MANCHESTER T1: A HELLISH EXPERIENCE
POST PatJordan DATE June 17, 2017 00:17
My wife and I arrived at Manchester Airport T1 on Friday 16th June 2017 at approximately 1800, and were immediately struck by the masses of people queuing to enter the building. We put this down to it being a busy Friday evening and thought no more of it.
We went to the Aer Lingus desk and checked in our luggage, and within a couple of minutes approached the security screening area. We were horrified to see the massive crowds of people queuing to enter security. Thankfully, we had access to the Fast Track security and we entered and joined a queue.
This queue moved incredibly slowly and it took almost 90 minutes to finally clear security. This was Fast Track, and we heard passengers in the other queue saying that they had waited over two and a half hours.
During this time, there were numerous announcements advising passengers to remove devices, etc from bags so as to speed up the security process. What a joke!
At no time was there any announcement to explain this delay. We were confined inside a very hot area with no cool air, no offer of drinks or water (this was especially shameful as there were many elderly and pregnant passengers in this very uncomfortable area).
When we finally reached the screening area, I was met by a very friendly operative whom I asked the reason for this delay. He explained that it was due to the airport being very busy.
This is totally unacceptable: Airport management have information on the precise number of passengers due to check in at any given time. That such a large crowd was allowed to congregate in the departures area was a serious health hazard.
Being confined in a very warm airless area with no access to water, and being denied the most basic information is a dreadful way to treat paying customers.
In all my time travelling through airports (including the USA post 9/11) I have never had such a terrible experience.
The management of Manchester Airport should hang their heads in shame at this debacle. My wife and I both love visiting the UK. On foot of our experience today, we will certainly think twice about flying out of Manchester.
FDOS_UK June 17, 2017 07:49
Pat, with the very greatest of respect, your experience was similar to the one my wife and I had entering Ireland through Dublin T1 recently on a Saturday morning. This was queueing to show a passport to the Garda (so they know we didn’t need to show a passport in the CTA). The Irish Government should hang their head in shame for this dysfunctional process.
It is not acceptable, but happens a lot more than we realise, as our sample sizes are minuscule to the overall situation.
T1 at MAN can get very busy, so can T3 (T2 may do, but I hardly ever use it, so cannot reasonably comment).
MartynSinclair June 17, 2017 09:28
Suffering a 30 minute security queue is bad enough but anything over an hour in my humble opinion is not acceptable. There are four reasons why queues are long: 1. A shortage of security checkers 2. Security machines not working 3. Passengers not being prepared and ready
for security 4. Too much hand baggage being taken through I do not buy the excuse that too many passengers are travelling or the airport is busy – it’s the job of the management to allow for passenger flows in the same way, that passengers need to be prepared for passing a security check point i.e. get your stuff out ready in advance… I still feel passengers are being allowed to take through way too much hand baggage….