Double barrel
So you have a few moments with Some staff not all MAG. Seems to me that there is either a lack of training of understanding of procedures from a minority of staff which has tainted your view of MAN.
With an airport the size of MAN with a multitude of contracted companies all doing their own thing its inevitable that there will be misalignment of procedures. Unfortunatley the actions of a few spoil the efforts of many !
I travel through MAN and lots of other airports all over the world extensively throughout year and believe me when I say MAN isnt anywhere near bad, yes a bit shabby and staffed by underpaid cheeky Mancs and scousers, but actually considering the trafic levels inside a huge building site its amazing it runs at all. I have seen far far worse elsewhere.
So rather than avoid MAN its my preferred departure and arrival option in the UK
To the staff at MAN I say “well done” in the trying circumstances and commercial climate you work in.