Aug 23, 2021, 9:43 am
Last edit by: Tobias-UK
BA at Manchester
MAN airport website for BA info (including security wait times): https://www.manchesterairport.co.uk/...itish-airways/
Terminal and check-in desks:
All BA flights depart and arrive at Terminal 3.
Departure:
Fast Track security is available, subject to usual BA rules. It works pretty well most of the time, but do check before you join the fast track lane if it's a single lane to avoid taking longer in fast track than in the normal lanes.
Lounges:
The Escape Lounge in T3 is available for BA passengers. As with the previous arrangement at T3, Escape will allow access along usual BA eligibility rules (class of travel and / or status), including 2 guests for GGL and Premier cardholders. The lounge is open from 04:00 and closes at 20:00 each day.
Gates:
Flights typically depart from from Gate 142 or 143.
Boarding is generally prioritised by Groups.
Arrivals:
Flights land at Terminal 3. WHSmith will be open in Terminal 3 Arrivals.
Flights tend to arrive at Gates 142 or 143, with an airbridge to the terminal. There is a flight of steps down to ground level once in the terminal.
Baggage collection is usually belt 13.
MAN airport website for BA info (including security wait times): https://www.manchesterairport.co.uk/...itish-airways/
Terminal and check-in desks:
All BA flights depart and arrive at Terminal 3.
Departure:
Fast Track security is available, subject to usual BA rules. It works pretty well most of the time, but do check before you join the fast track lane if it's a single lane to avoid taking longer in fast track than in the normal lanes.
Lounges:
The Escape Lounge in T3 is available for BA passengers. As with the previous arrangement at T3, Escape will allow access along usual BA eligibility rules (class of travel and / or status), including 2 guests for GGL and Premier cardholders. The lounge is open from 04:00 and closes at 20:00 each day.
Gates:
Flights typically depart from from Gate 142 or 143.
Boarding is generally prioritised by Groups.
Arrivals:
Flights land at Terminal 3. WHSmith will be open in Terminal 3 Arrivals.
Flights tend to arrive at Gates 142 or 143, with an airbridge to the terminal. There is a flight of steps down to ground level once in the terminal.
Baggage collection is usually belt 13.
BA experience at Manchester
Dec 20, 2021, 2:44 pm
#166
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 43,810
Dec 20, 2021, 2:49 pm
#168
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 43,810
I endure a 75-90 minute train journey on TPE coming from the better side of the Pennines just to get there. I think I need my head examined!
Dec 20, 2021, 4:10 pm
#169
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Sheffield
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 424
Dec 20, 2021, 4:18 pm
#170
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: London, Babylon-on-Thames
Programs: BAEC Blue (back to Earth)
Posts: 1,554
Surely all of this comes from the Head of Security at MAN. I had one yell at me for trying to drink the last of my confiscated forgotten water in case it was exploding water. No, really, he did say I could be trying to blow myself us as the dangerous plastic bottle went into a random bin. He also did say they did things the Manchester way which was better than DfT. That's the sort of thing that's come down from senior leaders. They don't care about the customer experience, there's a real fear, worry that hundreds will die. The fact that the rest of the planet is held to the same standard without the aggro doesn't even register. Perhaps they have a zero tolerance to missed items and one mistake means no rent and hungry kids?
Dec 20, 2021, 4:47 pm
#171
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold / Hilton Diamond / IHG Diamond Ambassador / Marriot Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 2,596
I flew in and out of MAN on the 6th November! I posted this on HFP while in the lounge. It is a ghastly airport!
”I am currently in the most depressing lounge, the only one available at Manchester airport, which is itself a dull, depressing and inefficient dump! The Escape lounge currently hosting all airlines including BA. Don’t get me wrong the food is actually quite good, but it’s a portrait in windowless beige, with some very 1970’s light fittings that scream “Margo Leadbetter” The staff should be in kaftans!
Just before 4pm and 2 passengers advised the can’t come in as this ghastly place is dedicated to Emirates long suffering customers from that time!
And don’t come here hoping to get pissed! Just served the smallest brandy ever and when I had the audacity to ask it to be topped up, received a withering Margo look! And it wasn’t.
As for Manchester airport! Arrival on BA is into the deserted, or should that be derelict T3, with departures from T1, a grubby area with the most awful security set up. To some extent the glacial pace of security is more to do with inept, inexperienced passengers, many of whom were visibly having to decant toiletries at the belts x ray points!
I haven’t been to Manchester Airport in decades and on today’s experience, won’t want to rush back
god I need a drink! 🙂”
”I am currently in the most depressing lounge, the only one available at Manchester airport, which is itself a dull, depressing and inefficient dump! The Escape lounge currently hosting all airlines including BA. Don’t get me wrong the food is actually quite good, but it’s a portrait in windowless beige, with some very 1970’s light fittings that scream “Margo Leadbetter” The staff should be in kaftans!
Just before 4pm and 2 passengers advised the can’t come in as this ghastly place is dedicated to Emirates long suffering customers from that time!
And don’t come here hoping to get pissed! Just served the smallest brandy ever and when I had the audacity to ask it to be topped up, received a withering Margo look! And it wasn’t.
As for Manchester airport! Arrival on BA is into the deserted, or should that be derelict T3, with departures from T1, a grubby area with the most awful security set up. To some extent the glacial pace of security is more to do with inept, inexperienced passengers, many of whom were visibly having to decant toiletries at the belts x ray points!
I haven’t been to Manchester Airport in decades and on today’s experience, won’t want to rush back
god I need a drink! 🙂”
Dec 20, 2021, 4:49 pm
#172
Join Date: Oct 2005
Programs: BA GGL & GfL, AA LTP, Marriott (sigh) Ambassador, Hilton Diamond, Accor Gold, Avis Preferred
Posts: 3,296
Dec 20, 2021, 4:51 pm
#173
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 65
In Feb I'm mixing it up a bit and flying from GLA for a change. (fingers firmly crossed that the trip still goes ahead)
Dec 20, 2021, 5:23 pm
#174
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: BAEC Silver, IHG Diamond
Posts: 7,864
Took me 5 mins tops at NCL in Aug/Sept. No secondary searches, friendly staff, and minimal queues.
Train fares were fairly cheap (up to half the price to London), and it's around £25 to park for the day, double at MAN.
Driving wise, 2h50 to NCL; 2H20 to MAN; 3H30 to LHR.
I just find a lot of flights from NCL are expensive, so easier just to go direct to London. Too many cancellations and retimings at present (on my third one for next month -12pm to 4:30 to 9:30, or thereabouts).
A checked bag did take close to 30 mins to appear after landing from LHR, so I won't be doing that again.
Haven't been near MAN since I caught Covid, possibly there, after an hour in an office.
Train fares were fairly cheap (up to half the price to London), and it's around £25 to park for the day, double at MAN.
Driving wise, 2h50 to NCL; 2H20 to MAN; 3H30 to LHR.
I just find a lot of flights from NCL are expensive, so easier just to go direct to London. Too many cancellations and retimings at present (on my third one for next month -12pm to 4:30 to 9:30, or thereabouts).
A checked bag did take close to 30 mins to appear after landing from LHR, so I won't be doing that again.
Haven't been near MAN since I caught Covid, possibly there, after an hour in an office.
Last edited by xenole; Dec 20, 2021 at 5:28 pm
Dec 21, 2021, 2:26 am
#175
Join Date: Jun 2019
Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR
Posts: 455
Even though Newcastle is an additional hours drive for me, I always prefer using NCL over MAN as its a much more pleasant experience. All the staff that I've ever interacted with have been polite and friendly and I've gone from car park to airside in a few minutes.
In Feb I'm mixing it up a bit and flying from GLA for a change. (fingers firmly crossed that the trip still goes ahead)
In Feb I'm mixing it up a bit and flying from GLA for a change. (fingers firmly crossed that the trip still goes ahead)
3rd party lounge decent and general airport experience very good. The gate staff were good and Group 1s were managed properly during boarding, I think they may have been actual BA employees which seems unusual these days.
Dec 21, 2021, 4:57 am
#176
Join Date: May 2016
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold, Accor Gold
Posts: 1,518
I used to (pre-Covid) go up to Manchester once a month to meet some mates, have a few hours of Squash on a Saturday afternoon followed by a night out.
Manchester security decided my squash racquet was a dangerous weapon and confiscated it (LHR didn't view it as such on the way up there) so ever since it's been the train for me. They make up rules as they go, and then are very unpleasant and confrontational when you question their latest made-up rule.
MAG are a disaster and any airport owned by then is best avoided.
Manchester security decided my squash racquet was a dangerous weapon and confiscated it (LHR didn't view it as such on the way up there) so ever since it's been the train for me. They make up rules as they go, and then are very unpleasant and confrontational when you question their latest made-up rule.
MAG are a disaster and any airport owned by then is best avoided.
Dec 21, 2021, 5:33 am
#177
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 588
Security once had a pop at me in T3 when my bag was pulled aside for screening ahead of the last shuttle of the night to Gatwick - I remember it being very quiet so I think they were making an extra effort to be next level awkward.
They were adamant I had a pot of gel in my bag, I didn't, they just kept pointing at the same thing on the screen saying yes you have, that's a pot of gel. Before I even had a chance to say what it was my bag was unpacked in the tray and sure enough they had my pot of gel... it was a camera lens, a small fisheye one so only about an inch deep. It was my fault it was picked up because I didn't get it out to be screened separately despite there being no reason for me to do so. I'm sure there are some there that won't be happy until every person has their belongings spread across a dozen trays.
Noticed the last few times we've gone through T1 they have some large signs on the wall now with some more made up rules, one being that you have to remove anything electrical that's longer than 20cm from your bag. I feel for the person that turns up when they're having an off day thinking their electric toothbrush is fine where it is.
I long for the day when I get to see BA1344/1345 to God's Own County back on a boarding pass.
They were adamant I had a pot of gel in my bag, I didn't, they just kept pointing at the same thing on the screen saying yes you have, that's a pot of gel. Before I even had a chance to say what it was my bag was unpacked in the tray and sure enough they had my pot of gel... it was a camera lens, a small fisheye one so only about an inch deep. It was my fault it was picked up because I didn't get it out to be screened separately despite there being no reason for me to do so. I'm sure there are some there that won't be happy until every person has their belongings spread across a dozen trays.
Noticed the last few times we've gone through T1 they have some large signs on the wall now with some more made up rules, one being that you have to remove anything electrical that's longer than 20cm from your bag. I feel for the person that turns up when they're having an off day thinking their electric toothbrush is fine where it is.
I long for the day when I get to see BA1344/1345 to God's Own County back on a boarding pass.
Dec 21, 2021, 6:27 am
#178
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: York, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold, Honors Diamond
Posts: 1,204
After LBA was suspended where possible I either take the train to London, or fly from NCL, it's a much nicer experience than MAN. Sadly I've yet to sample the Aspire lounge as it was still closed in May and July, and a few weeks ago closed before my flight left on the Saturday.
Like the previous poster I long for the return of LBA though.
Dec 21, 2021, 7:19 am
#180
Join Date: Mar 2020
Programs: British Airways GGL/CCR, Hilton Diamond & Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,655