Oh the joys of Manchester security....
Jan 3, 2019, 1:52 am
#16
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: South Yorkshire, UK
Programs: A3*G, LH FTL, VS Red, Avis Preferred, Hertz President's Circle, (RIP Diamond Club)
Posts: 2,364
Jan 3, 2019, 4:20 am
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: where lions are led by donkeys...
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Mar 17, 2019, 10:04 am
#18
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: London UK
Programs: BAEC Silver,, Oman Air Gold
Posts: 747
I had remembered this thread so decided to check in my bag given the horror stories I had read here and elsewhere. When I got to check in I was asked - strangely I thought as there is only one flight a week to LCY - what time my flight was at? I duly obliged by telling the agent 13:30 who said I was one minute away from cut off, presumably for bags.
With a sigh of relief and a boarding card in a sweaty hand that said gate 44 I went off to security. Fast track was fine and normal security was only a little busier but when I was waiting to collect my bag I was horrified to see 15 trays with bags selected for secondary searches with just two security officers working through them at a slow pace and I was so thankful when mine and my bf’s cane through ok.
There was only time for a quick orange juice in the lounge before heading to gate 44. But when we arrived at gate 44 a bit after 13:00 I noticed there was no one there. I didn’t worry thinking that the flight was going to be light (there hadn’t been many coming up on Friday) but by 13:12 I started to worry as no BA staff had arrived. I searched out a monitor board about 5 mins away and to my horror it said gate 144. I checked my boarding card again which said 44 and we started heading quickly for the new gate.
“Here they come now” was what we heard when we arrived and I pointed out the discrepancy on the boarding card “yes that happens sometimes” was the unbelievable answer I received.
But we made the flight which is what mattered as I’m off to IST tomorrow...
With a sigh of relief and a boarding card in a sweaty hand that said gate 44 I went off to security. Fast track was fine and normal security was only a little busier but when I was waiting to collect my bag I was horrified to see 15 trays with bags selected for secondary searches with just two security officers working through them at a slow pace and I was so thankful when mine and my bf’s cane through ok.
There was only time for a quick orange juice in the lounge before heading to gate 44. But when we arrived at gate 44 a bit after 13:00 I noticed there was no one there. I didn’t worry thinking that the flight was going to be light (there hadn’t been many coming up on Friday) but by 13:12 I started to worry as no BA staff had arrived. I searched out a monitor board about 5 mins away and to my horror it said gate 144. I checked my boarding card again which said 44 and we started heading quickly for the new gate.
“Here they come now” was what we heard when we arrived and I pointed out the discrepancy on the boarding card “yes that happens sometimes” was the unbelievable answer I received.
But we made the flight which is what mattered as I’m off to IST tomorrow...
Mar 19, 2019, 3:49 pm
#19
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Middle of Nowhere
Programs: Lowly BAEC Bronze, VS, IHG Platinum, HHonors Gold, Hotels.com Gold
Posts: 231
I have been a frequent and vocal critic of MAN, but I've had 4 recent good experiences through T3 this month. Have they turned a page in 2019?
Mar 21, 2019, 2:03 pm
#20
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Scotland
Programs: BA Silver, Hilton Diamond, BD Blue (RIP)
Posts: 1,984
Possibly. I(t's been better so far this year. Whether that's because something has changed or just because things are a lot quieter in March than August remains to be seen.
Apr 8, 2019, 2:13 am
#21
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: London, ARN, HEL, ..... or MAN
Programs: BA GGL / GFL, Mucci Diamond!, HH Diamond, Radisson Premium, IHG Gold, Hertz Gold
Posts: 5,898
I don't think they've turned a corner at all. I travel through MAN T3 every week at the moment and the security layout is just abysmal.
There seem to be three separate routes to the scanners and you never know which of the routes will be open when. Fast track supposedly has a dedicated line but then it becomes non-dedicated just as you get to the conveyor. There are some shining lights, but most of the staff are just sloooow and uninterested.
I've had some reasonable experiences but even when there is just two or three people in the fast track line, it can take ages to get to the conveyor because the scanner throughput is just soooooo slow. I do get worried if I am on the last flight of the evening to LHR!
There seem to be three separate routes to the scanners and you never know which of the routes will be open when. Fast track supposedly has a dedicated line but then it becomes non-dedicated just as you get to the conveyor. There are some shining lights, but most of the staff are just sloooow and uninterested.
I've had some reasonable experiences but even when there is just two or three people in the fast track line, it can take ages to get to the conveyor because the scanner throughput is just soooooo slow. I do get worried if I am on the last flight of the evening to LHR!
Apr 8, 2019, 4:05 am
#22
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: BAEC Gold, IHG Spire Elite
Posts: 289
This got a little discussion yesterday on the BAEC board: MAN airport security disaster
When I see slowdowns in security at airports like LCY it's when folks unpack their x-ray trays very slowly, without taking them away from the conveyor. This causes the queue to back up, because the trays are unpacked much slower than they're scanned.
At MAN last night I saw a second, even worse dysfunction: Because so many trays were diverted to secondary screening, the X-Ray machine was backed up, and every single passenger felt it: Not just the folks waiting to be told off for their water bottle or ipad, but everyone: because no trays could get through until more bags were inspected.
I was in the FT queue and thankfully got through in under 30 minutes. 20+ of which was spent standing in exactly the same spot just like everyone else, waiting for bags to receive the rubber gloved tut tut.
When I see slowdowns in security at airports like LCY it's when folks unpack their x-ray trays very slowly, without taking them away from the conveyor. This causes the queue to back up, because the trays are unpacked much slower than they're scanned.
At MAN last night I saw a second, even worse dysfunction: Because so many trays were diverted to secondary screening, the X-Ray machine was backed up, and every single passenger felt it: Not just the folks waiting to be told off for their water bottle or ipad, but everyone: because no trays could get through until more bags were inspected.
I was in the FT queue and thankfully got through in under 30 minutes. 20+ of which was spent standing in exactly the same spot just like everyone else, waiting for bags to receive the rubber gloved tut tut.
Apr 8, 2019, 3:45 pm
#23
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: MAN
Programs: None anymore
Posts: 220
What anyone unfamiliar with MAN may not realise is that when the line of rejected bags starts to back up, security staff remove the bags from the rejected line and put them onto wheeled trolleys which are then queued up behind the secondary screening station. There might be 10-15 of these trolleys per lane all with a bag each on them and the bags coming from the x-ray. If the x-ray is blocked the actual number of rejected bags waiting for secondary screening is probably something like 20-25. It's ridiculous. Very easy to lose 30 minutes or more if you lose the secondary screening lottery.
I haven't managed to get to the lounge on my last few trips thanks to the delays at security. On a very good day, one can be through the fast track in 2 minutes - but those have been few and far between lately. Flying on Wednesday, not looking forward to it.
Apr 10, 2019, 2:29 am
#24
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: MAN
Programs: None anymore
Posts: 220
Live report from MAN T3
I have just come through T3 fast track and made the following observations:
Time from entering the fast track queue to collecting first bag from the x-ray = 36 minutes
1 bag rejected for secondary screening. There were 13 bags ahead of mine waiting for screening.
When the screeners got to my bag it turned out that for whatever reason it had not been x-rayed so had to go though again. Total time from entering fast track queue to retrieving last bag was 46 minutes.
Whilst I waited, I used the time productively to check how long it took for people to go through the regular security lane. Based on a sample of people wearing very distinctive clothing, the average time was 8 minutes.
No time to go to the lounge this morning, straight to the gate. Even though it became obvious very quickly that fast track was slower than the regular line, I stuck it out as a service to my FT friends. Now on board BA1389.
This has been 12939 for FlyerTalk at Manchester T3.
Time from entering the fast track queue to collecting first bag from the x-ray = 36 minutes
1 bag rejected for secondary screening. There were 13 bags ahead of mine waiting for screening.
When the screeners got to my bag it turned out that for whatever reason it had not been x-rayed so had to go though again. Total time from entering fast track queue to retrieving last bag was 46 minutes.
Whilst I waited, I used the time productively to check how long it took for people to go through the regular security lane. Based on a sample of people wearing very distinctive clothing, the average time was 8 minutes.
No time to go to the lounge this morning, straight to the gate. Even though it became obvious very quickly that fast track was slower than the regular line, I stuck it out as a service to my FT friends. Now on board BA1389.
This has been 12939 for FlyerTalk at Manchester T3.
Apr 19, 2019, 10:45 pm
#25
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: UK, Peak District near MAN
Programs: BA- blue, BD,DL
Posts: 2,027
Live report #2
easter Saturday.
Arrived at T3 M&G 04.50
entered normal security 05.00
left security 05.10.
No queue to to speak of so only hold up was me retrieving liquids and electrical as from my bag.
I was expecting it to be rammed as it has been early Saturdays in the past. Perhaps as it’s Easter it’s quieter. The staff were fairly pleasant too.
easter Saturday.
Arrived at T3 M&G 04.50
entered normal security 05.00
left security 05.10.
No queue to to speak of so only hold up was me retrieving liquids and electrical as from my bag.
I was expecting it to be rammed as it has been early Saturdays in the past. Perhaps as it’s Easter it’s quieter. The staff were fairly pleasant too.
Jun 18, 2019, 11:11 am
#27
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: London
Programs: Many. Too many. I came here to cut them down. I failed.
Posts: 2,999
Not worthy of a new thread, but wondering how things are now.
With hand luggage, checked in on a Saturday, would a train getting in to MAN Airport at 09:06 for BA 1389 at 09:45 be too risky?
With hand luggage, checked in on a Saturday, would a train getting in to MAN Airport at 09:06 for BA 1389 at 09:45 be too risky?
Jun 19, 2019, 3:22 am
#29
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 17,008
when i went through last week:
- Lifts and the escalator from the platform level were not working
- The escalator up to airport walkway level was not working.
- Only one of moving walkways to Terminal 1 was working.
- Then from T1 you're on your own finding your way to T3 (it's a fair hike)
Jun 19, 2019, 3:26 am
#30
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: London
Programs: Many. Too many. I came here to cut them down. I failed.
Posts: 2,999
Thanks peeps, I've forgotten that plan. My previous connecting train is too early, so plumped for train. Glad I checked as my inner confidence would have assured i'd have made it otherwise!