Manchester Airport jobs: hundreds of new staff to join in May as airport reveals average waiting time now

Manchester Airport has revealed hundreds of new staff are being trained up to help them tackle problems with queues and delays.

Passengers have faced long waits for check-in, security and baggage reclaim since travellers numbers shot up around mid-March and the airport faced staff shortages leaving them struggling to cope.

The airport has come under fire by travellers on social media for delays in getting through the three terminals, which has even seen some of them miss their flights.

Today the airport revealed they have 500 new recruits going through training as they gear up for the May half-term and summer holidays.

Sixty staff joined in April and 200 more are due to be in place in May, with the busy school break looming at the end of the month.

The airport says the average wait at security is now less than 30 minutes for 90% of recent passengers

However, bosses are continuing to advise customers to arrive three hours before their flights and make sure their hand luggage meets requirements, to help them get through to their boarding gates in time.

Other passengers have warned about lounge bookings being cancelled due to staff shortages however, and the airport this week suspended new bookings for fast track security due to a spike in demand.

For a comprehensive guide to getting through the airport more smoothly with advice from airport bosses, plus daily updates on queues and delays, see here.

And for a simple guide to what can and can’t go in your hand luggage, see here.

Are there airport jobs I can still apply for?

Yes - there are several recruitment events set to take place in May including open days at the onsite Airport Academy (10 and 17 May).

The airport has organised a jobs fair at Wythenshawe Forum on 24 May, and staff from the airport will also be attending jobs fairs held in Stoke on Trent (organised by Jack Brereton MP), Altrincham Job Centre (6 May), Rusholme Job Centre (11 May) and Bolton Council’s jobs fair on 26 May. See the airport website here for details.

Around 8,000 people have applied for roles to date.

What has the airport said?

Ian Costigan, Interim Managing Director of Manchester Airport, said: “We want to make sure that customers get away on their travels, so everyone at Manchester Airport is focused on bringing in the extra resources we need to continue operating our full flight schedule.

“It is encouraging to see new staff joining us as a result of our ongoing recruitment drive, and we have seen security waiting times reduce in recent weeks.

“The last few weeks have been challenging but the team on the ground has done a great job in getting passengers through security more quickly, and I would like to thank all colleagues for their hard work and dedication.

“As we continue to recover, we are reminding customers to arrive at the airport three hours before their flight and to ensure they are familiar with all security rules. While the majority of people will get through security in less than 30 minutes, customers need to allow time for check-in and the possibility that security queues may be longer at peak times.

“All of these things will help passengers move through the airport quickly and easily, which is our ultimate goal.”