MAN see themselves as a connecting hub, except that's not the case with no based network carrier. They even set up T3 this way and left it like that when it was mainly Ryanair, who don't touch connections. This could be solved overnight allowing a seamless and much improved arrivals process for every easyJet, BA and Loganair domestic passenger as you suggest, but MAN have a big ego on this one, even though almost no one is using "international connections" to fly Jet2, Tui, easyJet, Emirates, Qatar, Etihad etc etc. The only real options would be Virgin and Aer Lingus UK who are closing down. Even Singapore's US flights were stopped. Time to revisit the pretentious ambitions and focus on the bread and butter?

It's facial recognition image capture of you and your kids, it needs to be legally watertight before you start sharing willy-nilly. It needs to work within the framework of the current law, ISTBC but it's strict.

Well no, as then you can't fly at all. T5 airside is a transit lounge, in order to prevent mandated passports and UK Border processing for domestic flying, they use biometrics, no biometrics, no domestic flight.

If indeed a business case was devised to shave a bit off the capital budget, it was clearly a flawed decision. The ongoing revenue consequences of bussing all domestic arrivals for perpetuity v them walking themselves to the baggage belt as they did in T3 are significant. Not to mention the significant worsening of customer experience….

56,000 is less than one A320 per day using connections and I imagine some of that would be domestic to international and so no need for the biometrics at all. This could all be fixed.

First flight from LHR to MAN this year because I had a meeting at The Raddison. I�ve been using the trains for other trips. It�s not really improved has it?

20 minutes from the end of the runway to the gate because four other aircraft were pushing back from the AA Gates and we had to wait. Then 20 minutes for the air bridge and a 15 minute bus ride round the apron and a five minute wait whilst another bus disgorged its passengers.

Still bizarrr; but not as bizarre as the Fast Track experience on the return trip where they just merge you into the normal queue. Only in Manchester!

I really enjoy Mark's fleet update videos and he has just published a video about the MAN arrivals experience. I know he sometimes comes on here although not sure if he posts.
For someone like me who (very fortunately!) isn't having to put up with this it is an eye-opener...

A very factual and non-emotional expose IMHO.

I fly LHR-MAN on a regular basis, you really couldn't make this up, is truly an awful experience. Shame on both BA and MAG for allowing this to happen.

I keep asking the same question... why do you (and others) still choose to fly domestic to MAN if it's that awful? You've complained on here for years about T3 and T2, but continue to pay good money. I just don't get it

The BA warning email about the arrival experience at MAN appears to have been tweaked since I last travelled that way a few weeks back. There is now an estimate of how long it may take from the Gate to baggage hall though I note it doesn�t warn that you might have a similar time from touchdown to the gate. Appreciate it may have been around a while but it�s the first time I�ve seen it.

�We�re looking forward to flying you to Manchester.

We want to make sure you�re aware that your experience arriving into the terminal building will be different from what you�d normally expect. Manchester Airport is undergoing a major �1bn investment programme. British Airways now operates from the new Terminal 2. While work to upgrade Departures is complete, work is now underway on the Arrivals section of the terminal, which will affect your arrival. We�ll need you to bear with us.

Your aircraft will park away from the terminal building, and customers will be taken by bus to the terminal. Disembarkation will require the use of stairs. If you need extra assistance, please let us know now and no later than 48 hours before departure � at ba.com/managemybooking.

From your aircraft arrival at the gate to reaching the baggage hall may take approximately 20 minutes, so please allow extra time when arranging onward travel. This temporary arrival process will remain in place until works are completed.

We�re looking forward to offering you the full experience at our home terminal in Manchester in due course.

Thank you for your understanding.

Warm regards

British Airways�

I cannot answer on behalf of that poster but for me
1) I commute to an office that is literally on the doorstep of LHR. I MUCH prefer the train although it is often impractical.
2) there is no domestic air competition
3) One way peak hour trains on Avanti for Standard Class are around GBP180 from Manchester Piccadilly - Euston.

I guess for most that fly BA to MAN, they will be connecting on from other BA/non BA flights at LHR so left with the option of A) sucking up the dreadful BA experience or B) dragging their bags on the tube to Central London to then board a train.

Seconded (apart from the commute as I don�t have that)

So, it’s all the fault of the airline according to Manchester Airport. I made a complaint and their response is below:

”I was sorry to read of your experience as detailed in your correspondence. I can however advise that the disembarkation process and facilitation of passengers' entry in to the Terminal Building remains the sole are of responsibility of the airline - or their contracted Ground Handling Agent (GHA). For any concerns or complaints relating to this area, we would advise passengers to contact their airline directly.To offer some further clarification in respect of the present situation, due to a number of flights now having moved from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 has led to a situations whereby domestic and Common Travel Area passengers are disembarking the same space. UK Border Force have therefore implemented the requirement for a security sweep of the area following alternating flights of domestic and CTA passengers. Though as previously advised the process for managing the transferring of passengers from the aircraft, and in to the terminal building remains within the airlines direct responsibility and area of operations. Therefore likewise as previously advised, whenever passengers experience any issues within this area, we would direct them to contact their airline, who remain responsible for investigating the matter - and if necessary the airline would I expect progress the complaint with any third party service provider as appropriate. Whilst we will continue to monitor the situation, and of course play an important role in a long term resolution, we are unable to assist in respect of this matter at this present moment.“

What a pathetic, confusing, poorly constructed and disingenuous response.

Do CTA arrivals use the same domestic baggage belts on arrival, I thought they were sent via the international baggage hall? If CTA are using the international baggage hall, their UKBF reference makes no sense.

I flew in from DUB yesterday morning on EI with checked bags and they were on Belt 8 in the international arrivals baggage hall.

I hope you forward this to BA for them to resolve 😉🤣

So - MAG failing to incorporate a domestic arrivals facility into T2 is the "sole responsibility of the airline"?! I too would love to hear BA's take on this.

But in respect of MAN, going forward I expect to take one BA long-haul trip per year to one of the many destinations not (or no longer) served directly from MAN, and the rest of my travel will be on VS, the LCCs, and hopefully IB if the MAN-MAD service remains in operation during the summer months (it's not looking promising for the winter season). This is mainly driven by the awful LHR arrivals experience connecting to a domestic (the train just isn't practicable with the amount of luggage we take on a long-haul trip), but the new MAN arrivals process is the final nail in the coffin.

My MAN-LHR-NAS flight in April has been replaced by MAN-ATL-NAS on VS/DL, which will give me Virgin gold due to the current status match, and I can't see myself having much incentive to requalify for BAC status in 2027.