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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Tesco officially unveils Christmas Meal Deal menu for 2026 and confirms launch date
Emily Sergeant
Tesco has officially unveiled its Christmas Meal Deal menu for 2026, and has revealed when it’ll be arriving in stores.
Spooky season may not have even arrived yet, but it won’t be long before the most wonderful time of the year is here and most of the UK’s major supermarkets have already started stocking their shelves with Christmas food, drink, and gifts galore.
Tesco has now unveiled all the sandwiches and snacks forming part of its iconic lunchtime meal deal selection.
10 new seasonal mains and sides have been launched this year, as well as some classics and returning fan favourites too.
The retailer says its food on-the-go experts have worked hard to bring a variety of festive flavours and great-quality ingredients together this year, with something on offer to cater to all tastes and preferences.
Tesco officially unveils Christmas Meal Deal menu for 2026 / Credit: Tesco
Available in stores and online from next week, with Tesco Clubcard members paying just £3.80 or £5.50 to upgrade to a Premium Meal Deal, some of the all-new main options you can choose from in 2026’s festive lineup include the Fully Loaded Chicken, Stuffing, Braised Red Cabbage & Cranberry Sauce Sandwich, the Christmas Triple Sandwich, and the Pork Meatball Wrap with smoky sage and onion mayonnaise.
Other returning favourites include the Brie and Cranberry Sandwich, the Currywurst Sausage Sub, and the absolute classic Turkey & Trimmings Sandwich.
For veggies and vegans, there’s a new Tesco Plant Chef Christmas Veg Fest Wrap, and for those who follow a gluten free diet, you can grab the Gluten Free Festive Chicken & Trimmings sandwich.
When it comes to snacks to accompany those mains, the festive Mini Pork Pies and Pig in Blanket Sausage Rolls are returning to the lineup this year, alongside some new additions like the Pretzels with Salted Caramel Soft Cheese Dip, and Mini Cheese Twists.
The 2026 Tesco Christmas Meal Deal range will be in stores across the UK from Monday 12 October, and there’s thousands of combinations to try.
Featured Image – Tesco
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Manchester has been named one of the most ‘affordable’ cities in the UK – this is why
Emily Sergeant
A list of the top 10 most affordable cities in the UK has been revealed, and Manchester has made the cut for one very specific reason.
On a bit of a budget? Aren’t we all.
The cost of living crisis has been raging on for quite a few years now, and unfortunately, despite how much we all wish for it to, it doesn’t appear to be slowing down – with prices for everyday items, especially typical fridge and cupboard stables, shooting up by the day, even though supermarkets are showing efforts to prevent it.
And it’s the noticeable price increases in groceries that led delivery insurance provider, Street Cover, to uncover which UK cities don’t strain your food shopping budgets too much just yet.
As it was found that food and non-alcoholic drinks inflation reached 1.3% this past summer, a new study has revealed that Sheffield is officially the most affordable city in the UK, with several other northern locations on the list.
Manchester has been named one of the most ‘affordable’ cities in the UK / Credit: MCC | Aldi
The study compared the 2026 Grocery Index for the largest UK cities with the UK average, as well as available 2025 Grocery Indices, to track the changes in food affordability.
The cities are ranked by the index difference from the national average – which is 67.3 – but the report also uses direct monetary values for a grocery basket to provide some additional context too.
Manchester took sixth place on the list, with an average grocery basket price of £23.08, while some of the other northern cities in the top 10, besides Sheffield at number one, include Liverpool, Leeds, and Newcastle.
Top 10 Most Affordable UK Cities For Groceries
Sheffield
Milton Keynes
Liverpool
Reading
Newcastle
Manchester
Leeds
Bristol
Cardiff
Southampton
As the only other North West city in the top 10, Liverpool may have come in third place overall, but the study found that the grocery bill here is the smallest in terms of actual monetary numbers – with it setting shoppers back £22.08 for a regular supermarket basket, which is a whole £1 cheaper than in Manchester.
“Data shows households in the North East of England have the lowest average food spend in the country, around 11% below the UK average, while Yorkshire sits 6.6% below,” Al Taylor, who is the Head of Street Cover, commented on the study’s findings.
“Sheffield’s position at the top reflects lower property costs for retailers, less competition from premium chains, and a supermarket landscape dominated by value-led options.
“The practical implication for household budgets is significant – the difference between budget and premium shopping can easily be £1,000 or more per year for a family, which can be spent on other things or saved for future plans.”
Emily Sergeant -
27th October 2022 
