Manchester airport, the toddler and the pensioner!

[Whyismycatanasshat]

Posting on behalf of my friend; she’s flying with her 3 year old and elderly mother next Sunday, from T1. Short haul flight.

Her DS will be in his buggy (he’s a runner when frightened and doesn’t handle the airport well) and her mother walks with a stick. She’s spoken to The airline but they haven’t offered assistance for the mother as she doesn’t need a wheelchair; usually they’d book fast track but it’s unavailable at the moment; someone else has told her the buggy will get her queue jumped, I said unlikely - her question is she likely to be fast tracked at security or left to queue.

She thinks her mother will manage to stand for ages, I don’t!

Thank you

I don’t get fast tracked at security with a baby and small child alone so I doubt she will.

why can’t she book assistance? It’s available at every airport, you don’t need to give a reason. Booked it for my grandma before, she walks fine but gets tired quickly and big airports are exhausting for her.

Yes assistance is something you book. You do often have to sit in a wheelchair though, which isn't nice if you don't actually need to use one (ie I booked assistance once as I had an illness leaving me weak and couldn't walk long distances. Had to be wheeled through the whole airport. Felt like a fraud as I'm not a wheelchair user.)

The question would be whether elderly relative goes alone or your friend gets to go with her. Could definitely be separate.

*if assistance booked

Anyone with a buggy goes into a separate entrance to security which generally has a shorter queue. It is located next to check in desk 2.

The assistance service desk is opposite check in desk number 2 where they will give you a sunflower lanyard which you can also use to access the same security entrance.

Showing the lanyard at the gate should get you on in the first wave depending on airline and it will also give you access to the disabled queue on return at passport control.

This is based on me working there before lockdown. Things may have changed.

I just booked security fast track passes for Manchester despite the message saying that they're not available. It was for June though, so that might make a difference.

Book assistance with the airline. I use a wheelchair and have to book anyway. We are flying out of Manchester in the next couple of weeks so when I booked mine, I booked my in-laws as well. They are both recovering from cancer and fatigue easily now. Stubbornly stoic in their 70's and will never book assistance.

The airline assured me that on the day itself, if they really don't want assistance, which is just someone walking us through the fast track line of security and some short cut back doors, then they can decline. You don't need to use a wheelchair, just have an impairment.

If you book for her, all 3 of you will go through the assistance, as they won't take her by herself and they won't take your toddler off you either!! Hope you have a fab time!

No one at the moment is getting through the queue quicker unless they're close to missing their flight.

The queue was in the car park today and about :5 hours long

Thank you all.
I rang her again, she has booked fast track somehow. I’ve convinced her that as her Mum is almost 80 and can’t stand for hours at a busy airport, to book special assistance.
In the time it’s taken me to type this she’s text to say she’s done it but is cross with me as she thinks her Mum will go through with help and she will be left behind with her DS.

No good deed and all that.

Same. For 7th June. Fingers crossed it works. When do you go?

I’ve had to use special assistance recently due to a mobility issue. In all the airports where I’ve used it, my travel companion has never been separated from me when going through security. So if it helps your friend, she should just stay with her mother as helper/companion & they should hopefully all be able to go together.

@FlySwimmer Thank you, I think she’s being a bit cross because deep down she knows I’m right about her Mum not being as young and fit as she once was.
I’m very fond of her Mum and can’t bear the idea of her trying to stand in the airport, because she would do at my friends behest, until the very moment she couldn’t.

@Cheeseandlobster 8th June! Fingers crossed for us both that they honour the tickets!

I’m trying to book Fast Track. Does anyone know if you enter your flight time, or what time you think you will be going through Security, eg 2 hours earlier?

thanks

I travelled from Manchester airport recently and we stood near the special assistance bit as we waited for our check in to open, all the people in there were with their partner/rest of their family

I’ve just managed to book fast track for myself and 2 toddlers for the second week in June if anyone is wondering about Manchester operating the fast track.

@Whyismycatanasshat that is exactly my current issue - I can walk but can’t stand for any length of time, so long queues would be a nightmare! My experience is that on the departures side, someone brings you through security in a wheelchair & in that scenario it’s very easy for family to accompany you - unless there were millions of family members, but it was never a problem for my husband to come with us for example.
On the arrivals side, I’ve noticed they tend to collect people off the plane & use larger vehicles like 6-8 person buggies, so there may be a chance of separation then, but family
members are always told where the meet-up point is.
My impression is that the stress here is about the departures side. I don’t know how all airports operate their assistance, but I would hope your friend’s family will be looked after together. My husband simply stuck by my side and never suggested going off himself & meeting up post-security, and it wasn’t an issue to go all together.

Fingers crossed for both of us!

I had this query too and no-one could answer it. I booked it for 2 hours before my flight in the end. It asks for flight time but then says something different which is confusing .

I posted about getting through to Special Assistance for Jet2 at Manchester and when we went through several layers of our booking we found an email address (we couldn't get through on the phone). They promised they'd email back nearer our departure date. I think we'll book Fast Track as well just to be on the safe side!