Manchester Airport

it was a good experience overall, the food court area how do security check were okay and staff are the security check where really kind. But in the other hand, outside the airport is not really nice, not clean and mostly just outside the airport and in the parking lot it doesn't feel safe at all. The areas just besides near to the gates are nice and the chairs and benches to wait are okay. toilets could be more clean

This is my local airport. Manchester is a very busy place with flights to several countries including domestic flights. It has three terminals although there is no longer departures from terminal 3. The newly expanded terminal two is really nice. Whilst I have encountered delays in the past, I would highly rate this airport having been using here on the average 10 times every year. Food and drinks prices in departures are not too bad compared with other airports world over. And yes, it is a safe airport in my opinion. Staff are okay too. Cost of flights can sometimes be a bit more expensive. If travelling during school holidays, allow extra time for check in as it can get very busy. There is a direct train from the airport to the city centre and further afield.

Manchester Airport is one of the biggest airports in the north of England and a major gateway for both domestic and international flights. It is officially the busiest airport outside London and serves millions of passengers each year, making it a key travel hub for the region with three passenger terminals. It originally opened in 1938 as Ringway Airport and has grown considerably since then, playing an important role in the development of air travel from the North of England.  The airport has been undergoing a large transformation in recent years, including a multi‑billion‑pound expansion of Terminal 2 that doubled its size and added modern departures lounges, shops, restaurants, and improved security facilities.  Security is usually quite good with a generally efficient process, though at peak times queues can be long and frustrating. Some travellers report short waits and smooth passage, while others experience delays, so it helps to arrive early and be prepared.  Staff at the airport are often polite and helpful, especially in the more modern areas of Terminal 2, although experiences can vary between terminals. Overall it feels like a busy international airport rather than a relaxed regional one.  There are tons of food and drink options throughout the airport, from well‑known chains to local and international choices, as is typical at major airports. Shopping includes duty‑free and high‑street brands, though prices are generally high.  Getting around the airport is relatively straightforward thanks to walkways and connections between terminals, and there is good public transport access including trains and buses to Manchester city centre.  Some parts of the airport still feel older and in need of revamping, especially Terminal 3 and the original parts of Terminal 1, both of which have received less praise compared with the newer Terminal 2. Because of this, passenger satisfaction reports are mixed, with some surveys placing Manchester’s terminals low in rankings.  Overall, Manchester Airport is a large, modern‑feeling airport with a wide flight network and good facilities, but passengers should be prepared for security waits at busy times and a mix of older and newer terminal experiences. It is perfectly functional and well equipped for global travel, though not always the most polished compared with some other major European airports. 

Well, Terminal 2 is certainly better than the older Terminals 1-3. However, someone saved on escalators from the gate to the jetway! Stairs and more stairs, once you have shown your boarding pass! The purpose of jetways is to get step less from the terminal to the aircraft. Hello! 3 flights of stairs only to get to the jetway. No , thank you. Spend some money Manchester Airport…

Passport control has been massively improved since my last international trip a few years ago. The flight arrived early, we got through passport control super quick and my baggage only took 15-20 mins to show up on the carousel. Express pickup area was convenient and made it easy to get the Uber.

Great airport. Love the services that it provides, especially for those who don’t have a car. You have the option to connect to your city via public transport at a good price. Would recommend

Nice, clean airport. Everything was well marked, I had no problems with orientation. All checks went quickly and without problems. Plenty of places to sit, relax, cafes, restaurants. At the airport, the staff was happy to help with navigation or buying a tram ticket.

Terminal 1 was disappointing, with unhygienic toilets, dusty and stained floors, and almost no seating for passengers—especially difficult for those waiting for connecting flights. Terminal 2 wasn’t much better; the ongoing construction has left the area dusty, with cleanliness issues, stained floors, and again no proper sitting areas for passengers to wait. Overall, both terminals feel poorly maintained and uncomfortable for travelers.

We arrived Manchester at about 7:35am after an overnight flight from Atlanta... We slept walked awhile to get through customs which was pretty smooth, grabbed our luggage, which took a while longer, and then headed out. There wasn't much I terms of communication on taxis, so we ended up getting an Uber after waiting in a taxi line with no taxis for about 15 minutes. We didn't explore too much more of the airport but our experience was pretty uneventful and not bad at all.

Manchester Airport is perhaps the worst airport I have ever been to, honestly. I have never had such a terrible experience before. As of 7/15/2024, Manchester Airport is still enforcing the 100ml max volume for each liquid, 1 litre max, & liquids must all fit into an 8x8 zip lock that you can bring or if not, zip lock bags are provided for you while waiting in line for TSA bag inspection. I believe that this airport was supposed to have complied to the new guidelines and changes that England wanted effective; this includes no longer limiting to the 100ml max, no longer having to take out liquids from bags, etc. In a couple articles, Manchester was supposed to put this in place by end of June 2024, but today marks the 15th of August... I mean it is what it is lol just very behind compared to the US. Boston and San Diego do not require taking anything out of luggage, liquids or devices/batteries. Very old airport... reminds me of La Guardia, in Queens, NY before the renovation. Looks more like a train station rather than international airport.

This was the airport in which I touched down when I was en route to Rome on a weekend getaway with my girlfriend. It had been a long journey getting here, and I was ready to get some good food and coffee. But first, I had to go through the formalities at immigration and security. I was pleasantly surprised to find that immigration was no issue. In fact, there were two lines... one line for a few nationalities (US included in this category), and another line for all other passport holders. I went to the line for US, British, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, and Japanese citizens. I came upon a automated kiosk, where I scanned my passport, and I posed for a face shot. After that, it was a quick 30-second wait, and I was through. I exited through the international arrivals section in Terminal 1, and had to make my way to Terminal 3. This took some navigating, but some police officers gave me directions where I could get to my terminal, and find food and showers along the way. This airport has a Radisson hotel on the premises, easily accessed through the long pathway on level two that connects all terminals. This hotel has showers available and good food. For further details, check out my review for the hotel in the near future. So after getting a shower, food, and coffee, I made my way to Terminal 3. I had purchased access to a lounge ahead of time, so I was able to await my next flight there. I did stop by the stores in Terminal 3 for bottled water, as well as power plug converters, as the UK and Italy have different outlets. I was able to find exactly what I was looking for. The workers at the airport were very friendly, and I had a nice conversation for some of them. Once the time came to board my flight, I made my way to the gate and boarded the airplane. All in all, I had a decent experience at Manchester Airport on my 7-hour layover. While my overall itinerary was along one, this airport provided me everything I needed to freshen up and arrive to Rome with renewed energy. I very much appreciate this airport and its friendly staff. Cheers!

I've been to pop-up county fairs that have more order than Manchester Airport. This dilapidated, never-ending hallway of an "airport" looked like something you'd see in the aftermath of a nuclear war. After we were shuttled off our flight onto the tarmac, herded into a bus, and dropped in the middle of a parking lot with no signs and no directions as to where our connecting flight would be, we had to walk over a mile to then re-enter the airport and go through a full security check. The workers were the most miserable, sadistic group of people I've ever seen in my life. They were harassing each and everybody that crossed their paths. If you were subjected to an additional random security screening, they would sit there and laugh as you pleaded for your bag to be checked so you could make it to your flight. Not to mention the fact that as you are waiting in the security line, every make-up product and liquid (even if it is TSA approved) has to be removed from your bag and placed into a singular ziploc bag. If it doesn't fit, you have to throw your items away. By the time we got to our gate (after walking through an entire shopping mall), we broke down in tears. We had young children with us, and they were terrified by the way these workers were treating us. I seriously thought that at any minute, they would start rounding up the women in the airport and take them away. It truly felt like we had landed in a third-world country. I've seen countless terrible reviews of this place since I've returned home. It's wildly concerning that an international airport is allowed to operate in such a barbaric manner.

I have lived in the Manchester area for the past 2 years. In this time, I have traveled through the Manchester airport about 4-6 times per year. During this timeframe, my luggage has been delayed/lost for about 4 times. I have lived in other cities and I have never experienced this many delays/lost luggage in the same timeframe. Also, once my luggage is eventually found, I receive the luggage at least two days if not more. Horrible.

Honestly it's better than nothing but the staff are really rude, they pushed me into getting a taxi home (I was about to get an uber) thanks Robert you made me waste 40 pounds! The rest is just awful but I will probably get banned or something just by letting my anger out

I came here a couple of times. Once to get PCR tested (located at terminal 2, downstairs) and another time to depart. This airport situation was even on the evening news two days before I departed. People who arrived 3 hours early couldn't make the flight. They have so many passengers departing and with additional travel related documents check, it takes a long time for each passenger to check in. Airport is also like a maze. When I asked staff for directions, they weren't not that nice to me. I arrived 4 hours before departure and didn't have any issues with long queue.

I try to think of how an event or place could be designed even worse, and that usually makes me feel better about a bad situation. This airport took all of my bad design ideas and added some new ones. - 1.6 mile walk changing terminals, even though the terminals are less than a half mile apart. Thanks gps! - All moving sidewalks turned off, even the ones not under construction. - Split terminal 1 into A and B. You're probably not B, but you have to find the signs first. - Require people in terminal 1A to use security 1A. Then close it and have everybody backtrack to security 1B down narrow and dimly lit hallways and stairs. - Mandatory ikea-maze through duty-free to get to terminals 1 and 3. Ugh. The smell of paco rabonne still lingers on my clothes. - Another shopping mall and food court area to get to terminals 1 and 3, with the store signs bigger and brighter than any gate signage. - Force everyone leaving the shopping mall into a narrow hallway where people boarding at the first gate are blocking what little hallway there is. The extra star is for the employees. The woman at security was a great drill sergeant, even making everyone lift their feet for a shoe inspection (for an on/off decision) and she made that line move swiftly. The crew on my flight waited over 30 min for the many people delayed in getting to the flight.

Manchester Airport is just a no for me. Unfortunately it's the most convenient for us to fly into when we come over from America, but yikes it's just never a good or easy time. On our most recent visit, we were requested to arrive three hours before departure. Makes sense for an international flight, no problem. However this place was pack to the brim at 5am, lines out the doors and winding around. Everyone flying Aer Lingus was queuing up to check-in, but little did we all know that they wouldn't open the desk until 6am. There had to of been 300+ people in line (in a bit of a panic on timing), waiting for over an hour before any staff showed up. Took roughly 2 hours until we got to the front. They just have so many passengers departing, not enough staff, and lots of additional travel related documents to check these days. Be prepared to come extra early, and wait extra long. We had a carseat that we were checking, which needs to go through the oversized luggage area. Totally get that. But ooof... they had to put it through the xray machine a good 12 times for some reason, making us run even more late to make it to security next. I've been to hundreds of airports, and this is truly the only one that's hell bent on having you remove every item from your bag when going through security. You're only able to have enough liquids that fit in a tiny plastic bag they give you to put them in upon arrival. I swear they consider everything "liquid." Even down to mascara and chapstick. I honestly got in trouble/my bag searched for not taking those out, because I didn't assume they counted. The security guy must have never opened a tube of mascara before. I was super bummed to have to throw multiple things away. And if you're thinking "well you should have known not to bring all of that," everything I had was in approved travel-sized bottles. They were all items I had no issues with at other airports on this trip (or ever in the past). The whole security process here is really just utter chaos. Listen, I am all for safety and security with air travel, but it's just a bit over the top here. We narrowly made it to our gate in time after jumping through hoops for almost three hours. Lo and behold our flight was delayed (*insert cry emoji*). This airport is generally disorganized and tough to navigate, and it's extremely outdated. It could use some major updates, in more ways than one.

Not a good experience. I had already checked in online and was only taking carryon items so I was able to bypass the checkin desk and go straight to security. It took over an hour, they were searching at least 50% of bags and were taking them in random order so of course mine sat there for ages as other bags were taken first. Of course when they finally got to mine it was a 1 minute swab and done. Airports were never fun but if I compare to other international airports like Newark, San Francisco or Atlanta, this one is a mess.

Not a big fan of the airport. Waiting area is dirty and does not seem to be any upkeep. The transfer route is one of the worst I ever come across. They make you go through security check out, walk all the way to duty free shops and then make a u turn to go back from where you come from to our boarding gate all these because the airport wants you to shop at duty free to shops.

The waiting area is perfect, they have all iPhone chargers comfy chairs,and many shops around to help.

Manchester airport is the worst airport I've experienced anywhere in the world and that includes when compared to airports in 3rd world countries. I'm a seasoned traveler having been to maybe a 100 different airports around the world. Take it from me, Manchester is hot garbage. As far as I can work out it's a parking racket pretending to be an airport. It even costs £5 to drop someone off these day. The road layout getting there makes zero sense, it's just a series of poorly labeled small roundabouts. Signage here is deliberately confusing too. If English isn't your first language how are you supposed to know that "West Multi" is a parking lot? What's wrong with a "P" in a blue circle like everywhere else in the world? Staff on average are rude. For some reason they hire herders whose job it is to yell at people, not needed at all. My last time I was here I saw a member of staff push a traveler because she couldn't wait her turn to go the wrong way through a turnstile. Avoid if possible.

Absolutely a "madhouse" for a passenger who is trying to find a 30 minutes connecting flight at a gate on the opposite side of the airport! I had to go through at least 2 check points simply to my gate. I understand the security issue but this sounds like an overkill!

That was hand down the worst airport experience I have EVER had in my life. I am never flying out of this airport again. Aside from the queue to a queue to ANOTHER QUEUE setup. There was no communication anywhere that all of my toiletries had to fit into a clear ziplock baggie rather than my standard toiletry bag, and it took at least 20 minutes for the TSA agent to touch all of my stuff in every pocket of my bag, basically trying to force me to check a bag. It was humiliating for all the other passengers to watch me choose whether I could fit my contacts or my toothpaste!! I think I threw out at least $30 of cosmetics for this arbitrary liquids rule that no other airport enforces so strictly. I will avoid Manchester Airport for the rest of my life.

Super confusing airport. It's like a maze here and not very easy to find your way through. The signs aren't always clear and I found myself standing, spinning and gazing for some clear direction or signage. When you leave the terminal, it's even worse. Good luck finding ride share pick up locations and have your umbrella ready because much of the very long walk is uncovered.

While it is decent in terms of user friendliness, this airport is laid out a little differently than any I have ever used. The third busiest airport in the UK, it serviced about 23 million passengers in 2014. There are flights to about 225 destinations and it is used by about 60 airlines give or take. It is an extremely convenient alternative to the London airports when your ultimate destination is the north of the UK. There are, of course, flights to multiple destinations in Europe and the Middle East. There are flights to a handful of North American destinations while Asian routes include Hong Kong, Islamabad and Singapore. Shortly, Beijing will also join the list. There are three terminals. There does not seem to be a rationale to which airlines are located in which Terminal. T1 is the largest while T3 is the newest. I have only used these two and never been in T2. T1 underwent an overhaul in 2009. It actually has a newer look than T3, which was opened in 1989, apparently primarily for British Airways though the latter only offers frequent shuttles to Heathrow for connections nowadays (BA does have a couple of regional flights operated by a partner). Getting between terminals is actually easier and quicker than in most larger airports. The signage is good, which is necessary because the layout is a little funky. T1 is my preferred terminal between it and T3, as the modern look post-security is striking and quite nice. The check-in areas for both T1 and T3 are generally efficient and both are reasonably spacious for the number of passengers. The security in both is generally well managed and the baggage claim also is relatively timely in its operation from what I have seen. The security is particularly large and reasonably efficient in T1. It has been well staffed each time I have used it. T3 has a bit of a cramped feeling outside of baggage claim. I have only used passport control in T3 and it has been quite easy and efficient each of the two times I have had occasion to pass through. The approach to the airport by car is not as facile as it should be. Dropoff at T1, in particular, is not that easy to figure out as it is a rather isolated area that is actually in the garage. It is not obvious when trying to find it from the outside on foot. The T3 pickup and dropoff area is easier to find but more difficult to navigate as it is very small for the number of vehicles that are using it. Getting taxis is not a problem and there are a handful of hotel shuttles that offer transportation to and from their properties. The amenities in this airport are quite adequate. Pre-security, there is a pretty decent area for coffee and small bites outside baggage claim in T3. I particularly like Joe's Kitchen and Coffee House. The restaurants and shops inside security at T3 are also relatively impressive. There is a Starbucks and a couple of restaurants available. I recommend Balzar Mediterranean Restaurant if you want a full dinner before you fly. The Soho Coffee that was there unfortunately appears to have closed. The aesthetic appeal of the facility with the shops and restaurants is one of the better I have seen in an airport facility. I have not used any of the airline lounges in the facility. In general, I find MAN to be a good option when I have had business in "the North". The number of options for flights to and from the airport is quite extensive. The facilities are actually pretty nice, particularly in T1, and the amenities are plentiful. The waiting areas are reasonably comfortable and the services are efficient. It provides a good choice for getting to and from the area.

I've been to airports all around the world. This has been one of the worst in any developed country. Quite a few things wrong with this airport, where do I begin... Security: There is no system. It is utter chaos thru the security screening process. When you pass thru security if you have an oversized item you will be split up from your items. I had an umbrella that could have gone thru but since it did not fit in a bin they had it go thru another side. Once your items pass through it is utter chaos! The security has to shout to ask who's back is who's. And to retrieve your bags it's insane! Departure Gates: In Manchester airport, you'll know your departure gate 45 minutes prior to boarding. Getting to the departure gate: To get to three of the gates you'll have to walk down a set of stairs and walk back up on the other side. Poor design. You can literally see where you're going and if they designed it properly you'd be able to get there in a straight line instead of going down a set of stairs to go right back up the stairs. Free Wifi: You can get free wifi for only one hour when you sign up for their crappy mailing list.

7/19/19 Horrible horrible experience trying to catch a flight on American Airline to New York. - 1hr 20 in line, just to checkin and drop bags (I'm now late) - Long run to gate, moving walking path not working - Incompetent checkin line attendant (he had no idea how to get people through efficiently and in the correct queue order) - Security had no option to use the old X-ray machine, instead forcing my son and I to go through the new one with hands-up and huge radiation!!) - Needed to use stairs to get to the rest room by the gate! - No water station at gate that I could find. I will try everything in my power not to use Manchester Airport again!!

Manchester Airport is located an easy drive from the city center, and there is good signage to all the 3 passenger terminals. But once on the airport property, it honestly got complicated and we missed the turn off- to our terminal. Not the best experience as we drove around twice and then finally found the right place for Terminal 2's short-stay car parking. Even tho' it was just a drop off, we had to pay £4, just for that privilege! Couldn't believe what a price-gouge and really shocked that apart from having to pay airport taxes, there is this additional charge you have to pay when dropping off passengers. Overall, not very impressed - and its not only the Airport's greediness but also the confusing route to get to the terminals . Yelp 20/ 2019

Very nice airport. I have to say I wasn't expecting this airport to be so busy. When we arrived customs had a long line even if you had to change flights. There are a variety of restaurants and stores. I wish i would of taken more pictures at the airport but I just didn't have the time too. The lines can get long in duty free as well as the newsstand. Be prepared to show boarding pass when you shop at the stores. My goal next visit is to take more pictures inside the airport. Lol. Stars 1 star for facilities 1 star for service 1 star for availability of stores and restaurants 1 star for clean restrooms 1 star for overall experience. Till we meet again Manchester

An airport that was not easy to get around and generally a bit disorganized. It's also an airport badly in need of updating and modernizing. Looks like it's been neglected for ages. Maybe it's all happening and I missed it :-) It just felt like we walked for ages looking for exits and baggage and then walked around ages to find the rental car village bus which was also not clearly marked. The airport felt old and slightly disorganized.

Not all airports are created equal. Manchester is kind of a pain, well getting through security that is. I have been spoiled by my years of TSA Pre-check in the US. It seems like most bags get sent to the addition screening line. This is where things get really slooooow. My wife waited for probably 10 minutes while her bag got searched for our 3 year olds small bag of plastic toys. After the security line it's a pretty standard airport.

No water fountains in the main waiting areas. They want you to buy an expensive bottle of water at the shop. That's a sharp practice, one that I've not seen in any other world airport.

Messy dump - sorry but we couldn't find a lounging area that was clean. It's small, cramped, small ceilings, just a mess.

One of the worst airports in the world. It even surpasses JFK. Connecting flight JFK -MAN -CDG Going thru security after landing from JFK? X-ray+ wand+ manual security!!!!! Wait in very small room for check in for your next flight, wait in another small room for bus to another terminal, very rude security stuff and clueless airport employees. Yelled at by bus driver when asked if he's going to Terminal 2. Avoid.

We've been to dozens of airports around the developed world... As an American, I thought Newark was as bad as it gets. Nope - MAN takes the prize. It's well connected to the rest of the country by rail and that's where the compliments end. Disorganized security, incredibly crowded and the generally low ceilings make it feel even more cramped. On departing, there were three flights at the same gate - total chaos with poor signing and no staff around to help as hallways and stairways became totally blocked with confused people. I've never seen anything like it at any airport. I've flown in and out of several other British airports too and this is by far the worst. Woefully out of date, underfunded and clearly mismanaged... Shocking considering this is supposed to be an alternative to Heathrow. There's just no comparison.

Connecting at Manchester Airport and it's a disaster. There's no AC. The long halls and stairs you walk to your connecting flight feels like an oven. That's the last thing you want after getting off a 10hr flight. Then you go through security again. They took my NyQuil. Security stated it's not "prescribed" medication. The long halls are confusing. You get your boarding pass checked again at least 3 more times. Get me out of here ASAP!

A great airport with easy access from the motorway. The new charges to drop off or pickup near the terminal building are a real shame and let down the overall experience.

Manchester airport is packed with an array of shops that you can spend hours in which is good of you have a long wait for a flight. It's been hit and miss a few times when it comes to security processes as sometimes depending on the time of year and day the queues can be very long however they are quick and efficient at moving and they have what seems to be an endless array of security belts to go through. It's well linked to local transport with a train station attached and links to metro station as well. Nice comfy seats in departures that you aren't sitting on top of each other. It really is what a main airport in a big city should be

I think the Manchester Airport is pretty nice; not too big at all. When I arrived in England at MAN I was able to walk through the airport and straight to the train to take me to York; after security of course. When I came back it was an easy walk from the train station to the airport. Once in the airport for my return I go too see a lot more of the airport. Upon arriving I was questioned about what I had done in England by pre-security and given a special passport stamp. I then checked my bags and went through security where I was scanned and stopped for not having my eye drops in a plastic baggie; the security officer was super nice and even had a plastic bag to drop my eye drops in and put back in my carry on. From there I walk through a mall like part of the airport where I purchased candies and a teddy to take home to my little one. Then I found a nice little restaurant for a full English breakfast and a few pints to down my Xanax before my flight.

Sad to say after several years of using this airport off and on, never again for departures! For an airport that has such a high passenger yield and wants to be considered a desirable alternative to London, the management team here have a long way to go. Security staff and their crowd control systems are really what make this a 1-star airport. Horribly inefficient, rude staff who arbitrarily implement the most asinine policies give this airport the feel of a small regional destination rather than the 'global gateway' it seeks to be seen as. FYI: Apparently toiletries must only be in a single (as in one per passenger), airport-provided sandwich-sized plastic bag (rather than your own), and that bag must fully close before you can get on your flight?!? Gimme a break! Have fun repacking/disposing of your carefully bagged carry on travel sized liquids and explaining to the 'staff' that their 'system' is out of sync with general practice in every other major market. Systems and staff at truly busy airports (ATL, LAX, LHR, CDG) have more common sense and courtesy embedded into their workflow than whatever is going on at MAN. I guess if this is all you're used to for airports, then it probably won't bother you, but those who fly frequently to major cities will find this airport to be nothing short of bizarre and annoying (at best). Staff in retail shops are genuinely nice and check in staff were the polar opposite of their colleagues on security, which makes this experience even more confusing.

Manchester airport is LARGE. From the free wifi to the selections of resturants, you'll have your choices to see and do. Be prepared to walk to your gate! There are a lot of folks queuing up to get to their gates but no place to go, so they're creating an obstacle wall to get through. over all, it's a great place to visit when you have to transfer.

Manchester airport is getting better and better. I was there twice in 2 weeks. Both times i sailed through security. There seemed more staff than ever. I was asked to remove my coat and shoes and put my liquids in a clear plastic bag. The whole process took about 10 minutes from entering to going through to the departure lounge. We went straight to the bar and managed to get a table. Drinks are pricy

Visited this airport during a layover. The airport is bare with little to no art or decorations. I had to carry my luggage up the stairs (I know first world problems) because there wasn't an elevator during the transfer. Basic airport with basic features.

I've never experienced a more pointless waste of resources than the way they handle security at check in. I live in the US and never have I needed to carefully and monotonously separate my toiletries in my bag. The technology available at literally any other airport in the world can very well determine that my 3oz of lotion is safe whether or not it's buried in my case under my socks or meticulously placed in a plastic baggy. It almost seems like they pointlessly enforce this to give the security agents more to do or something, it's absolutely baffling and a waste of employee's time! Typical British engineering at its finest; add a pointless step so people feel like they are doing more.

Thankfully they offer free WIFI albeit for just 1 hour (?), so when you accept make sure you set your count down clock since the customs line took just about that time to get through! Inside the ticketing/baggage area, it reminded me of a James Bond movie as the entire scenery made me feel like i was 007 himself. Cool steel frames & glass surround you, with monitone grey & white color tones throughout the airport. Very modern chic feel to this airport!

According to the many signs I saw on the wall, Manchester Airport won some sort of award in 2010... Now 2010 is 5 years ago and I really do struggle to see why. Don't get me wrong, it's perfectly serviceable... We got to the Airport, caught our plane and jetted off with limited issues, I just don't think it's maybe as good as some of the other airports I've flown from. We stayed at an Airport hotel in Altringham (as we had to be at the airport for around 5am) and cabbed down in the morning. There are plentiful hotels to choose from around it and they all offer fairly reasonable rates as a place to lay your head down and catch a shower before an early morning flight. We got dropped off at Terminal 1 around 5am and prepared ourselves to fly... First thing - bag drop. We had checked in online with Easyjet, so we figured that it would be in and out. How wrong we were... This could be down to the airline and not the airport, but several flights were all being routed through 5 check in desks (and clearly Tuesday 30th December at 5am is a popular time) as we had quite a wait. Still, we got through bag drop and made our way to security. Security was fine for us, pleasant even. We got greeted by a lovely lady who advised us to "pop our coats off" and we were through within 5 minutes. Some of our number got caught with a very unpleasant member of security personnel and had a bit of a wait, so that took a little of the shine off the experience. The duty free shop was... again... fine. As we were flying to Iceland, we were pre warned to take booze with us (as it's expensive on the other end). The staff were helpful and cheery enough and (as you can imagine) the booze was pretty cheap (we picked up a litre of whisky and a litre of vodka for £20). The real issue was the food offerings. No Pret (WHAT?!), hardly any fast food choice and one giant Wetherspoons. The Wetherspoons was where we ended up, but the staff were rather brusque and we ended up in a bit of bother as we didn't know if we would get our food in time for boarding. The gates were labelled as 10 minutes walk away, but this was more like 5. The toilets were pretty gross (even early in the morning), but their was a smoking area (which I didn't get time to try). We did end up catching our flight, but it was all a bit hurried as we had to wolf down our food and run to them (despite then waiting in a boarding queue for over 10 minutes). On our return journey, we were quite confused by the layout. We were told to wait on level 5 (where we were dropped off) for our cab, but seemed to go up from level 7 in the lifts to get there. How does that make any sense?! If you are arranging a pre-booked cab to get picked up, definately confirm where you have to be before you go tromping off to find your cab. It's worth noting that our baggage came quickly and without any issue (and there are toilets by the baggage claim area - so if you're busting after the journey - you can go whilst you are waiting). Would I fly from Manchester again? Yeah... I think these days the airports I use are rather dictated by where I'm flying over choice of airport. However, this is not (in my opinion) the best airport to fly from as the food and drink choices are pretty limited and the layout can be a little confusing.

Impression: I've been to many airports in the world (Bangkok, CDG, ATL, VIE, LAX, MSY, MIA, PHL, etc) and this must seriously be the WORST experience I've ever seen. Not because I particularly had a bad time, but I must comment on such an inefficient and slow system of command. Our airport hotel recommended going to the airport 3 hours ahead of time and we couldn't figure out why b/c usually we go 1-2 hours ahead of time for international flights and it's never been a problem. But here is the High Yield: An airport with frustratingly slow baggage drop/ticket printing, the MOST inefficient security check in there is, and a very very long trek to your gate if you're 201, 301, 101. Definitely get here more than 2 hours ahead of time if you're not much of a traveler. Details: Baggage drop off/check in. I highly recommend if you have more than 1 person in your party, 1 person go print out the passes from the machine, and 1 person go and do baggage drop off. They tell you to get in line to do both, but it's much faster if someone does kiosk and then by the time you get back in line with your partner, it'll just be a baggage drop. Otherwise, these lines don't move. I've never been more impressed by how slow a drop off line can be, and I'm comparing this to more than 50 airports I've been to. Security- So if you're close to your check in time, they will likely put a priority lane on you to move you faster. Otherwise, you're gonna be in the most ridiculously long line I'ver seen. Even when TSA was on strike in the US, ATL's airport was moving at a reasonable speed of 45 mins. No strike, you're eying 20-25 mins and that's the world's busiest airport. Manchester is god awful. It must be about 1 hour to get through and here's the reason. They want you to put 1 bag per tray. When I say 1 bag, I mean our 3 carry ons became 13 trays. 1 tray for your shoes. 1 tray for any lip balm/chap stick. 1 tray for your actual bag. and then if your thing goes off for that lip balm, it must go back through the line again. And b/c they want like 1 item per tray, and if it's winter, 1 coat, one pair of boots per tray, you're gonna be in the actual security process for about 20 mins.... and if you didn't do priority and waited the 1 hour... I've never seen a stricter/picky airport in my life. I kept getting told to take off things like calf warmers, take out chap stick etc. And you get frisked. No matter what. So if you don't like to be touched, they won't give you a choice. Straight up blood circulating massage all over. Layout. Ok- so once you get past security you go to your gate. But here's the catch, they have their duty free shops put in a long single file winding layout that forces you go through them to even see a single gate. Poor business plan if you ask me. B/c their security and baggage take forever, aint no one got time to browse these shops b/c you're running to your gate... and if you see something like 201, 301, 101, you can bet it's a long trek to your gate. Verdict: Yes. if you want time to relax and catch your breath for this airport, 3 hours is necessary. Any other airport, 2 hours is sufficient. This was pretty ridiculously impressive when it comes to the most INEFFICIENT and STRICT security I've ever seen.

Possibly one of the worst airport for international transfers...This is a very small airport that is simply designed very very poorly. My flight landed in T3 and I had to head over to T2. Not only would you have to go through the full security check that could take forever, you would actually need to take TWO SEPARATE buses to reach T2 from T3. You may miss your flight and they don't give a damn. In addition, none of the doors seem to open without the guidance of workers. Some doors misleadingly says "opens automatically," which actually means that it will only open when manually opened by the workers from the other side. It should inform guests that the door would only be opened by the workers when their rides arrive...Some of the employees are literally there only to open a door, and many were unkind (hilariously rude). One female employee became upset when I unknowingly tried to open a door (that leads to transfer) that she was authorized to open. She kept yelling "what does it say?"and proceeded to moved like a SLOTH to open the door. I would avoid a transfer at this airport.

I flew from here during New Year 2017 and my experience was awful. As an international airport which is set to grow in a city which is claiming to be the powerhouse of North and certainly the economic progressive city after London. The airport fails to give a professional international experience instead of a basic, functional, administrated run airport which is poorly run. Compared this to Berlin international airport the airport is outdated and left behind. Terminal 3 I flew from, dull, depressing, functional, crowded, chaotic, not enough room for passengers. Outdated, tired surrounding just makes you feel miserable. Boarding Gates queues which are so long that they obstruct passenger to get to their gate and others just look lost and confused and don't know where to stand. Free Wi-Fi is really slow and fails to connect most of the time. Going through security is not a pleasant experience long queues which is understandable at peak times. However, the anxiety felt by passengers is clearly seen faces and sweaty forehead. One small clear bag per person. You are not allowed even to put two half fill or so clear bags. Come on be reasonable. No charging sockets for phone and laptops. Good point, clean and several toilets near by the process of the journey to the gates. Could be a bit bigger and less gloomy though Good hand dryer. Friendly staff at the process to security section (the person who gives you the plastic clear bag) very easy to talk to. Really need to investment money to be considered as the truly international airport which serves the World. My assumption are that international travellers from rich well developed countries will pitty Manchester airport and undermine the true reflection of City and the opportunity and prosperity that Manchester holds for international business and visitors.

I fly to Manchester every few years, I come from San Diego CA and unfortunately the direct flight I get goes into Heathrow so I literally collect bags and get picked up here. On the way back home I do get a little time in the MAN airport. You're able to easily get dropped off at departures, there's plenty of signs telling you where to go, check-in is quick, the security check goes by quick and overall everyone is helpful. Bathrooms are clean, there's a costa where I had a delicious coffee from today. There's a few bars with table service for food and plenty of convenient stores to grab a magazine and a snack for your flight.

Manchester Airport has just won a fantastic award. I mean, you've got to be proud when you hear that your city's airport has just won "Loo of the Year" for it's toilets. Amazing. But you know what? I'd just flew back to Manchester two days before seeing this story and whilst I was in the airport I do remember thinking that the toilets wear actually pretty good! So there! It's not just the toilets though, Manchester Airport is really very good. I usually end up flying from Liverpool which is good but no comparison as far as I'm concerned. First of Manchester is bigger which of course makes it better...! There is much more choice and variety, of course it does make it much easier to get lost but once you've been a few times you know you're way about. The duty free section is huuuuuuuuuuge! And there's loads of places to eat and chill out before your flight, plenty of places to buy books and magazines and good to take on board, plenty of places to buy everything you possibly could have forgotten to pack and plenty of places to spend a load of your money before you even get on the plane for your holiday! Great parking deals if you book online too, make sure you do because it is a hell of a lot cheaper than just turning up in the car! Great transport links with the train station too, only takes 20 minutes to get you in from the city centre...about as long as it takes in a taxi and much much cheaper!

This airport is quite good, as it's easy to find your gate in the terminal, and there's plenty of shops. However, the parking isn't very good, as the multi-storey car park is quite expensive, especially for a long stay. If you park where you have to get a bus, it's a bit confusing to know where you are going. Also, if you don't park in the multi-storey, it can bit very hard to find your terminal, especially if you've never been before. As long as you get to you're plane and get to where you're going, that's the main thing!

This place is setup like a Las Vegas casino - they route you through shops, liquor stores and there is not ONE USB port in the whole joint. My guess is that it's the retail people that dominate the policies at this airport - it's great if you like shopping, but sucks if you have to buy an adapter that you'll never use again. They must view passengers as cows that get shaken down for steaks.

I'm pretty proud of Manchester airport to be honest and I've been to a fair few over the years! As what has to be known as an international-hub these days, Manchester Airport is evolving well and establishing itself as one of the better airports in the World. Organisation is top notch and I've never found it difficult to keep track of my desk, gate etc as there are screens all over the place. Depending on your terminal, you have a different array of shops to waste time (or money) in, and of course duty-free in each terminal - though I'm not sure how much you actually save buying here! Waiting areas are fairly spacious and theres usually enough seating for all. The only issue I've ever had is a long wait for Passport Control on a recent trip. By long I mean 20 minutes - which in comparison to other international hubs is absolutely nothing! Good work Manchester.

I came to Manchester Airport today to pick a few of my friends up who will be returning back to this Airport however I have flown from this airport on numerous occasions most recently a Lufthansa Manchester to Munich Flight, which makes me wonder having been on Yelp since April now and attending Manchester Airport very regularly for flights across Europe why have I never reviewed this Airport before? First I share my experience of picking someone up, when I went into arrivals at the Airport, I must of only been their 5 minutes as they came in as soon as I did but I still got charged the £2.90 rate, when I dropped them off I went in a totally different part and didn't get charged as I was in and out. The parking token was quite nice, yellow with the Manchester Airport Logo on. In the Arrivals Terminal One centre they is a small spar centre with a Costa Express machine and a petrol station as you get outside. At the Airport, most food and drink is in Terminal One, I am lucky most of my flights which I remember were from T1, The only terminal to have a Starbucks what can be found after security. If you are not in Terminal One, They is a nice coffee shop in Terminals 2 and 3 T3 before security and after security and in arrivals in T2). Another Coffee Shop outside Terminal One is Costa, I would of thought being a really large Coffee shop they would of had more than one store after T3 Security. Greggs the Bakers is Located in T1 Arrivals, Frankie and Bennies is after security in T2. The staff did seem nice enough and it is a large Airport, the 3rd busiest in the UK infact and the 21st in Europe, infront of many european capital Airports such as Lisbon and Berlin. Overall, this is a good airport but you may be stuck on things to do if you do have to fly from a terminal what is not Terminal One, as this is a review for the whole Airport and not just Terminal One, I have to give 3 stars.

WORST AIRPORT You have to arrive 3-4 hours ahead of time to make your flight. Seriously. Things that take your time: 1) Traffic. You will get stuck in traffic. Every time you go there. No matter the time. And also road works. 2) Car rental return. The bus to the terminal comes infrequently. Last time we waited almost half an hour. 3) Car rental is far from the terminal, again more traffic 4) You need to wait for elevators to get to the departure floor. Sometimes you wait a long time. 5) We travelled Thomas Cook which doesn't have a real check in system. so you have to stand in a line like it's 1998. A huge line. More waiting. 6) Getting told off for not being at the airport 3-4 hours ahead of time because you are a total loser for thinking two hours is sufficient. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? DON'T YOU KNOW HOW TO FLY? 7) Security. I've never been there with enough time to NOT be in the priority line and even the priority line takes an age. Also, everyone is in the priority line (see items 1-6). 8) Once you get through security you have to walk through a maze of a MALL (like an IKEA but with duty free perfume instead of bookshelves) to get to your gate, or in our case run, with children and luggage. 9) Thomas Cook? You might be taking a bus to your plane. But they really are thousands of pounds cheaper for a family going overseas. So, in short, if you are going to northwest England, fly to John Lennon airport in Liverpool if you can. Above us only sky.

This used to be a good airport, but recently it's descended into a complete shambles. A few observations : 1) Leaving terminal 3, there's no sign for the "Car Rental Village" shuttle. The shuttle took 30 mins to arrive. You can walk it in 10. 2) Security : a disaster area. Fast track and the main line were both being shuffled into one security line. The Fast track folks were arriving fast enough that the main security line wasn't moving at all. Half an hour to move 6 ft. Then the security staff were rude, and shouting out conflicting instructions. Their main concern, and frequent point of discussion, seemed to be when their next break was. I never thought I'd pine for San Jose airport, but Manchester management really need to go there to see how it should be done. 3) Gate area : piles of trash dumped on tables. There's no bin. What else to mention? Low ceilings? Filthy, cramped restrooms? Hot corridors with no air conditioning? I'd call this a third world airport, except that would be unfair to third world airports.