Escape Lounge

Does anyone know if the Escape Lounge is any good, or has anyone used it?


Thanks

[mitchja]

EGG

I used the Esacape lounge several years ago now. It was nice and had everything a lounge usually has, although it was quite small.

Looking at the pics on the manchesterairport web site it does actaully look bigger now.

Regards

We used this in April.

The lounge has the usual snacks, Toast, cheese, muffins, biscuits etc in the mornings. Usual drinks.

Internet access and stations. TV.

I used to work in T2 and popped in for a drink every now and again. Its basic but quiet; what with being at the very back of the very end of the terminal. It's abit like a service-air lounge but the servisair lounge in T2 is better.

You tend to get alot of bucket 'n spader's in there as it's a 'pay-in' lounge. Expect kids, burberry, shorts and lots of people wearing lots of gold from argos. [^]

I have just spoken to the people on the Delta/Air france desk at T2
and they said Virgin UC passengers can use their airside lounge that is not the Escape Lounge and you cannot pay to get in.

My Mum visited this lounge on Tuesday and was not impressed, she is used to executive lounges and says its not worth £17 per head.

I was wondering about the possibility of going to the Raddison for breakfast after check-in, does anyone know if this is possible or is it too far away? We like peace and quiet before our flight and the terminal is very busy, if not anyone got any suggestions?

[mitchja]

It's not that far from T2 at MAN to the Raddison (which is mid-way between the terminals via the covered walkway. It's actaully between T2 and the train station inbetween the terminals).

I'd say it's a 5 min walk from T2 check-in to the hotel (possibly even less). It's quite a treck from T1 and even more of a treck from T3 but if your in T2 it's very close.

Have a look at this map of MAN. The Raddison is the lime coloured T-shape building under where it says 'Malaga Ave' near the centre of the map.

Regards

Thanks James, that looks really handy

Can VS UCS pax. use the Delta/Air France lounge at Man. as was mentioned. We can use the Delta Crown lounge in MCO but this is first time that I have seen topic mentioned in relation to Manchester.Would be interested in further info.

When I asked back in Sept. it came directly from the Air France help desk so I would say it is correct. They definately said it was not a pay to enter lounge. The reason I had asked was that I had heard that the escape lounge was available to UC passengers but was also a pay to enter and was frequented by people carrying huge radios and wearing very,very white trainers and was low std service. Reading Virgins website, they do not publicise the fact that MAN passengers get a raw deal with regards to lounge facilities or IFE. The ticket prices certainly don`t reflect the difference in CH or no CH facilities with regards to flying from LHR or MAN. Still looking forward to trying VS for the first time though.
I don`t know if any upgrades are planned at MAN since new routes are being introduced, maybe some of the V.staff could comment.

just thought would let you know I used the escape lounge since I first posted this thread and it was pretty much "pants".

Anyways I will have an upper class ticket next Nov so whats Delta lounge like?

Escape lounge does not compare with The Clubhouse then! I have used The Manchester Servisair lounge and that was not to good either.

Maybe one day Virgin will provide equal UC service throughout the country.

Is there an update as to whether UC can actually use the Delta Lounge instead of the Escape Lounge, or was it jusr a rumour?

Thanks

It wasn`t a rumour according to the Air France desk. We are going to give it a shot next week. If they won`t let us in, then its off to the shops rather than the escape lounge.

We went in to the Escape lounge in February, there was not even anywhere to sit! It was crowded and a bit noisy. We just came right out .

Nice to see this thread up again as its relevant to me again for later this year too, any reports on the Delta lounge most appreciated.

Cheers.

Would there be any point in complaining to the powers that be about the poor lounge in Manchester? Seems like we pay the same as those flying from Gatwick!

Maz

For our forthcoming trip in May, we actually paid more than flying from Gatwick. Yet there's no Clubhouse, just access to a lounge that anyone willing to cough up £17 can get into.

It was tempting to fly from Gatwick and get the full UCS experience. But for us it's a pain to get to, and we can do Manchester in just over the hour.

Presumably Manchester passengers are subsidising the CH facilities elsewhere.[V]

Any info on whether we can use the Air France lounge would be appreciated.

we are flying back to manchester from barbados [|)]UC i hope there is a some sort of club house or lounge area[8D] we can use to start our UC flight home[|)]

Dave

Dave - The Club Caribbean Lounge in BGI is available for you to use on your return.

It's quite comfortable, help yourself to drinks and nibbles. The staff were particularly friendly when we were there a couple of years ago.

Jilly

Virgin Atlantic share a lounge at Manchester. Upper Class passengers are entitled to use The Escape Lounge.

Virgin passengers do not have access to Air France lounge.

This is the response I received today from Virgin's Customer Services.

Hmm! I have sent a letter about the clubhouse at Manchester, mentioning comments on here, but it doesn't look too promising does it? Probably what I expected really.

Is there a way that those of use who use MAN can somehow get an online petition together - its often better if a comonay gets hunderds of names asking for something rather then the odd letter?

Mods - can you help with this??

Seems like only a few of us here are bothered Mark! I have actually sent a letter, mentioning views on this site, so while I feel I have done something, I doubt anything will come from it!

Maz

Well I received a reply, a standard letter with a small insert saying that Manchester UC passengers had use of the shared Escape Lounge, which I had actually told her anyway. The rest of the letter had nothing to do with my comments.
So, I decided to write to the man himself, knowing he would never read it, but thinking perhaps at least someone higher up may. I stated the discrepancies between the experiences for the Northern and Southern passengers, poor clubhouse, and the fact that someone on here suggested we were actually funding the Southern clubhouses. Firstly I receiver a memo stating it had been received and was being passed on to the relevant department. A couple of week's later a more individual letter came, polite, but no help at all, which I thought would be the case. At least I feel I have given it a go, and you never know sdo you?