PJSMITH0

On my flight last month we were dumped at T3. Left to get to 32KG bags back to T1 multi-storey. Next week I'm driving to LHR to save hassle of Manchester

KARFA

For MAN check in and security is still in T1.

BA have gone back to using their old T3 gate now, so you walk over there when airside, there is nothing open in T3 airside though.

When you arrive back it’s exit on to the jetbridge, down the stairs, and out of the normal domestic T3 baggage hall - just like pre covid. There is nothing open landside in T3 though so you have to go back to T1 for taxis etc.

ECR

That was nearly always my experience whenever I used priority pass for the Escape Lounge in MAN T3. They would say it was busy and there was no access for priority pass at the moment, even though you could see it wasn't and they would tell you to come back later, usually not too long before the gate would open for the flight. I think they just didn't want people in the lounge too long as they might eat or drink too much meaning less profit (or a loss) on whatever fee they got from priority pass.

I suspect they might have let you in straight away if you were paying an entry fee direct or had booked direct with the lounge.

Ryanardo_daVinci

I have an iPhone, I get boarding passes in Passbook from the BA app which have a gold background.

The check happens from approx 2m away, I hold it up as I get to the person guarding the retractable gate and they let me through without reading it.

It then gets scanned by the person at the desk behind them.


I fly out of Manchester about once every two weeks, I’ve never once been challenged.

navylad

Greeted with the ‘at capacity sign’ with the escape lounge this evening, but went in anyway, was asked if I was flying Emirates, said no BA and allowed in- on CE ticket bot Priority plus. Lounge appeared at around 70% capacity (there have an area barrier off which has been like that I think since lockdown easing- I’m really not sure why.

Aspire wasn’t open (or I would have gone in there). Food was nicer than it has been recently too.

ECR

Thank you that is very useful to know, as I'm flying out of Manchester again soon.

Although I'm Oneworld Emerald (=BA Gold) my boarding pass is on android so it doesn't show a colour in the background. It also doesn't even show OWE status on my mobile boarding pass. I'll give it a go with the Manchester security and see what they make of it - and allow for plenty of extra time as I expect they will send me to the very back of the non fast track queue.

endoman

I'd normally get the shuttle down from MAN to LHR prior to a long haul to the US. Have booked 3 trips for next year so far, all will originate at LHR as a lack of lounge and a security queue is not how I want to start a long trip. It's an hour more of a drive for us , but MAN has lost our business on several counts I'm afraid. I'll lose a few tier points, but we are shuffling via DUB for one trip so get them back there. Shame, as I loved the old BA lounge.

ademanuele

I feel same way, I have a few flights already booked and if situation at MAN does not improve then it will be either a drive to LHR or go with Qatar from Manchester.

S_W_S

Being basically equidistant between the two I've started using NCL where possible for domestic flights. Whilst there's no BA lounge there anymore, everyone I have encountered there has been nothing short of delightful. I'd rather give my money to an airport where staff are happy to see people and not make you feel like you're being a nuisance.

KeaneJohn

I love every aspect of Newcastle Airport. The staff, the security experience , fast luggage retrieval, the airport Metro Station and when it was there the BA lounge.

I’d inadvertently left a can of tonic in my bag as it went through security and it got pulled out for secondary screening. Lovely security lady said ahh pet I’m gonna have to take your pop off you unless you want to neck it now..

ThatT1Feeling

Reading this reminds me of my unwise decision to check a bag last week from MAN. One CE desk and 2 normal desks.

Long queue but no tensabarrier setup to allow a priority line for the CE desk so it was a choice of joining the normal queue or creating my own line (which I did in the end - and didn't get shouted at by anyone in the normal queue thankfully)

And.... nothing.... moved....

For 17 minutes, one family with multiple bags and presumably issues with paperwork for connection at LHR blocked the CE desk. After 15 minutes, one of the ET desks freed up, but it was the furthest one away from where i was standing and so one person from the now huge normal queue was able to go and get checked in.

Eventually I got to the CE desk, and had been there for maybe 10 seconds before the checkin person decided that the previous (17 min) passenger still needed to provide something else, so left the checkin desk to run after the other passenger.

It took a full 25 minutes for me (with no queue in front of me) to get to a position where I could check one bag, a process which took about 90 seconds.

Then they wonder why so many people try to take so much baggage on board.

If BA still had a station manager at MAN, then they would have managed the checkin queue and process properly and proactively. The MAN contract staff do their job to the standards set out for them I am sure, but don't have the customer at heart for any particular airline and probably don't have the remit to be proactive. I am sure it's the same at the lounge, which has the interests of their private operator at heart, not the interests of BA passengers.

Tobias-UK

It’s not entirely clear from your posts, were you eventually allowed access to the lounge on Saturday (30 Oct 21)?

The problem is not T1 or BA. I think the problem in MAN as a whole. QR uses the Aspire Lounge in T2, the security there is no better than T1 and queues in to the terminal sometimes stretch outside!

Personally I’d rather put up with the inadequacies of MAN than inconvenience myself with a drive or train down to Heathrow.

I regularly feedback to BA and MAN about the issues with the MAN proposition - including the ridiculous domestic arrival procedures.

BJ787

Had that the last few times we've been unfortunate enough to have to check in bags, it's been the 'Supervisor' that's been on the CE desk too so any issues in the other queue/any questions over documentation and they where just getting passed to the front of the club line. Last time we had a good 15-20 minutes stood going nowhere whilst he sorted out a group of Spanish passengers that had been passed over from the other queue who hadn't been ticketed by Iberia. When they finally did get sorted and left, the next passenger at the front of queue had the audacity to approach the desk and he shouted at them to stand back until he was ready. Farce all round.

RG1X

On the subject of the Escape Lounge... would the treatment be similar if you were flying BA, but used an Amex Platinum / Centurion to gain access to the lounge?

Tobias-UK

Amex doesn’t get you access to the Escape Lounges. In my experience contract airline passengers are being given priority over Priority Pass (and similar programs), I’ve seen several PP pax being told the lounge is full with BA/EK pax being admitted.