ACARS

Yet another MAG passenger experience improvement. Thank you for the info KARFA.

ThatT1Feeling

Much as I hate to disagree with the esteemed KARFA , I’d like to point out that I used the old BA lounge toilets this morning. They look exactly as they used to and are very much available. Either that or I have done something for which I may need to apologise.

KARFA

Ah, that must be new. I last looked a few weeks ago.

Gastrocnemius

Much though I hate to disagree with CWS, at MAN you are equally likely to be shouted at passing through security for separating the items I have highlighted above!

My main gripe MAN security is that the "rules" change on an officer by officer basis. Perhaps that is their issue?

Crampedin13A

I thought I had gone through this terrible airport for the last time in March 2020. But now with the endless train disruptions unfortunately it has became the least worst option for me to get up from Heathrow. Not looking forward to my bookings through T3 again

Lumpster

Flew down from MAN with BA earlier today and am now sat at Heathrow T5 waiting for my onward connection. It’s the first time I’ve flown from Manchester in over 3 years and whilst this thread had set my expectations fairly low, the experience still underwhelmed. The check in area is terribly scruffy, security was a free for all (albeit Fastrack was very useful and definitely saved time), the lounge is a shadow of the former BA-run one and I can only describe boarding from the gate (gate 143 from memory) as carnage - I’m not sure how they expect ~150 people to queue for their flight in an orderly way in 9 different boarding groups in what is a fairly narrow corridor that has a dozen seats at most. Also there were 5 or 6 passengers needing a wheelchair to board, which further highlighted the chronic shortage of space.

interesting that there’s still no catering (I woke to an email and text warning me) and I got my £15 voucher at check in - it was a challenge to spend £15 on food in Manchester T3 TBH unless you are fond of eating 3 x Boots meal deals in one go….

ademanuele

This beggars belief, but I contacted Network Rail to ask for advice on what route passengers should take if connecting from Manchester Piccadilly to Manchester Airport. The response was "The Station manager has advised that all services will depart from Manchester Oxford Road. They will come through Piccadilly station but not stop." For those that know Manchester can you imagine the chaos that will ensue... I have responded to ask how passengers get to Manchester Oxford Road from Piccadilly (carrying suitcases)? I am not holding my breath. I guess the Manchester Metro Link is one option but takes a long time (an hour if I recall)...

xenole

I'm flying on the early BA flight next Friday, probably HBO though. First time with them out of MAN since pre-Covid (used NCL a lot or just drove to LHR if timings and/or prices sucked). Have been expecting a cancellation email, but nothing as of yet. Have given myself a decent layover time at LHR in case things go pear shaped although it's really to enjoy the T3 lounges before my AA connection.

Experiences of other airlines in T1 and T3 haven't been too bad to be honest.

Was going to fly down last night, but when I looked a ciuple of weeks ago, there were no flights after 3:50pm . Looked yesterday and 2 other evening flights had appeared for £300-£400 in economy, although plenty of far cheaper RFS availability.

MaxFlyer

So are the signs saying that there are no toilets here and the nearest toilets are by gate X no longer there?

I did think it was weird why MAN would close off the working toilets especially as cleaners are roaming the area and there’s no building work required.

MaxFlyer

I’m flying out of MAN on the 6:15am later this week. Does the T3 Escape lounge still only open at 5am? The Escape lounges in T1 and T2 open at 4am according to the MAN website.

If the lounge does open at 5am then it doesn’t leave much time to grab breakfast especially if there’s no CE catering on the flight.

KARFA

5am opening of lounge for a 6.15am flight? How long do you normally take for breakfast?

MaxFlyer

Im not a slow eater but don’t want to be scoffing my food down and the rushing to the gate, especially at MAN where the gate lounge is farcical.

KARFA

Well to my mind if you are in by 5am or not much after you have about 30 minutes to have breakfast and you could still get to the gate 15 minutes before boarding starts.

ThatT1Feeling

There were no signs of any type. I think as a normal passenger you wouldn’t have a clue that that door leads to toilets as there’s just the small original circle sign on the main entry door.

As I mentioned, once past that door it looks the same as it always did. I was actually surprised that they were open as usual especially as there’s no external signage.

squawk

I've had the 'pleasure' of departing from MAN a couple of times in recent months from Terminal 1 (Easyjet), the security area of which is frankly one of the most depressing areas of any airport I've had the joy of visiting - and I include Harare International in that, which the last time I was there had half of the lights turned off due to power shortages...

This is a very interesting and rather concerning backstory, though it does make me wonder why - if it keeps failing security audits - more effective management/processes haven't been brought in. Plenty of other airports in the UK seem to manage to provide security while delivering a far better experience to passengers...

Based on my so-far-limited experience with MAN, I would agree the most frustrating thing is the inconsistency which does seem to be at least partly down to the attitude of individual officers. On my second trip through, last month, my backpack was pulled for secondary - when the rather surly guy ruffled through it he was complaining that I had too many phone/computer cables. I did the terribly British thing of apologising, thinking this might mollify him.

Alas not: the response was to berate me for not having devices that were all USB-C because then 'you just need one cable'. Aside from not being entirely true, I thought it was rather presumptuous of him to tell me what devices I should use (particularly given that I have zero influence over my employer's choice of equipment).

It seemed that roughly half of people from all backgrounds (not just people with the typical 'oops I forgot my liquid'/'do lipsticks need to go into a plastic bag' crowd) were being caught up in secondary screening. Given this proportion of people who needed additional checks, the fact that there was only one security scanner operating in the first place - and only 2-3 people doing secondary screening - seemed a remarkable under provision. Indeed, while I was unloading into the tray, a supervisor said to one of the staff in that area that they would simultaneously need to 'manage' the head of the queue, because another staff member who was doing that was required elsewhere.

So it seems to be at least a combination of several factors:

• A much longer list of 'problematic' items, stemming in part perhaps from the failure of previous audits.
• Inconsistent staff
• Understaffing

I really miss NCL. The last time I passed through when I lived there, I actually sought out a supervisor to thank them for a consistently good experience during my 10+ years of passing through. I don't think I ever spent more than 15 minutes waiting - normally it was under 5 - and the staff were always friendly and helpful. I never saw them berating or being unhelpful to others, even people who were being very difficult.