Having been away for a week, it was good to read the official news about Austrian and the interesting comments regarding the possibility of US pre-clearance. I just hope AI doesn't prove to be a 'will they, won't they?' situation like Hainan.
Incidentally, experience of T1 at MAN was pretty good outbound and return.
Departing on a 06.00 TCX flight on a busy Sunday 24th May, the beginning of the school holidays, we were through check-in (c 30 minutes) and security (10 minutes) comfortably under 45 minutes. I noted that a TCX flight at 06.15 was their 5th departure of the morning!).
Arrived back 20 minutes early yesterday at 12.20, a short wait at Border Control (e-passport gates were working but we didn't use them) and our bags (admittedly some of the earliest) were through 25 minutes after landing.
The only negative was that one of the 3 lifts from ground to level 5 is still out of commission so the queues there were disappointing to see. I assume they are being refitted in turn but why does it take so long for each? I must admit it's not helped by folk like us making our way to departure level to be picked up!
Back to pre-clearance, I hope possible revised plans to accommodate it don't push back the overall terminal redevelopment. While waiting to board for our flight on the Sunday it looked to me that every stand on T1 was occupied as well as 100/101? Couldn't see T2 but T3 stands were well filled including the remote ones 56-58.