Lounge at Manchester T1 - Disgrace
LH currently use the Aspire Lounge at Manchester Airport T1 where all there flights depart/arrive from along with all Eurowings flights. In the last few years Manchester airport has become a real bear pit and using it to travel regularly for business has become a nightmare, the business lounge however is at another (lower) level altogether. Tickets are sold to access the lounge (I think for £15 but I may be wrong) effectively making the lounge an all you can drink and eat pub from dawn to dusk (and beyond) and my god do many of the people make sure they get their money's worth.
The lounge is always full with queues out of the door to get in, yes access is always granted with an LH business ticket or SEN card but that is a mixed blessing. I travel out of Manchester every week and last Monday afternoon was typical, the lounge was pretty full and almost all the tables (30-40) where piled high with dirty plates and glasses/beer bottles and half eaten food. The floors and carpets where awash with food and drink, as where the filthy chairs and sofas, genuinely it was disgusting. No clean glasses or cutlery where available should you have found anything to actually eat. I left the lounge immediately, along with several others, I complained to the guy on reception who apologized and said that many people have said the same in recent weeks but the lounge cannot get the staff to cope.
I will honestly say that this lounge is the worst I have ever seen in Europe. It is not an LH lounge but I assume they pay for for access and so therefore have the right to check the standard that is being offered to their premium passengers. In short, if you can I would advise to avoid Manchester airport in general and the aspire lounge at all costs.