Hello everyone, I'm in the UK. I've been on this forum for a while but this is my first time posting. We have close family friends who live in Bern and the daughter (nearly 22) is coming in a few weeks to stay with us before attending a language school in the South of England. I've heard all sorts of issues recently with Manchester Airport and I just wanted to know if anyone has flown there recently, what it was like? She's flying from Geneva to Manchester, getting a train to Leeds where we'll collect her. I believe this is the first time she's flown by herself and is a very confident young woman with a good grasp of English but I just want to be as prepared as possible as I can't be there to actually collect her from the airport and haven't been there myself for years! Many thanks in advance.
Island Monkey thankyou! That gives me hope for her arrival at least. I don't know yet where she's flying back from as she'll be in Bournemouth so doubtful she'll be coming back up North to fly out. Much appreciated!
Island Monkey is right. I fly in and out of Manchester most weeks, it's the departures side that is chaos. Arrivals might have a queue for passports - and has been very slow for baggage recently - but its mostly ok.
Hope yet another confirmation gives you extra peace of mind. I flew to Manchester some months ago, and arrivals was as smooth as it gets. Departures was chaos, with a gigantic queue to go through security. Once past the scanners, it was all back to normal. Don't worry.
Did anyone fly back from MAN recently? I was considering making a trip there, but would need to be back on time as I have a flight the next day somewhere else. I saw on the news a few months ago the chaos and queues on departure, but wondered whether it has since improved.
I use (though not for 3 years now) National rail Enquiries as I prefer them to the TrainLine. https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/
If she intends to use the railways a lot, it could pay to buy a travel pass available to non UK residents only at a very advantageous price. It may be worth having a look and they can only be bought outside of the UK.
Hi Pete, thanks! Yes her mum actually mentioned this to me today about the Britrail pass so I think that's what she's planning to use. I'd not heard of it myself. Been a while since I've travelled anywhere
I arrived at security on Sunday at 5pm. Without fast track, you'd be queuing for easily an hour or more to get through security. With fast track, it took 10 mins.
There are definitely direct trains to Leeds, but this is NOT Switzerland! They are only 1 every hour.
The Transpennine line is reknowned for cancellations and delays, even on the laughably named "Manchester Airport Express". It takes 1 hour 30 mins - I can drive it in 55 mins.
(To prove my point, on the app I just checked, all the next 4 options are either already cancelled or subject to cancellation)
There is a "change at manchester piccadilly" option, but also only 1 every hour, and it goes 6 minutes after one of the direct ones and involves half an hour extra hanging about at Piccadilly.
Oh I know the difference haha! Having travelled in both countries I've seen it firsthand. I've told her she's going to be in for a bit of a shock. I'm debating organising an airport shuttle taxi to bring her to Leeds but she's going to be travelling onwards to Bournemouth by train when she leaves us so she'll be partaking of our 'wonderful' transport system anyway May as well get used to it
This is such a lovely thread, with a sensible question from someone kind enough to want to help someone else, then good advice that will really help, and thanks. It cheers the soul.
Now, this may seem to be a moot point but as a Swiss it was a "gotcha" for me the time I met a friend at the trainstation in the UK.
When I meet a friend at the trainstation here in Switzerland I mostly meet them either once they leave the train i.e. I wait on the plattform or I wait close to the plattform i.e. WITHIN the trainstation. In the UK you will have to wait outside of the trainstation. This might be ovious to you but it might not be to her so make sure to tell her that you wait outside of the trainstation