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Old 16th Mar 2019, 16:30
  #2853 (permalink)  
True Blue
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Ballymena
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Arrived in Manchester airport on Wednesday afternoon, T3. What I did notice on the walk from T3 to the train station was the number of buckets sitting to catch water leaking through the roof. Most of the moving walkway was out of service, why? Essential maintenance said the signs, but not one maintenance worker to be seen.

I departed again Thursday afternoon. Got to security, not that many in front of me. Guy at the front of security coming down the line, frequently, telling us to make sure we had all out of our bags as they were getting a lot of rejections and it would take at least 40 minutes for it to be checked at the other side of security. 40 minutes, this in the middle of March. What would that not be like at the height of the season? They were wanting everything out, including hair straighteners etc? First time I have heard that requirement. It took a long time to even get to the scanners as passengers were taking so long to get everything out that was needed, plus there was a shortage of trays as so many were waiting to be checked.

Into the waiting area/terminal, what a depressing place. Few seats, most coffee shops/bars etc busy as people just go in there and sit. Is there no quality places in there to eat at all?

Gate called, gate 142 in think. Anyway, we had to go through scanners to check our photographs. I think there were 2 scanners, then one for manual checking. So they call 4 flights at once, several hundred pax trying to get through very few scanners. System not working for many of them, although for many, it was their own fault as they were not even looking up. Maybe they didn't know what to do, although some can never learn. Then we had quite a number seem to have gone through the scanners to then realise they were at the wrong gates. They were trying to get back out, but no, you just can't walk back out. More chaos as they were trying to get out against those trying to come in but needed manual checking. The people who design these systems and procedures seem to lack all common sense, but a lot of this is driven by cost cutting, airports don't want to pay for enough/any staff to make things run smoothly. They should be given their P45's for sheer stupidy.

To summarise my experience, too many items not working like lifts/walkways. That has to be down to no maintenance, there were too many for it to be coincidence. Manchester Airport is a collection of buildings just thrown together, moving from T3 to the train station we were in/out, up and down, just a nonsense. Security is a joke and not fit for purpose. Boarding experience, just awful.

Manchester Airport is a complete disgrace, I will only use it if I have to, but it will be a last resort.
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