Aug 23, 2021, 9:43 am
Last edit by: Prospero
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.
According to the airport, the following retail and food offerings are available in Terminal 3: World Duty Free, KFC, Lion & Antelope, Costa, WHSmith, Boots, The Nook, Kiosco and Pork & Pickle
Lounges:
The Escape Lounge in T3 is available for BA passengers. As with the previous arrangement at T3, we assume 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 19:45 each day except Saturdays when it will close at 17:30.
Gates:
Flights typically depart from from Gate 142 or 143.
Boarding is generally prioritised by Groups.
Arrivals:
Flights land at Terminal 3. Travelex and 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 at Terminal 3
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.
According to the airport, the following retail and food offerings are available in Terminal 3: World Duty Free, KFC, Lion & Antelope, Costa, WHSmith, Boots, The Nook, Kiosco and Pork & Pickle
Lounges:
The Escape Lounge in T3 is available for BA passengers. As with the previous arrangement at T3, we assume 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 19:45 each day except Saturdays when it will close at 17:30.
Gates:
Flights typically depart from from Gate 142 or 143.
Boarding is generally prioritised by Groups.
Arrivals:
Flights land at Terminal 3. Travelex and 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 at Terminal 3
BA experience at Manchester
Mar 19, 2024, 5:35 pm
#2041
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 295
Monday.
Zero traffic. So quiet, and so early, I had the minicab drop me at the car rental and walked in, depriving the robbing .......s of a drop off charge.
The good: large and jovial bod at the front of the Fast Track line holding back the other queue so that Fast Track was actually fast. Got an approving comment as I split my tiny carryon into the usual 73 trays in a stack on the floor before chucking them through. No stupid secondary. Lounge in decent order - Priority Pass being turned away. It has cheese. I’ll forgive a lounge a lot if it has cheese.
And see “the ugly” below for another…
The bad:
Some of the other passengers are absolutely bovine…a family blocking all the slots at one point, decently and quickly managed by aforementioned bod. Hen dos. You can tell from a distance if a family group at MAN isn’t British: if both parents are in shape and the kids are well behaved, they’re going home to eastern europe.
The ugly:
BA1403 put straight from “gate information at 1650” (come off it, it’s 142) to “final call” at approximately the time the aircraft taxied out at LHR. APU inop and long wait for whatever you do (jump leads? can of easy start?) about this at LHR.
There’s not very much of interest round there and only so much entertainment to be had from walking down to 150 and along the arrivals corridor & back…
MAN ground handling were on point, though and turnaround was impressively fast.
Zero traffic. So quiet, and so early, I had the minicab drop me at the car rental and walked in, depriving the robbing .......s of a drop off charge.
The good: large and jovial bod at the front of the Fast Track line holding back the other queue so that Fast Track was actually fast. Got an approving comment as I split my tiny carryon into the usual 73 trays in a stack on the floor before chucking them through. No stupid secondary. Lounge in decent order - Priority Pass being turned away. It has cheese. I’ll forgive a lounge a lot if it has cheese.
And see “the ugly” below for another…
The bad:
Some of the other passengers are absolutely bovine…a family blocking all the slots at one point, decently and quickly managed by aforementioned bod. Hen dos. You can tell from a distance if a family group at MAN isn’t British: if both parents are in shape and the kids are well behaved, they’re going home to eastern europe.
The ugly:
BA1403 put straight from “gate information at 1650” (come off it, it’s 142) to “final call” at approximately the time the aircraft taxied out at LHR. APU inop and long wait for whatever you do (jump leads? can of easy start?) about this at LHR.
There’s not very much of interest round there and only so much entertainment to be had from walking down to 150 and along the arrivals corridor & back…
MAN ground handling were on point, though and turnaround was impressively fast.
Mar 19, 2024, 9:39 pm
#2042
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Sheffield
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 417
Monday.
Zero traffic. So quiet, and so early, I had the minicab drop me at the car rental and walked in, depriving the robbing .......s of a drop off charge.
The good: large and jovial bod at the front of the Fast Track line holding back the other queue so that Fast Track was actually fast. Got an approving comment as I split my tiny carryon into the usual 73 trays in a stack on the floor before chucking them through. No stupid secondary. Lounge in decent order - Priority Pass being turned away. It has cheese. I’ll forgive a lounge a lot if it has cheese.
And see “the ugly” below for another…
The bad:
Some of the other passengers are absolutely bovine…a family blocking all the slots at one point, decently and quickly managed by aforementioned bod. Hen dos. You can tell from a distance if a family group at MAN isn’t British: if both parents are in shape and the kids are well behaved, they’re going home to eastern europe.
The ugly:
BA1403 put straight from “gate information at 1650” (come off it, it’s 142) to “final call” at approximately the time the aircraft taxied out at LHR. APU inop and long wait for whatever you do (jump leads? can of easy start?) about this at LHR.
There’s not very much of interest round there and only so much entertainment to be had from walking down to 150 and along the arrivals corridor & back…
MAN ground handling were on point, though and turnaround was impressively fast.
Zero traffic. So quiet, and so early, I had the minicab drop me at the car rental and walked in, depriving the robbing .......s of a drop off charge.
The good: large and jovial bod at the front of the Fast Track line holding back the other queue so that Fast Track was actually fast. Got an approving comment as I split my tiny carryon into the usual 73 trays in a stack on the floor before chucking them through. No stupid secondary. Lounge in decent order - Priority Pass being turned away. It has cheese. I’ll forgive a lounge a lot if it has cheese.
And see “the ugly” below for another…
The bad:
Some of the other passengers are absolutely bovine…a family blocking all the slots at one point, decently and quickly managed by aforementioned bod. Hen dos. You can tell from a distance if a family group at MAN isn’t British: if both parents are in shape and the kids are well behaved, they’re going home to eastern europe.
The ugly:
BA1403 put straight from “gate information at 1650” (come off it, it’s 142) to “final call” at approximately the time the aircraft taxied out at LHR. APU inop and long wait for whatever you do (jump leads? can of easy start?) about this at LHR.
There’s not very much of interest round there and only so much entertainment to be had from walking down to 150 and along the arrivals corridor & back…
MAN ground handling were on point, though and turnaround was impressively fast.
Security itself was actually ok. A gentleman and his son insisted on pushing past myself and my partner in the FT queue, we ultimately ended up at the loading area at the same time. The young chap pulled another tray up for his other belongings into my loading area, exclaiming "excuse me!", shoving the one tray I'd thus far managed to load onto a tilt against the side of the loading bay I was stood at.
I calmly, but firmly suggested he should wait until his current tray had been pushed forward, like we all have to do, as I now had no space to do anything. His dad somewhat sheepishly apologised on his behalf and even the security agent reminded them that it's one tray at a time at each loading station.
Saying "excuse me" is not a substitute for inconsiderate behaviour. I wouldn't have dared to behave in such a way as a child, my parents would have ensured I never forgot about it if I had.
Then onto the lounge. The screens displayed "go to gate", and remained that way for an uncomfortably long time. We saw the aircraft was on the ground and had been for a while, no delay showing... so we decided we'd best go down to be sure.
Met with PAs calling our names in the terminal, and a passive aggressive comment from one of the gate agents "Oh they're here, put their bags back on". Holds were closed, none had been taken off.
I pointed out that the screens just showed "go to gate", to which the reply was "well we're a silent airport, we have made several announcements"
I suggested the gate information could be slightly more accurate on the screens, which we were actively monitoring. There was no response to that.
Mar 20, 2024, 1:39 am
#2043
Join Date: May 2016
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold, Accor Gold
Posts: 1,431
On Sunday evening the departure board said 'Boarding' even though the slightly late inbound aircraft was still taxiing to the gate.
Even after finishing my cup of tea and a slow walk I arrived to see the first inbound pax heading up the jetbridge before a 20 minute wait.
Even after finishing my cup of tea and a slow walk I arrived to see the first inbound pax heading up the jetbridge before a 20 minute wait.
Mar 20, 2024, 5:16 am
#2044
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,994
the status seems to run on a predetermined schedule, as do the automated announcements you hear in the general terminal area.
tbh the best way to know what is happening is to see on FR24 when the aircraft gets on stand - boarding should start around 20 minutes later.
tbh the best way to know what is happening is to see on FR24 when the aircraft gets on stand - boarding should start around 20 minutes later.
Mar 20, 2024, 8:37 am
#2045
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Isle of Man
Programs: IHG Platinum Elite, BA Pleb
Posts: 347
Yeah, the flight status and the announcements you hear in the terminal are all automated. I don't fly BA much from MAN but I do fly Loganair from MAN on a relatively regular basis. On one occasion the system was flagging FINAL CALL for my flight back to the Isle of Man whilst the aircraft for this flight was still taxiing at Ronaldsway on the inbound journey. In fairness, normally it gets announced when the aircraft is above Southport on its inbound journey. Hmm.
Best one at security was my bag going to secondary because it had a Toblerone in it. Apparently this should have been placed in its own tray. The real problem at MAN is sharing a terminal with Ryanair.
Best one at security was my bag going to secondary because it had a Toblerone in it. Apparently this should have been placed in its own tray. The real problem at MAN is sharing a terminal with Ryanair.
Mar 20, 2024, 6:24 pm
#2046
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 295
Well I've submitted my complaint about handling of delays at MAN, phrased (hopefully) as helpful suggestions for improvement. Last time I complained I got back a response about an entirely different issue - so I look forward to an apology and 5000 avios for the live walrus in my checked baggage being delayed enroute DME-LHR.
Mar 20, 2024, 6:26 pm
#2047
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 295
Otherwise I'd have continued to help the lounge dispose of surplus cheese.
Mar 20, 2024, 6:29 pm
#2048
Join Date: May 2019
Location: FL390 or the iron way
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 1,678
I was watching FR24 obviously. My concern was that the BA/MAN combo made it likely they'd close the gate at the originally scheduled time regardless of whether there was an aircraft there to board.
Otherwise I'd have continued to help the lounge dispose of surplus cheese.
Otherwise I'd have continued to help the lounge dispose of surplus cheese.
So I've learned my lesson in that at MAN, "go to gate" does (generally speaking) mean what it says.
Mar 20, 2024, 6:29 pm
#2049
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,994
it's just not really possible to close the gate early like that at MAN. as you found, everyone is waiting on that corridor until boarding starts, and until everyone is boarded they can't close the gate.
Mar 20, 2024, 6:33 pm
#2050
Join Date: May 2019
Location: FL390 or the iron way
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 1,678
But on a lightly loaded flight, they may be able to fit everyone on just the jetbridge. So I would have said it is load dependent.
Mar 20, 2024, 6:46 pm
#2051
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,994
ok, well just to be clear they can't start boarding until everyone is off the inbound. so at best they could only start maybe 10 minutes after the inbound arrives, and realistically about 15-20 minutes after it arrives,
Mar 20, 2024, 7:21 pm
#2052
Join Date: May 2008
Programs: GGL
Posts: 269
Well I've submitted my complaint about handling of delays at MAN, phrased (hopefully) as helpful suggestions for improvement. Last time I complained I got back a response about an entirely different issue - so I look forward to an apology and 5000 avios for the live walrus in my checked baggage being delayed enroute DME-LHR.
Mar 25, 2024, 6:52 am
#2054
Join Date: Nov 2022
Programs: British Airways Executive Club - Silver, Nectar, Tesco
Posts: 1,007
Well I've submitted my complaint about handling of delays at MAN, phrased (hopefully) as helpful suggestions for improvement. Last time I complained I got back a response about an entirely different issue - so I look forward to an apology and 5000 avios for the live walrus in my checked baggage being delayed enroute DME-LHR.