Manchester Airport has officially been declared the worst airport in the UK, according to a new survey by consumer choice group Which?
The UK’s third largest airport grabbed headlines repeatedly due to its scenes of chaos for travellers this past summer – with long delays, unplanned flight cancellations, and queues so long that many were required to turn up hours in advance and even then still miss their flights in the most unfortunate cases.
And now, the country’s biggest consumer body has named it the worst in the UK.
For its annual survey, Which? gathered feedback from more than 7,000 people about their experiences of flying from UK airports between July 2020 and July 2022 – with Manchester’s Terminal 3 receiving the lowest customer score of 38%.
Angry travellers from our region’s airport over the past two years described their experiences “chaotic”, “heaving”, and “an end-to-end shambles, with people explaining they were mainly frustrated by the queues throughout the place – for everything from getting through security, to buying something to eat and drink.
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Manchester Airport has officially been declared the worst airport in the UK / Credit: The Manc Group
Terminal 1 (41%) and Terminal 2 (47%) did fare a little better in the survey than Terminal 3, but passengers said they were still pretty irritated by long waits.
According to Which?, it’s not just the recent survey results that have been pretty damning for Manchester Airport, as many of its members have regularly reported over the years that the airport is “grim”, with others saying the layout was “poorly designed”, and that basically, “it’s just not a nice airport.”
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Manchester’s neighbouring airport, Liverpool John Lennon Airport, however, has come out with a glowing review from the Which? survey – receiving a ‘Which? Recommended Provider’ status and obtaining a score of 83%.
“It’s much smaller, less manic and so much more civilised than Manchester,” one passenger claimed.
We've ranked airports up and down the country. Where has your go-to airport landed in our table? ✈️ https://t.co/3p8uSoz1L3
Speaking on taking the title as the UK’s worst airport, and addressing the survey head-on, a spokesperson for Manchester Airport said: “We apologise to any customer who feels their experience was not of the standard we want to deliver over the past two years.
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“The pandemic was the biggest crisis faced by our industry in its history.
“At one stage, passenger numbers at Manchester Airport dropped to just 5% of normal levels and airports around the world had to cut costs just to survive.
Manchester’s Terminal 3 received the lowest customer score of 38%, according to Which? / Credit: The Manc Group
“Earlier this year, the whole of the travel industry then faced unprecedented challenges as travel restrictions were removed and demand returned rapidly to the market, and Manchester Airport was no different. The hugely competitive employment market and delays in training and vetting meant there were times when we were unable to keep up with passenger demand, which resulted in longer waiting times than we would like.”
The spokesperson added that the Airport is “looking forward to delivering a positive experience to all our passengers this winter, and into summer 2023.”
Featured Image – Manchester Airport
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Manchester City agree deal to sign top Premier League defender Marc Guehi
Danny Jones
It looks like they’ve finally got a done deal: Manchester City have reportedly agreed a deal for the transfer of highly sought-after defender Marc Guehi.
Man City are said to have finally reached an agreement with Crystal Palace to sign the increasingly established Three Lions star after emerging as a suitor in recent weeks.
Pep Guardiola’s pursuit of the impressive Premier League centre-back ramped up earlier this month, as it became apparent that they were hoping to hijack Liverpool’s prospective move for Guehi.
The Ivory Coast-born England international looked all set to arrive at Anfield back in the summer, but the deal never materialised, and now rivals City appear to have sealed his signature.
According to breaking transfer news specialist Fabrizio Romano, Palace and Man City are said to have now reached an agreement in principle for approximately £20 million.
It’s fair to say that it’s an absolute bargain for a player of his quality.
While details surrounding contract length, wages and add-ons, etc., are yet to be fully confirmed (as is final verification as per an official announcement via his new employers), personal terms are not expected to be an issue.
On the other hand, the acquisition will also see Man City’s total spending to roughly half a billion pounds over the past year alone. Staggering sums for any sporting outfit.
Not that his former London team will mind one bit, of course, as it became increasingly clear that Guehi would be leaving eventually; manager Oliver Glasner – who also seems set to depart at the end of his contract – even addressed the sale in his most recent press conference.
You can see the clip in question down below.
''I wish him all the best for the rest of his career, he will have a great career I think''
Once again, we will have to wait for the official unveiling at the Etihad Campus, but we’d say that this interview is all the verification you need.
With Man City currently facing multiple absences, particularly in their backline with both Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias out injured, Guehi’s arrival is no doubt a welcome one.
Although many debated whether or not Pep needed to sign another centre-half, especially with two promising youth players returning from loan, supporters will nevertheless be glad to have snatched him from the clutches of Liverpool.
Over in the women’s team, they’ve also brought in a new member of the squad who could help spur on their title charge.
Featured Images — BBC Sport (screenshot via YouTube)
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The Tour de France is coming to Manchester
Danny Jones
It’s official: both the male and female Tour de France are coming to Greater Manchester and nine other destinations across the UK in 2027.
As one of the biggest locations on the list, it’s another big sporting landmark for us Mancs.
Confirmed on Thursday, 15 January, the men’s race and the Tour de France Femmes (TdFF) will be passing through our region next summer.
Revealing the news in an exciting announcement video on social media, you can see the other cities and towns that the world-famous endurance event will be hitting here:
With Greater Manchester boasting not only the National Cycling Centre, but having already hosted the Tour of Britain – which has passed through Altrincham on multiple ocassions – we’re well-versed when it comes to the sport.
It’s been more than a decade since the Tour de France last took place in the UK, with London and Yorkshire hosting three stages of the biggest date on the annual cycling calendar back in 2014.
Fast forward a dozen years, and not only will they both be participating again, but Great Britain will see dual Grand Départs for men and women for the very first time.
Not only are we buzzing that the racing will be returning to our friends in Leeds and Sheffield, but also nice to see other Northern regions lending their roads and stunning landscapes, such as the Lake District and wider parts of Cumbria.
You can see the full route map broken down below.
🇬🇧 Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, London 🇬🇧
💛 Grand Départ Great Britain 2027: in the footsteps of the pioneers!
— Le Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift (@LeTourFemmes) January 15, 2026
Speaking in an official press release, race director Christian Prudhomme said: “The UK has always welcomed the Tour with passion and pride, and the route details we are revealing today reflect the beauty and diversity of Britain’s terrain.”
“Bringing both Grand Départs here is a testament to the strength of our partnership with British Cycling and the enthusiasm of the UK.”
TdFF counterpart, Marion Rousse, added: “The UK has played an important role in the history of women’s cycling, with champions such as Lizzie Deignan.
“Starting the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift in Leeds is a strong choice, closely linked to this heritage and to the enthusiasm of a public that knows and loves the Tour. These stages clearly reflect the race’s ambition: to continue growing women’s cycling and to inspire future generations.”