Top tips for passengers when you arrive at Manchester Airport during Easter

Last Friday (4 April) was the busiest day of the year so far at the UK’s global gateway in the North, with 107,000 passengers travelling through – and those numbers are set to be equalled or even topped this Friday and next Monday, as families get away on an Easter break.

Around 1.7m passengers will use the airport between 4 April and 21 April – with the most popular destinations including holiday hotspots like Alicante, Antalya, Tenerife and Mallorca, as well as city break favourites like Amsterdam, Dublin, Paris and Barcelona. Making up the top 10 are Dubai and Doha, with great connections on to long-haul destinations like Australia, New Zealand and the Far East.

Manchester Airport is ready for the influx of travellers, with extra staff in place across all areas of the airport – including its resilience team, trained in a range of roles so that they can step in if issues arise.

So far this year, 98% of passengers have waited 15 minutes or less to get to security – meaning they are able to get to the departure lounges more quickly and relax ahead of their flights.

And to help make sure passengers can enjoy their time at the airport and relax ahead of their trips, the airport has given some advice to travellers.

Jennifer Byrne-Smith, Manchester Airport’s Customer Operations Director, said:

“Here at Manchester Airport we’re proud to connect the North to the World and we have an exciting summer ahead of us. We are concluding our 10-year transformation programme that has created a world-class passenger experience in Terminal 2 and are celebrating a host of new routes and more flights than ever before to our most popular holiday hotspots.

“The Easter holidays mark the start of the busiest time of year for us so we’re well prepared and ready to deliver a great experience for our passengers.

“But there are some things passengers can do themselves both before they come to the airport and while they’re here to make sure they have a stress-free trip.

“That starts right when you’re booking your trip – think about when you want to travel and whether you could get a bargain and come to the airport at a quieter time by travelling outside the school holidays or checking to see if your children’s school holidays fall outside the normal dates, as is often the case for Manchester schools during the May half term.

“Make sure you pack as light as you can and roll your clothes up rather than folding them as this saves valuable space and could mean you can travel with hand baggage rather than hold baggage and save you money.

“And take advantage of everything we offer here at Manchester Airport. That includes using day-before bag drop services, booking your parking if you need it – or making use of the fact that we’re the only airport in the country with a dedicated train, tram and bus station – arranging free assistance if you have mobility needs or other disabilities, and, if you want to really elevate your time at the airport, booking one of our premium lounges.

“We also have out Little Flyers Zone in Terminal 1, which has a play area for younger travellers and a range of activities over the Easter holidays.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming you if you’re travelling this summer and to helping you start your holidays here at Manchester Airport.”

Here are Manchester Airport’s top tips for a great airport experience:

Think carefully about when you want to travel

Be flexible with your booking dates if you can. If you are not travelling with school aged children, you can find better deals available either side of the school summer holidays, in June and September, when the weather in the most popular bucket-and-spade destinations will still be sunny.

If you are travelling with school aged children, check to see if your children’s school holidays are outside the dates for other schools. This is particularly relevant for some Manchester schools that have one week for the Easter break and then two weeks at the end of May and start of June for the Whit holiday. Often the second week of the May/June break is outside normal holiday times and there are bargains available.

Certain days of the week are cheaper to fly than others – you can generally find that better value fares are available midweek rather than at the weekend. The time of day can make a difference too.

Package deals can offer great value for money along with the peace of mind that comes with ATOL protection, but they might not always give you a lot of flexibility to explore your destination in your own way. Shop around to find the option that best suits your needs.

Make the most of your space

When packing for a summer holiday, particularly if you are travelling as a family, it is easy to end up with a dizzying list of items you need to take. Thinking in advance about what you might be able to buy at the airport or in your destination, beach accessories and toiletries, for example, will help you save space and money.

Packing versatile clothes that you can combine to create several different outfits is a great way to limit the amount that you have to pack. Rolling up your clothes, rather than folding them, also saves space and stops your clothes from creasing.

Book parking and any assistance you need in advance

If you require any assistance at the airport, with mobility for example, arrange this with your airline at least 48 hours before the date of travel. Your airline or travel agent will take all necessary information from you regarding your needs and travel plans and will inform the Special Assistance team at the airport. Find out more here: http://www.manchesterairport.co.uk/help/special-assistance/.

If you are travelling to the airport by car, it is also worth considering booking your parking in advance to get the best deal. There are a range of official parking options to suit all budgets – with the best deals to be had in the JetParks car parks, a short shuttle bus ride away from the terminals. Parking in the multi-storey car parks next to the terminals is also available for added convenience. You can review the full range of options at http://www.manchesterairport.co.uk/parking.

Leave plenty of time for your journey to the airport

Public transport and the road network will be busy during the summer months – so make sure you factor-in enough time to allow for any potential delays or diversions on your way to the airport.

Most airlines recommend that you aim to arrive two hours ahead of departure for a short-haul flight or three hours for a long-haul flight – but that may vary depending on your airline, so make sure you check before setting off.

Consider day-before bag drop services if you live nearby A number of airlines including TUI, Ryanair, easyJet, Jet2.com and Virgin Atlantic offer a free day-before or ‘twilight’ bag drop service on eligible flights. This allows you to come to the airport and check in your hold luggage the evening before you travel – so you can go straight to security on the morning of your flight and avoid queueing up to drop your bags. You can even get up to an hour’s free parking at the airport if you’re taking advantage of this service – so if you live nearby or are staying at an airport hotel the night before you travel, it is well worth doing.

Take advantage of airport lounges

All three terminals at Manchester Airport offer an Escape Lounge, from £31.99 per person – accessible up to three hours before your flight departure. Escape gives you cosy corners if you want to sit back and relax, and social areas if you want to chat. It also boasts a complimentary bar and buffet food service.

The 1903 lounge in Terminal 2 offers an elevated experience, with food cooked to order or a premium buffet and self-service drinks selection and sweeping airfield views. 1903 can be booked from just £50.99 per person.

Keep children entertained – with the airport’s help

If you are travelling as a family, it is worth packing toys or puzzle books to keep your children entertained as you wait for your flight. Those travelling through Terminal 1 over the Easter school holidays might also want to pay a visit to the Little Flyers Zone, a free to use, interactive play area for primary school aged children in the departure lounge. Little Flyers Club branded giveaways will be running throughout the school holidays, with goodies including booklets, stickers and crayons to keep the kids amused as families settle into their seats for take-off