Manchester Airport's Terminal 3 has been voted the worst in the UK for the fourth consecutive year, according to a survey by consumer group Which?. The terminal received a customer satisfaction score of just 43%, with one-star ratings for security queues, seating, and the prices of shops and food outlets. One passenger complained about the lack of seating and the difficulty of getting a drink or something to eat, blaming an increase in Ryanair flights.
Manchester's other terminals also fared poorly: Terminal 1, scheduled for closure this year, was second from bottom, with a passenger describing the cleanliness as 'appalling' and noting overflowing toilets and rubbish. Terminal 2 managed only fourth from bottom, scoring 53%, though some praised its facilities and helpful staff.
At the top of the rankings was Exeter Airport, with a customer score of 80%, despite serving only around 500,000 passengers a year compared to Manchester's 29 million. Liverpool John Lennon Airport came second with 78%, praised for its quick, efficient process and friendly staff. London Luton was the lowest-ranked airport near the capital, scoring 51%, with complaints about high prices and a 'disorganised and confusing layout'. Gatwick's North and South terminals scored 57% and 55% respectively, while Heathrow's Terminal 5 scored 59% and Terminal 3 scored 54%.
The survey, based on responses from nearly 6,000 passengers, rated airports across ten categories including customer service, baggage wait times, security queues, seating, and the range of shops and food outlets. A common frustration was high prices in shops and eateries, with more than half of airports receiving just one star for this category.
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, said: 'While some airports show that the few hours before your flight can be an enjoyable start to a holiday, others are an endurance test as passengers feel more like cattle herded from expensive shops to overpriced bars and restaurants, as well as dealing with long queues and dirty toilets.' He advised travellers to consider their choice of airport carefully.
Chris Woodroofe, managing director of Manchester Airport, defended the airport, citing a £1.3 billion transformation programme and plans to invest in Terminal 3. He said customer satisfaction had increased significantly, with 91% of 3,045 people surveyed between January and June this year rating their experience as good, very good, or excellent, and dismissed the Which? report as 'outdated and unrepresentative'.
