Manchester airport

orrrangessandlemons · 2022-04-05T10:47:40+00:00

Posting for traffic Has anyone flown from manchester recently? The state of it on the news is worrying me. My child is autistic and I'm wondering how much support will be available with the hidden disability lanyard for fast tracking/priority boarding etc. Has anyone experienced going through the airport recently while needing this support?

Original poster

orrrangessandlemons · 05/04/2022 12:27

Anyone?

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Glenthebattleostrich · 05/04/2022 12:30

We fly from T2 on Thursday, I can update then if you like?

We are planning to get there 4 hours early,have bought security fast track passes and are being super careful on liquids etc in hand luggage. So crossing fingers!

Red2017 · 05/04/2022 12:31

I travelled on the Friday just gone. It wasn't too bad. They generally let families through quicker. The queues look massive but it doesn't take too long to get through.

Pansypotter123 · 05/04/2022 12:39

I flew out last week and it was a breeze but it was an early flight. I did have fast track though and whilst the fast track queue was longer than usual it still moved at a pace. Just be careful - some staff called passengers forward who were on an earlier flight (so I assume there must have been some hold up somewhere) but didn't check their boarding passes to see if they were all on that particular flight, so lots of people jumped on the bandwagon to get through 🙄 I'm hoping I am not delayed when I land back because of delays in the luggage coming off the flight!

UnicornGlitter · 05/04/2022 12:40

We are in terninal 1 now and it hasn't been too bad at all and nothing like is being shown on social media! Main problems caused by people arriving too early (they won't let anyone through more than 3 hours before they are due to travel) and people not having things ready (boarding pass/liquids etc). It is busy but as to be expected in school holdays. We arrived 2 and a half hours before travelling and have had time to grab something to eat and have a nosy round the shops 😊

PomPomChatton · 05/04/2022 12:43

On Sunday afternoon it was taking about 2.5 hours for security and 45 minutes with a fast track ticket.

Masterblasterjammin · 05/04/2022 12:45

In terms of fast track/priority boarding, I doubt a sunflower lanyard will help. You need to purchase security fast track, and contact your airline regarding priority booking. So many people got sunflower lanyards because they wouldn’t/couldn’t wear masks - I doubt that will suffice.

Pootles34 · 05/04/2022 12:51

Have you rung them up OP? I would ask them what they would advise.

I saw on the news this morning that Andy Burnham (mayor) is looking at getting the police in to help sort it all out, so fingers crossed that helps a bit.

CharlotteRose90 · 05/04/2022 13:09

What terminal and what airline. I work in t2 and I will honestly say it’s been hell the last days. It’s not busy at 3am but 5am onwards it’s horrific. With your child get a sunflower lanyard and you’ll go down the fast track. You might need to wait a little but it will be quicker.

Original poster

orrrangessandlemons · 05/04/2022 13:12

@Masterblasterjammin

In terms of fast track/priority boarding, I doubt a sunflower lanyard will help. You need to purchase security fast track, and contact your airline regarding priority booking. So many people got sunflower lanyards because they wouldn’t/couldn’t wear masks - I doubt that will suffice.

There is a page on their website advising people To use them if they have hidden disabilities

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PrivateHall · 05/04/2022 13:14

Interesting that posters saying its ok have been in T1 when it is well reported that T2 is the issue. I flew out of there last week and it was absolutely horrendous. Someone above has blamed it on customers being slow, why would they be slower in Manchester than any other airport? It is more to do with staffing levels according to the poor harassed exhausted staff I spoke to there. Hope it improves for them soon

Original poster

orrrangessandlemons · 05/04/2022 13:16

@Pootles34

Have you rung them up OP? I would ask them what they would advise.

I saw on the news this morning that Andy Burnham (mayor) is looking at getting the police in to help sort it all out, so fingers crossed that helps a bit.

Yeah I haven't been able to speak to anybody who can help so far and the phone lines seem really busy

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Abraxan · 05/04/2022 13:17

DD travelled with a friend with a lanyard. She still needed to call in advance and ask for additional assistance. The lanyard alone won't do much, especially if it is busy.

Much better to call in advance and ask for special assistance. They were excellent btw - fast tracked through every stage and all very smooth.

Bofthebang · 05/04/2022 13:17

I haven’t, but my friend flew at the weekend. Can’t recall which terminal but she said it was chaos, and unfortunately the sunflower lanyard won’t give you any priority. Best advice my friend gave was the fast track so I think that’s probably the best option for you.

Original poster

orrrangessandlemons · 05/04/2022 13:19

@CharlotteRose90

What terminal and what airline. I work in t2 and I will honestly say it’s been hell the last days. It’s not busy at 3am but 5am onwards it’s horrific. With your child get a sunflower lanyard and you’ll go down the fast track. You might need to wait a little but it will be quicker.

T1 turkish airlines

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Original poster

orrrangessandlemons · 05/04/2022 13:21

To those suggesting the lanyard is no good I'm not just assuming they will accept it, this is on the website.

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Original poster

orrrangessandlemons · 05/04/2022 13:23

.

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Boood · 05/04/2022 13:23

I flew out two weeks ago and back yesterday, both first thing in the morning from T2. We allowed about an hour and a half more than usual on the way out and it was completely fine. Immigration/passport control was awful yesterday. The automated scanner things didn’t work for the vast majority of people, so nearly everyone had to queue to speak to someone and there were only two desks open. The queue was massive just for our flight, so if more had joined it would have taken hours. And they were being very thorough- I don’t know if they were looking for something, or just overdoing it because of inexperience, but my husband, who was born in Manchester, has lived there all his life and has a Manchester accent, was questioned about where he was born. Baggage reclaim wasn’t bad. Overall it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be.

Original poster

orrrangessandlemons · 05/04/2022 13:24

@Glenthebattleostrich

We fly from T2 on Thursday, I can update then if you like?

We are planning to get there 4 hours early,have bought security fast track passes and are being super careful on liquids etc in hand luggage. So crossing fingers!

Yes please, thank you!

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kateg27 · 05/04/2022 13:24

@orrrangessandlemons they will be their own lanyards, stanstead used to have yellow wrist bands not sure what they have now. You need to call ahead to inform them you need specialist assistance and then go to the assistance desk when you get to the airport. I've always done this for my son and it's never been an issue.
Also let the airline know as they will let you choose wether you want to board first or last etc

Abraxan · 05/04/2022 13:27

@orrrangessandlemons

To those suggesting the lanyard is no good I'm not just assuming they will accept it, this is on the website.

I'm not saying they won't accept it but, when busy, it may not be noticed or be enough to get you through quickly enough.

As I said, DD's friend was told to call up as well to ensure she got the assistance and to not just rely on the lanyard if she would definitely need the extra support. That was summer 2020, so not even that busy a time in airports.

triplechoc · 05/04/2022 13:31

Flew out of T2 Sunday morning 11ish, took 2.5 hours for check in and security; the queue for security snaked through the whole new bit of the terminal before actually getting to the usual security lanes.

However, it did move quite rapidly, was very calm and organised despite minimal staff around. There were regular announcements for people to make themselves known to staff if their departure time was before X, and they were pulled from the line and scooted through.

We’d bought fast track but couldn’t use them (it does say in the t&cs that they can’t guarantee it) so will get a refund.

kittykarate · 05/04/2022 13:33

I think one of the key 'invisible' problems Manchester has currently is is around baggage handling. They are just not able to get bags onto and off planes quickly enough which is causing a ripple backwards through the rest of the system. I flew through there in February, and the plane had to wait on the tarmac for 40 minutes to get the suitcases on, and when we returned we waited 1.5 hours in baggage reclaim.

Security was just a normal level pain, though if a lot of people are travelling with hand luggage to avoid the other baggage problems then this will escalate.

Check in/ bag drop was slow, but at the time they were double checking everyone's vaccine passports/test results.

Original poster

orrrangessandlemons · 05/04/2022 13:34

@triplechoc

Flew out of T2 Sunday morning 11ish, took 2.5 hours for check in and security; the queue for security snaked through the whole new bit of the terminal before actually getting to the usual security lanes.

However, it did move quite rapidly, was very calm and organised despite minimal staff around. There were regular announcements for people to make themselves known to staff if their departure time was before X, and they were pulled from the line and scooted through.

We’d bought fast track but couldn’t use them (it does say in the t&cs that they can’t guarantee it) so will get a refund.

Thank you that's reassuring.

I don't mind buying fast tracks if that's what will help but they have a policy on invisible disabilities which I'm sure can't be ignored just because it's busy in the same way a fast track could be withdrawn if it's impractical.

Hopefully things will be calmer when we go.

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DaffodilDandilion · 05/04/2022 13:39

Your sunflower lanyard should help. I wonder if you’re eligible to request special assistance? I’m relatively local and have seen parents saying they’re going to cram their 6 year old into a big to cheat the fast track line. The lanyard only offers you the chance to fast track, nothing else, and the more people buying or cheating their way in, the more people with genuine need are having to wait. It makes me mad!