Not strictly a Manchester issue, but a truly awful experience today from MAN-LHR. On a BAH to St. Lucia and bad enough that we have to travel via Gatwick, but there was a complete mess up with the handling of our bags at LHR on BA1365. It took approximately 90 minutes for our bags to arrive on the domestic carousels, meanwhile several domestic flights landed and their bags appeared. An announcement was made with an apology and apparently our bags had been taken to another carousel in international by accident and had to be collected and returned to domestic. We missed our connection (coach) as a result. You couldn't make this up!

to be fair it is only BA's first few days running an airline, you have to expect small teething issues like this for a new airline

We did MAN/LHR/LGW/UVF a week ago and the only problem was a late coach connection because of traffic. Weather here is glorious and you will find it worthwhile. Where are you staying.

At Hilton LGW tonight and off to Jade Mountain tomorrow, where are you staying?

Shame the MAN-LGW has not (yet?) returned.

Anse Chastanet, we leave on 12 November so we can meet up.

What a coincidence, yes, let�s do that 😊

No idea if someone already posted here, looks like pier 2 is now fully operational with the other side being used now

Hopefully the new UK arrivals will be done soon (realistically it won�t be until next year if we�re being honest)

Intriguing reply from Manchester Airport on a Facebook post

"Hi Stewart, a new domestic arrivals area is currently under construction at Manchester Airport, so buses will no longer be used for domestic arrivals once it opens. No date has been confirmed yet. Thank you."

Is this correct? My understanding was that the new domestic arrivals option would still involve buses but would be less of a wander through a warehouse than the previous option, or is their assumption that BA will move to the biometrics option at this point.

unless ba move gates to the B pier and there is some segregated arrivals corridor from there to arrivals i can't see how buses aren't involved? the low A gates are far to far away for any segregated corridor.

the only other way would be if BA change to use the biometric on arrival process.

I wonder if they're using the same apprenticeship model used for Government cabinet?

Has anyone gone into the C gates area to verify if it has biometric scanners installed for boarding? Or do we know if they are/are not? Otherwise I�ll take a look next week, if they do have them on it would be logical that they move domestic arrivals over there

Think the only biometrics are in the A pier (and the bussing gates, B)
Was in the C pier yesterday and saw none.

I'm still waiting to see how Easyjet, Emirates, Turkish etc. are going to work when they come across in the next week or two.
Can't see Emirates dropping from say 12 desks down to half that and /or using mostly kiosks.

BA dont have self bag drop desks so cant use kiosks at present. Still only one kiosk that the airport uses solely for testing that has BA capabilities.

The UK Arrivals bit, presently being built, is under the A/B check-in area, so the only direct access to that without a bus may be the D gates.

I wonder what the issue with BA is. IIRC they built self-service kiosks for them in T3 which stood there doing nothing for 12-18 months before the move to T2 happened.

Some airlines just don't like them and / or pay for a premium service.
Sometimes they work fine, others times check in issues, baggage, visas etc. require agents.
Tui, with 90% Uk or European passports can use kiosks as there are no major issues (maybe not Melbourne in Florida due to Estas etc. when they use desks only)
BA with many nationalities going to places with restrictions are a different kettle of fish.

I've seen Lufthansa for example requiring you to go through up to 15 pages of entering details to check in Vs. 30 secs or so on a desk, or 5 mins if you know roughly what you are doing on a kiosk.
Other times, a mobile BP scan prints a bag tag in seconds.

Menzies pay, or are paid for minimal agents anyway. At least one extra would be required to watch the kiosks on top of 2 minimum at the desks.

Said before, Aer Lingus for example, use kiosks, but after tagging bags, half the time you end up in the same queue as everyone else and still need some doc checks.

Gulf at present have about 6 desks. Not enough for the 2 business desks they want, say 3-4 online check in, and 2-3 for economy. It means that if you check in at home, and just want to drop a bag off, you're in the same queue as 170 people off to Islamabad or somewhere with trollies stacked with overweight bags and on 8 different bookings amongst their 10 family members who all want to sit together on a full flight and then request 4 wheelchairs at the end

QR seem to manage OK.