Manchester Airport is gearing itself up for one of its busiest weekends ever.
The UK’s third largest airport is expecting Friday 23rd August to be the busiest day in its 81-year-old history with more than 115,000 passengers expected to arrive and depart.
With around 430,000 passengers expected to travel during the busy bank holiday weekend, the airport the airport is advising customers how to make their journey through Manchester as smooth as possible.
Passengers are being asked to be prepared when they arrive at the airport
To reduce delays, passengers can be prepared by having all their liquids, gels and pastes (no bigger than 100ml each) in a clear plastic bag.
Coats and belts should be removed and large electricals out of their hand luggage ready for the security tray
If a tray requires further inspection, one of the security team will then search it.
During the summer months on average around 12,000 bags a day get rejected and sent for additional searches. This is often because passengers have failed to comply and left liquids in their bags. On average it can add another five-ten minutes onto people’s journey time through security. Multiply this by 12,000 and the minutes and hours soon add up.
Many people who are going away this weekend will be thinking about taking their favourite treats with them. Perhaps a jar of Marmite, a packet of Bisto or some jaffa cakes.
So to ensure that fans of Greggs are clear about what they can, and can’t, take through airport security when they are going away on their holidays, Manchester Airport have issued a flight safe food guide for travellers.
And it’s good news for fans of beef and vegetable pasties and steak bakes – but not for porridge and granola lovers.
Good to go
Any bake
Breakfast roll
Fruit pots
Toasties and sandwiches
Pizza slices
Doughnuts and sweet treats
Breakfast pastries
Potato wedges and southern fried goujons
No go
Granola yoghurt pot
Tea/coffee/hot chocolate
Soup
Cold drinks
Porridge pots
Manchester Airport’s social media manager said: “We’re often inundated, across our social media channels, by passengers asking what is ok to take through security and what isn’t.
“For more than a decade liquids, gels and pastes have had to be under 100ml and in a clear re-sealable bag, but we often find confusion when it comes to food. It’s therefore great to join forces with Greggs, which actually has one of its most popular shops at Manchester Airport, to provide this handy advice, which I am sure will prove popular with our 29 million passengers, and at other airports across the UK.
“We always advise passengers to have their liquids, gels and pastes ready before entering the security hall, alongside their other hand luggage items. Otherwise it can cause unnecessary delays and even lead to bags being re-screened, which can add time onto passengers’ journeys and we wouldn’t want those sausage rolls to go cold!”
Please note that the number of bakes and other goodies you can take with you will depend on the airline you are flying with. So, for example, if you are travelling with Jet2, you can take up to 32kg with you (22kg in the hold and 10kg in your hand luggage). You may want to leave some room for clothes and travel requisites.
For more information on going through security at Manchester Airport, click here.