Manchester Airport has been named the UK’s worst airport for the third year in a row, according to the latest survey by consumer group Which?.
The airport’s Terminal 3 finished at the bottom of the annual ranking, receiving only one-star ratings for seating, staff, queues at security, range of shops, and prices, without scoring higher than two stars in any other category, including toilets.
The Which? survey, which gathered feedback from 5,000 British travellers, also placed Manchester’s Terminal 1 second to last, with Terminal 2 coming in sixth from the bottom. The survey highlighted ongoing issues at Manchester Airport, which has faced numerous challenges in recent months, including power cuts that cancelled all flights from Terminals 1 and 2 in June, and an incident involving a police officer that led to protests.
One traveller described their experience at Terminal 3 as “queuing, queuing, queuing… not enough staff, poorly trained, surly bordering on rude,” while another noted, “Manchester T3 sums up everything that is bad about UK airports. Too many flights mean too many people crowded into a space not designed to take that many.” Many others echoed complaints about the lack of seating and poor facilities.
In contrast, Liverpool John Lennon Airport was voted the UK’s best airport, receiving top ratings for its “friendly” and “good-natured” staff, as well as for efficient queues at bag drop and security. Smaller airports generally outperformed their larger counterparts, with London City Airport ranking second, followed by Norwich, Exeter, and Southampton. Respondents cited shorter queues and a less stressful overall experience as key factors in their ratings.
Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, commented on the findings: “Our survey found many of the biggest airports fall at the basics – with passengers often unhappy about the availability of toilets and seats, and reporting long queues at times. Flogging fast passes and filling terminals with retail spaces and airport lounges is a money spinner – but judging by our survey results, it’s not what passengers need. Smaller airports, in contrast, may have few shops to speak of and the likes of City have no private lounges – but our survey shows what they can do is get passengers off on their holiday quickly and smoothly.”
At a glance, the Which? rankings for the UK’s best and worst airports are as follows:
1. Liverpool John Lennon – 81%
2. London City – 80%
3. Norwich – 78%
4. Exeter – 77%
5. Southampton – 75%
6. Bournemouth – 72%
6. Newcastle – 72%
7. Cardiff – 71%
8. Inverness – 70%
9. East Midlands – 67%
10. Belfast City – 63%
11. Glasgow International – 62%
12. Leeds Bradford – 58%
12. London Heathrow Terminal 5 – 58%
13. Edinburgh – 57%
14. Aberdeen – 56%
14. London Gatwick North – 56%
14. London Heathrow Terminal 2 – 56%
15. Birmingham – 55%
15. London Gatwick South – 55%
16. London Heathrow Terminal 3 – 54%
17. Bristol – 53%
18. London Heathrow Terminal 4 – 51%
18. Manchester Terminal 2 – 51%
19. London Stansted – 50%
20. London Luton – 47%
21. Belfast International – 44%
22. Manchester Terminal 1 – 40%
23. Manchester Terminal 3 – 37%
While smaller airports received praise, larger airports like Luton and Stansted were among the worst-rated, reflecting widespread dissatisfaction with long queues and inadequate facilities.
A spokesperson for Manchester Airport responded: “Manchester Airport is proud to give people in all parts of the North easy and affordable access to nearly 200 different destinations across the world. We understand not every experience is perfect and want all passengers to feel able to raise their concerns directly with us.”
The Which? survey results underscore the importance of choosing not just the right airline but also the right airport, as the overall travel experience can vary significantly based on the airport used. As Boland suggests, “Next time you’re booking a flight, it’s well worth considering not just your choice of airline but also your airport – it could make all the difference to the start of your getaway.”