Manchester Airport

[Mostonian]

Can anyone who has transited the new, revamped Manchester airport share their experience. Not flown since 2019, always departed from Southampton,  but next month we are travelling with Jet2 to Tenerife to join Azura. From Videos I have watched the airport now seems enormous. How was checkin and security, how long did it take. Previously I have always arrived about 2.5 hours before for an EU flight, taking into consideration that if everyone arrives the 3 hours as prescribed there would be long queues. Any advice most welcome, especially from recent users of the airport. Thanks 

Edited February 20 by Mostonian

[HalifaxYorksCruiser]

We are due to fly from Manchester on 9th March to board Azura. Jet 2 flight from Terminal 2 at 06.00 . Will check in about 04.00. Got parking in the adjacent multi storey T2 West for £70.20. 

[Dr Sloan]

 

I flew out of MCR in June last year - first time I'd been there in years but didn't seem much bigger than I remembered - just infinitely better than it used to be!

 

Didn't take very long to transit security etc and all seemed really well organised. It was a very early flight so my experience is not representative of peak times but it was the day City were playing in the Champions League final so the airport was not a complete ghost town either.

[kalos]

About 4 week ago we flew out from T2 MCR airport our flight was 6am .

We had stayed overnight at a nearby hotel and was at the airport about 3.20am.

Upon arrival we found the Jet2 well marked out and checked our cases in for

our P&O-Jet 2 flight on the manned  desks ,very easy and soon through.

Next was a right turn following the signs to security which was very fast ,

I would say less than ten minutes .We then walked through the shops

where all the booze and smelly's were. We made our way upstairs and got a

early morning cuppa and a sarnie sandwich  . Think the venue was called Apiary?

They brought the food/drinks to your table .

After this we just had a wander about until the gate number came up on the

departures board.

We had been warned that the flight would be a good ten minute walk down into 

the new departure gates ,  our gate was a back track past the back of security 

and in this area all there is was a set of WC's and a vending machine , other than

that just departure gates .

Overall we found it easy but we were on one of the first flights .so no massive crowds ..

Hope this helps .

[yorkshirephil]

1 hour ago, Mostonian said:

Can anyone who has transited the new, revamped Manchester airport share their experience. Not flown since 2019, always departed from Southampton,  but next month we are travelling with Jet2 to Tenerife to join Azura. From Videos I have watched the airport now seems enormous. How was checkin and security, how long did it take. Previously I have always arrived about 2.5 hours before for an EU flight, taking into consideration that if everyone arrives the 3 hours as prescribed there would be long queues. Any advice most welcome, especially from recent users of the airport. Thanks 

We flew out to Fuerteventura with Jet 2 in January and there were no problems, very quick through booking in with plenty of people helping with weighing and tagging luggage. No wait for security. We were there 2 1/2 hours before our flight. It was fairly quiet and about 07:30 when we arrived.

[carlanthony24]

If you are are on a scheduled flight you can use Twilight check that they offer really easy to do. If not the check in desks are easy to find. Security personally never enjoy and will always purchase fast track just for piece of mind that I can get seen quicker if something is wrong and not have to wait an age for them to search your bag. Times have waited to just get through in normal line 30+mins only once did my family get through within 5mins. Fast track 15mins at max.

 

They seemed to process people quick in October so maybe its improved further.

Edited February 20 by carlanthony24

[Thejuggler]

Its still winter schedules so it should be quieter.  It will of course be busier over Easter if your break clashes with schools finishing which could be from 22 March.

[tring]

1 hour ago, carlanthony24 said:

If you are are on a scheduled flight you can use Twilight check that they offer really easy to do. If not the check in desks are easy to find. Security personally never enjoy and will always purchase fast track just for piece of mind that I can get seen quicker if something is wrong and not have to wait an age for them to search your bag. Times have waited to just get through in normal line 30+mins only once did my family get through within 5mins. Fast track 15mins at max.

 

They seemed to process people quick in October so maybe its improved further.

 

Yes the twilight check in is really useful if you are staying in an airport hotel.  I believed that is not available for P&O flights though, even it they are run by TUI, who offer that for their others flights for package hols or just flight bookings.

 

 

Edited February 20 by tring

[pennib]

You need to be fit to use this airport. In terminal 2 some of the distances to walk either to or from gates are vast, much more so since the ongoing refurbishment and the annoying thing is that the travelators are mainly switched off to save cost of running them.  Most people I speak to now hate the place and we are actively looking to avoid flying from there now.  Also the refurb work is not yet finished. I think the expected date is 2025.

[david63]

1 hour ago, pennib said:

In terminal 2 some of the distances to walk either to or from gates are vast,

Nowhere near as far as some other airports around the world!

[Presto2]

Always use Manchester and love the airport. Have used Terminal 1 mainly up to 2019 but 2 more recently and no major queues. We tend to stay at the Radisson overnight as a treat and buy a fast track to get through security.

Try not to worry and enjoy:-)

Edited February 20 by Presto2

[Mostonian]

Thanks for your replies everyone. We are only, at max, half an hour from the airport early morning, so I think we will be ok with the planned 3.30 am taxi pickup from home.

[Presto2]

53 minutes ago, Mostonian said:

Thanks for your replies everyone. We are only, at max, half an hour from the airport early morning, so I think we will be ok with the planned 3.30 am taxi pickup from home.

TBH we're only about 45 minutes, but we see the stop over as part of our holiday. My usual calm and patient hubby turns in to his alter ego on the day we finish the packing and lock the house up etc etc. We have to stay over night for his blood pressure and my nerves .................. well that's our excuse 🙂

 

P.S. Jet2 are a great airline to fly with 🙂

[JeanieC,Aston]

Jet2 are brilliant at Manchester,,,,self check in easy,,,,,put bags on scale,show barcode on your boarding card to the machine and out comes your bag tag,,,,take case to belt.

Jet2 staff everywhere to help.

The security check in T2 is now massive.

Earing places everywhere,,,the only problem that has been mentioned is it can be a long walk depending on gate number.

 

A tip,,,,there is a water fountain after security in the corridor to Duty Free,,,,fill your water bottles up to save paying the extortionate price in the shops for bottles.

 

ps,Jet2 starts flights from Liverpool next month,,,,great!!

Edited February 21 by JeanieC,Aston

[pennib]

David. You are absolutely right about other airports being vast (Dubai and Bangkok come readily to mind) but the question raised by yorkshirephil was about Manchester airport and I responded specifically to that. 

[Cruise_Rookie_2010]

Terminal 2 is huge, give yourself plenty of time to get from check-in to the gate. Like any airport security is hit & miss, we've experienced both, when it's good it's really good but when it's bad it's awful, we missed an early evening flight despite arriving at security an hour before the gate closed, after being in the queue for 20 mins we asked for some help & staff refused. We had to re-book the outbound flight, when we arrived back the following morning we sailed through security in less than 5 minutes, you just can't predict it.

[Onelung]

On 2/20/2024 at 5:02 PM, kalos said:

About 4 week ago we flew out from T2 MCR airport our flight was 6am .

We had stayed overnight at a nearby hotel and was at the airport about 3.20am.

Upon arrival we found the Jet2 well marked out and checked our cases in for

our P&O-Jet 2 flight on the manned  desks ,very easy and soon through.

Next was a right turn following the signs to security which was very fast ,

I would say less than ten minutes .We then walked through the shops

where all the booze and smelly's were. We made our way upstairs and got a

early morning cuppa and a sarnie sandwich  . Think the venue was called Apiary?

They brought the food/drinks to your table .

After this we just had a wander about until the gate number came up on the

departures board.

We had been warned that the flight would be a good ten minute walk down into 

the new departure gates ,  our gate was a back track past the back of security 

and in this area all there is was a set of WC's and a vending machine , other than

that just departure gates .

Overall we found it easy but we were on one of the first flights .so no massive crowds ..

Hope this helps .

That's useful information - thanks.  Glad we have booked mobility assistance if the walk to the gates is that long :)

[HalifaxYorksCruiser]

[Mostonian]

Once again everyone, thanks for your useful replies.

[Interestedcruisefan]

You can pay for fast track security and it's not expensive. That helped us bypass a long queue last Friday morning

 

We were terminal 2 with Maleth

 

Checking in with Maleth was surreal. 7 staff on check in with only one flight to check in.

 

We had 5 check in desks without queues to choose from

 

Chalk and cheese from what we faced with Tui and Virgin on recent flights where we we faced 30 mins check in queues when we arrived

 

 

[Megabear2]

1 hour ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Chalk and cheese from what we faced with Tui and Virgin on recent flights where we we faced 30 mins check in queues when we arrived

They would be scheduled flights though and if your airport work like Gatwick and Heathrow check in for those would be shared with thousands of people on numerous flights.  The Maleth one only had to deal with 230-240 passengers and over a 2/3 hour window it's doubtful queues would build?

Edited February 25 by Megabear2

[carlanthony24]

It is going to be interesting once the 2nd phase is complete and will be able to accommodate another A380.

[Harters]

In recent months, we've flown from Manchester to Barcelona (for a cruise), Mallorca and Tenerife, flying with Jet 2 and Ryanair.  No problems with check-in, security or facilities airside.  For one of these flights, the ticket included fastrack security but it wasnt really needed. 

 

We don't live far away from the airport and use their "partner" taxi company, StreetCars, to take us from/to home. Probably not as cheap as whatever is your local taxi but they've always been reliable. 

Edited February 25 by Harters