Manchester: Airport Transfers Between T2 & T3

[Alanatabz]

Hi. I am arriving into T2 at Manchester, I then need to transfer to T3.

If I have hand luggage only can this transfer be done airside?

If I have a checked in case with a different airline that will be a hand luggage only the next airline can I collect at the carousel and transfer or do I need to go to into arrivals then walk to T3 and go back through security?

What’s quickest way to transfer?

 

[MannyJon]

Can't be done airside
Must go Immigration-Collect bags - Walk to 3 (1) departures about 10-20 mins depending on age, fitness, size and moving walkways
Must say from recent trips I've done Manchester immigration T2 must be quickest I've seen in recent months, better and quicker than Heathrow and Gatwick

Same if no checked bags by the way.

 

[KARFA]

are the airside shuttles between terminals no more then?

How to use Manchester Airport’s flight transfer centre

With more than 200 destinations to explore, Manchester Airport is the starting point for millions of travellers from across the North jetting off for a holiday, for business, or to visit friends and family – but the depth of its route network means it’s also a popular place to catch a connecting...

mediacentre.manchesterairport.co.uk

 

[Scottie Dog]

I suspect that your information @KARFA may be out of date as it refers to British Airways and Loganair being in T3.

A search that I did just a few minutes ago, produced this page - if you click on the image it does become legible.

Obviously I may have taken a wrong turning as I'm only human.

 

[KARFA]

i think just to clarify , its information on the MAN website, not my information.

I did see the page you posted a screenshot of, but for an airport that has gone to great efforts to try and pretend to be a connection hub with staffed airside connection points, the lack of information on that page is frankly laughable. I assumed that there had to be some more detail somewhere, which is why I found the page I posted. It may well be out of date, but there is hardly anything useful which is newer. The airside buses between terminals did exist in recent history - so as I asked have they now been removed?

The OP's question is pretty basic, and it is a joke that none of us can find any clear information on the MAN website to give an accurate answer.

 

[Scottie Dog]

@KARFA many thanks for your reply and I can fully understand your confusion - and mine as well!!
I have emailed a contact of mine within the airport Press Office and asked for clarification. Hopefully we will get an answer within the next 24 hours and will then know what facility (or not) the airport offers.

 

[KARFA]

Thank you. If not, then that page should be clearer and explicitly state that there is no airside inter-terminal connection route. Any inter-terminal connections require you to exit landside on arrival (thro passport control if applicable), and make your way to the onward terminal.

 

[lfc84]

Here's another poorly written page on the website

Connecting Flight Information | Manchester Airport

Find helpful information about connecting flights at Manchester Airport before you travel. Learn more about transfers, terminals and onward journeys today.

www.manchesterairport.co.uk

 

[Scottie Dog]

Unfortunately my contact within the Press Office is on annual leave, however I am hoping that another person may be able to provide a response! Fingers crossed.

 

[marni1971]

The airport website is pretty hopeless aside from up charges and hard sells. The maps page (quite important for an airport) still has legacy airside T2 closed at the departures level and fully closed at arrivals.

 

[Scottie Dog]

Regrettably my contacts have not responded to my request for clarification and I assume I am now persona non grata!
Anyway, having had a long and hard think abut the question I personally think the only way to transfer from T2 to T3 would be via the Skylink. This is based on the fact that Ryanair do not do transfer connections with any other carrier and therefore there is no need for an airside transfer.
If I do receive an official response I will update this discussion.
Best wishes

SD

 

[lfc84]

The OP said travelling with hand luggage only. As far as I can discern if the OP has already checked in using the Ryanair app the only thing that prevents an airside transfer is:
1) an airport employee saying "Ryanair don't do connections"
2) airside transfers not being in operation

 

[EGCC_MAN]

The OP said travelling with hand luggage only. As far as I can discern if the OP has already checked in using the Ryanair app the only thing that prevents an airside transfer is:
1) an airport employee saying "Ryanair don't do connections"
2) airside transfers not being in operation

No. It would be that the two terminals are not physically linked airside. There is no airside walking route, and it is not viable to operate a frequent bus link to serve a terminal used by a single customer (Ryanair Group) which does not support connecting flights. All interline carriers are now under a single roof in T2.

It isn't even possible to interline Ryanair to Ryanair airside entirely within T3. You will need to exit through T3 arrivals, then head through departure formalities again as a customer commencing a new journey. I suspect that the same requirement would apply at all Ryanair departure airports in the UK, though I haven't tried them all.

 

[lfc84]

Today, I noticed signs in T2 as shown in the attached photo. I can only upload one photo, so i will add another photo in a moment in the next post

https://ibb.co/fd7dRkqy

https://i.ibb.co/fd7dRkqy/IMG-20260419-150700.jpg"


Second photo adjacent to bus gate B2, click on the link above please

 

[EGCC_MAN]

The clue is in the mention of T1. The sign pre-dates the transfer of the final batch of carriers into T2, leaving Ryanair Group alone in T3 and T1 closed. I would expect the signage to be removed in due course.

 

[Scottie Dog]

It's taken a little while for my contact, the airport CEO, to reply to my email, but I have to accept that he is a very busy person and my requests for information are rated fairly low down his 'to do list'.

The answer is:

I'll get the Comms team to update our website. There is only transfers between eligible airlines in T2, T3 is standalone - no-one in or out other than by plane airside

 

[lfc84]

So who are the "eligible airlines in T2".
It would be nonsense if HBO pax weren't permitted to transfer airside in T2

 

[LS@MAN]

So who are the "eligible airlines in T2".
It would be nonsense if HBO pax weren't permitted to transfer airside in T2

How to use Manchester Airport’s flight transfer centre

With more than 200 destinations to explore, Manchester Airport is the starting point for millions of travellers from across the North jetting off for a holiday, for business, or to visit friends and family – but the depth of its route network means it’s also a popular place to catch a connecting...

mediacentre.manchesterairport.co.uk

Found this article from 2024, unsure if the airlines mentioned still offer the flight connections.

 

[KARFA]

so this is even more unclear, the airside inter terminal bus does exist? but just for eligible airlines? - albeit we have no idea who they are but FR are the only T3 one so unless they are the whole thing is pointless.

btw, the fact that you need to contact the airport CEO for an answer to what should be a fairly trivial question says a lot.

if they don't provide an airside route between T2 and T3 that at least would be clear and simple, and something in the website that any connections between these two terminals involves going landside and walking between them would provide clarity and certainty to any passengers.

 

[Scottie Dog]

@KARFA
There is no airside transfer between terminals. There should have been a fullstop between T2 and T3, not a comma.