staff member immediately threatened to call a supervisor, which I thought was a little extreme (I was carrying no liquids or gels at all).

I've always suspected that part of the problem is lack of staff, with another being the series of incidents and investigative journalist stunts hat have played out there over the years. This year we have had the whole "unaccompanied minor clears security and boards plane to FCO with no documents" affair (see http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-passport.html for a slightly alarmist account). In recent years we have also had tabloid newspapers smuggling fake bombs airside and a UK documentary series (World in Action) devoting an entire episode to security failings at MAN, even sending journalists onto the airfield at night where they were able to board parked aircraft unchallenged.