Manchester Connection Question
Jun 22, 2015, 5:27 pm
#32
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A final update. The way back was far less painful. That Notwithstanding I would NOT recommend Airside transit if avoidable.
AMS airport is a mess compared to prior experiences. Priority check in was empty and all was well till I noticed the bag was checked to MAN and not ATL. With the KLM agent telling me it was not on the same ticket and hence it "was not possible to thru check it". She then complained how so many were the same way expecting to change the rules. I pulled up the ticket and itinerary showed it was the same ticket and itinerary. She then blamed Delta and tried to be difficult. I held my ground and after a supervisor intervened I was on my way thru security with a bag checked to ATL. I LOVE this airport and the duty free. This was not accessible due to construction. It was not a fun experience. The 7:55am KLM departure was on time and the crew was wonderful.
Arrival MAN - Dread...
Only 2 people off the KLM flight onto the transit bus. Good sign! Driver said they were waiting for more. They never appeared. At the flight connection center there was a small line but the team on Thursday was far more proactive and the line moved quickly.
In less then 30 mins we were enroute to the rather spartan lounge the Virgin uses. This Escapes lounge made the other look magnificent!
Short while later on board VS 109 with less then 1/2 of business class occupied.
Flight arrived 20 mins early. VS flight was less then 175 passengers.
I question how successful this route will be for VS.
MAN airport was slightly redeemed
AMS is avoided until construction is done.
AMS airport is a mess compared to prior experiences. Priority check in was empty and all was well till I noticed the bag was checked to MAN and not ATL. With the KLM agent telling me it was not on the same ticket and hence it "was not possible to thru check it". She then complained how so many were the same way expecting to change the rules. I pulled up the ticket and itinerary showed it was the same ticket and itinerary. She then blamed Delta and tried to be difficult. I held my ground and after a supervisor intervened I was on my way thru security with a bag checked to ATL. I LOVE this airport and the duty free. This was not accessible due to construction. It was not a fun experience. The 7:55am KLM departure was on time and the crew was wonderful.
Arrival MAN - Dread...
Only 2 people off the KLM flight onto the transit bus. Good sign! Driver said they were waiting for more. They never appeared. At the flight connection center there was a small line but the team on Thursday was far more proactive and the line moved quickly.
In less then 30 mins we were enroute to the rather spartan lounge the Virgin uses. This Escapes lounge made the other look magnificent!
Short while later on board VS 109 with less then 1/2 of business class occupied.
Flight arrived 20 mins early. VS flight was less then 175 passengers.
I question how successful this route will be for VS.
MAN airport was slightly redeemed
AMS is avoided until construction is done.
Last edited by acvitale; Jun 22, 2015 at 6:12 pm
Jun 23, 2015, 3:34 am
#33
Ambassador: Emirates Airlines
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 18,597
Hopefully it will start to pick up again now it's on an A330.
Jun 23, 2015, 2:35 pm
#34
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: NW England
Posts: 2
Acvitale, sorry to hear about you poor Manchester experience. Manchester is my home airport and sadly it's declined in my opinion over past years as I find it inefficient in several ways from long security Q's to delays with air bridges on landing. T2 in particular is a poor experience. Big shopping area and little else in the way of food and drink. The lounges are small and cramped and often full. In fact my first FT post (after several years of being one of those stalker types) was going to be about a recent bad MAN experience but I am unsure which forum to post in, directions appreciated.
Jun 23, 2015, 2:42 pm
#35
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Anwhere ex-MAN
Programs: A3 *G, BA Silver
Posts: 2,706
Acvitale, sorry to hear about you poor Manchester experience. Manchester is my home airport and sadly it's declined in my opinion over past years as I find it inefficient in several ways from long security Q's to delays with air bridges on landing. T2 in particular is a poor experience. Big shopping area and little else in the way of food and drink. The lounges are small and cramped and often full. In fact my first FT post (after several years of being one of those stalker types) was going to be about a recent bad MAN experience but I am unsure which forum to post in, directions appreciated.
To moan about MAN, you can stick it in this forum, unless it's related to a specific airline, where it may be better with the airline forum.
The mods can always move it, if necessary.
Jun 23, 2015, 2:43 pm
#36
Moderator: UK and Ireland & Europe
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Biggleswade
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Posts: 13,611
If it's about the airport and ground handling, then you're in the right place. If it's something more in the airline's hands, that would tend to go in the airline forum.
stut
Moderator
UK & Ireland
stut
Moderator
UK & Ireland
Jun 23, 2015, 3:33 pm
#39
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My take on MAN is that the airport is probably wonderful for O/D as long as the lounges are understood to be subpar and the T3 gate area is a bit like a dungeon.
As for connections thru MAN it was a cheap J class award ticket and now I understand why.
I would recommend thru check bags and exit thru Customs and reclearing as being imperative on a flight with many transfer pax. (ie outbound). The return was far more pleasant with both better skilled personnel working and far fewer pax transferring.
As for VS. It was operated by a DL 752 originally, then upgraded to a B763. VS operates with An A333 and that seems to be a bit much for this route. With low fuel prices it might last but, if JetA goes back where it was this route won't last.
As for connections thru MAN it was a cheap J class award ticket and now I understand why.
I would recommend thru check bags and exit thru Customs and reclearing as being imperative on a flight with many transfer pax. (ie outbound). The return was far more pleasant with both better skilled personnel working and far fewer pax transferring.
As for VS. It was operated by a DL 752 originally, then upgraded to a B763. VS operates with An A333 and that seems to be a bit much for this route. With low fuel prices it might last but, if JetA goes back where it was this route won't last.
Jun 28, 2015, 5:04 am
#41
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: CHA, MAN;
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Wikipedia gives the range of the 757-200 as 4400 so it is just in range for MAN-ATL but so close so many diverts with strong headwinds etc and others the 767 was always a better choice. I repeat, I have flown the route for years and never ever had a 757.
Last edited by GRALISTAIR; Jun 28, 2015 at 5:18 am
Jun 30, 2015, 9:46 am
#42
Ambassador: Emirates Airlines
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 18,597
Not true - I have taken these flight for 15 years. It has never been a 757. DL used to operate DL64/65 ATL-MAN-ATL and they were 767s. For a short while in summer they went to an A330. VS have now taken over the route and operate as VS109/110 and use A330s.
Wikipedia gives the range of the 757-200 as 4400 so it is just in range for MAN-ATL but so close so many diverts with strong headwinds etc and others the 767 was always a better choice. I repeat, I have flown the route for years and never ever had a 757.
Wikipedia gives the range of the 757-200 as 4400 so it is just in range for MAN-ATL but so close so many diverts with strong headwinds etc and others the 767 was always a better choice. I repeat, I have flown the route for years and never ever had a 757.
The big revamp of MAN starts next year - so hopefully things will improve over the next few years.
Sep 24, 2015, 4:03 pm
#43
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 203
I wish I read this thread a week ago!
I was returning home on an award ticket from SIN (SQ) via MAN to EWR(UA). I asked to have my bag checked through to EWR . The SQ agent said she was able to do it but told me I would have to go through immigration in MAN and collect my bag and recheck it. My luggage ticket said EWR so I was a little bit confused.
I arrived at T 2 and saw a sign for transfer passengers. I stopped at the counter next to it and tried to clarify whether I really needed to go through immigration and collect the bags and rechecked them. I was told that since that's what I was told by SQ before go ahead and do that.
There was a long line waiting at the immigration .I waited a bit but since I had 80 min. to transfer I could not see myself making the flight.
I went back to the transfers and after following the signs found the transfer shuttle to the Flight transfer center/security. The driver was really helpful and explained to me what to do. After getting off the shuttle I cleared the security quickly and stopped at the Flight transfer desk to find out where my luggage was. The first agent had me call the airline number to no avail, the second agent reissued my BP with updated gate info and told me bag was not showing up in her system but to check with the gate.
Took the shuttle back to T2 and went to the gate. Arrived just at boarding time. The UA staff quickly verified that my bag was being loaded on the flight. I had to answer some standard security question from MAN airport staff (did you pack your bag etc) .
On a positive note my bag was among the first off in EWR.
However I am still a bit baffled about the process.
I was returning home on an award ticket from SIN (SQ) via MAN to EWR(UA). I asked to have my bag checked through to EWR . The SQ agent said she was able to do it but told me I would have to go through immigration in MAN and collect my bag and recheck it. My luggage ticket said EWR so I was a little bit confused.
I arrived at T 2 and saw a sign for transfer passengers. I stopped at the counter next to it and tried to clarify whether I really needed to go through immigration and collect the bags and rechecked them. I was told that since that's what I was told by SQ before go ahead and do that.
There was a long line waiting at the immigration .I waited a bit but since I had 80 min. to transfer I could not see myself making the flight.
I went back to the transfers and after following the signs found the transfer shuttle to the Flight transfer center/security. The driver was really helpful and explained to me what to do. After getting off the shuttle I cleared the security quickly and stopped at the Flight transfer desk to find out where my luggage was. The first agent had me call the airline number to no avail, the second agent reissued my BP with updated gate info and told me bag was not showing up in her system but to check with the gate.
Took the shuttle back to T2 and went to the gate. Arrived just at boarding time. The UA staff quickly verified that my bag was being loaded on the flight. I had to answer some standard security question from MAN airport staff (did you pack your bag etc) .
On a positive note my bag was among the first off in EWR.
However I am still a bit baffled about the process.
Sep 24, 2015, 4:53 pm
#44
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: London
Posts: 17,007
I wish I read this thread a week ago!
I was returning home on an award ticket from SIN (SQ) via MAN to EWR(UA). I asked to have my bag checked through to EWR . The SQ agent said she was able to do it but told me I would have to go through immigration in MAN and collect my bag and recheck it. My luggage ticket said EWR so I was a little bit confused.
I was returning home on an award ticket from SIN (SQ) via MAN to EWR(UA). I asked to have my bag checked through to EWR . The SQ agent said she was able to do it but told me I would have to go through immigration in MAN and collect my bag and recheck it. My luggage ticket said EWR so I was a little bit confused.
The handling agent or computer saw the bag was through-checked, stored it instead of putting it on a belt, and eventually delivered it to the next aircraft.
Moreover, in Europe (excluding Scandinavia), if your bag is checked to the final destination, then that is where you collect it, even if it goes to a domestic carousel. There's no "pick up and drop".
