I'm not a travel veteran, but I do know that I prefer flying from Manchester wehenever I can because it just seems somehow friendlier than Heathrow or Gatwick. Also seems more organised. Maybe I've just been lucky! Lol! Going to Vegas next month from there!

Probably because people oop north tend to be friendlier than those down south.

Subject: MANCHESTER AIRPORT .. Q&As, hotels, parking, etc

Feebee wrote:

Gatwick is a cattle market.

South Terminal is, North Terminal at Gatwick is like a completely different airport.

Some that work in the NT do have a nickname for the South but lots of improvements are nearly finished.
I also think that the North is like a different airport, But Feebee does have a valid point , keeping on the "cattle" theme the South does feel packed , perhaps because it processes nearly as many as the total of Manchester , it does always feel a bit busy in there!

I "liked" Manchester Airport on Facebook this morning and noticed a 20% discount on the Escape lounge, wish I had "liked" it before.

If you are on FB might be worth checking their page out.

---
- Fiona

Hi, I am thinking of booking escape lounge T1 and was wondering if there are any views of the runways
also does the Bollin lounge accept children as that does have views. Thanks cc

No runway views from T1 Escape. The Bollin Servisair lounge does accept children.

ccrider1uk,

Views of the runways are limited from both T1 and T2 as they are set back from them, especailly when 23L/05R is active.

Darren

Has anyone used the BMI lounge in T3?

Also is it a hike to the usual bmibaby gates?

many thanks

I've used the BMI lounge at T3 a couple of times.

There is a TV area and wifi. Not much choice of things to eat as there were just croissants, muffins and cereals. Help yourself to drinks though.

We got in free as we had status with the airline, but I wouldn't pay for it unless I had a long layover.

luci

acorns8,

T3 is a relatively small terminal so it's not that far from the lounge to any of the gates.

Darren

How anyone can describe Manchester airport as "organized" is beyond me. I came through last week and it took over an hour to get through immigration. Four e-passport booths stand idle as 99% of passengers are forced to queue to have their passports manually checked, because despite children having to have the ridiculously expensive e-passport they are not actually allowed to use them! Everyone returning from a family holiday therefore has to join the long snaking queue. I'd bet money that not one single illegal immigrant ever entered this country through the UK and EU citizens queue, before or after all the long winded new passport inspections. The illegals are in the short queue next door with perfectly valid student visas that they can enter the country with and then disappear!
Liverpool Airport for me next year. If Manchester Airport can't get the Home Office to give them more staff to make up for the non-use of e-passports (or get the Home Office to change their stupid regulations) then I'm going to use the quieter airport, even if the flights are a little dearer!
God knows how many people's luggage gets stolen as it endlessly laps the carousel while its owners stand fuming in those queues!

As a single traveller my e-queue should be very short then :). Used it last time.

I have to agree about the e-passport computers at MIA, when we came back in June the staff was shepherding everyone with an e-passport to the new machines, neither of our passports worked after four attempts we had to go to the normal booths, it was the same for everyone who was told to use the new machines by the miserable customs and Immigration guard, luckily we got a desk that was just opening so it was straight through with no problems, but these new machines hardly ever work properly, my brother and family had the same problems last month and ended having to queue for almost two hours but that was because the customs people was taking everyones addresses, he never was told why they had to write their address. He said next year they will go back to using LBA, they never had problems like that when they flew from there in the past.
Hopefully we will not have a long queue when we return to T3 in October, but I have allowed an extra hour for our train home.

Alan and Dara.

Hello,

Wandering if somebody can tell me please ?

We have booked to stay in the Travel Lodge I think it's next to the Premier Inn on Runger Lane. Is it walking distance from Terminal 3 or is there a shuttle bus or Taxi to pick us up from departures and drop us off there ?

BBilly

Hi BurscoughBilly

Information about Premier Inn
http://www.booking.com/hotel/gb/premier-inn-manchester-airport-freight-terminal.en.html?aid=313435;sid=b16a8fff228110e9a2c8fce5929b7977;srfid=3f57ec5dad54f49b705dcb3ca659454fX19#topanchor

That's no good mate as I'm booked in with Travel Lodge lol

Roflmao. I know my glasses have broken but I must be nearly blind if I couldn't read what you wrote

See if this is any better
http://www.travelodge.co.uk/hotels/info?hotelId=295

BurscoughBilly
We have used the travelodge in the past and their transfers are quite expensive at £10 each return , on arrival at the airport or rail station there is a courtesy phone in arrivals / lower concourse, they take your reservation number and name and tell you where to wait and you pay at reception.
We usually stay next door at the Premier Inn as it is a much nicer hotel and roughly the same price or it is for when we will go next month, we use Arrow cars now and only pay £14 return for both of us and its our own taxi whereas you have to share with other passengers with travelodge transfers.
We will be using the brand new Travelodge in Valencia next month but only because it is so close to the airport and there is no Premier Inn in Valencia and we have to be back at the airport for 6 the next morning.

kinell rip off Britain or what ?

Thanks Sunaddict and BigAl.

According to the map it's 0.5 miles from the airport, I'm prepared to walk that rather then pay a tenner each.

BBilly.