Manchester Airport Connection Time
 

I'm considering an itinerary that will take me from Houston to Manchester on Singapore Airlines and then I'd be connecting with Flybe to get to Aberdeen. The connection time is 2:15. Is that enough time considering I'll have to go through border control/security?

Yes that is 'doable' . . . but I would never EVER book that sort of connection on separate tickets. Just foolish.


The discount airlines have strict check in rules and if you miss your flight you have no rights at all. Not only would you have to buy a new ticket (at a walk up fare) if there are no seats available it could be a day or more before you could fly out. But at least you could take the train up -- but last minute train fares would also be very high.

Flybe isn't a conventional discount airline.

Unlike Ryanair or Easyjet, Flybe does have interlining agreements on many connections like this, but Singapore have very few flights into Manchester, so it's possible a system hasn't been set up.

If there's no interlining agreement, you'll need to go through immigration, retrieve your bags, go to the Flybe checkin desk landside, then go back airside through security. None of these are plain sailing (Manchester's quite busy), and if anything goes wrong all the problems janisj raises will hit you.

If there is such an agreement, you merely go through immigration and security. 2.5 hrs should be enough - but who knows what might go wrong? There are few flights to Aberdeen, and the last train getting into Aberdeen the same day leaves at 4.30 pm.

Check with both Flybe and Singapore about the consequences of a missed connection.

Though this particular connection sounds obscure, Aberdeen-Houston is a route that matters to a few very, very important corporate customers. Someone MUST have found a way of linking them without the nightmare you're potentially encountering: I suspect, though, their solution is to connect at Heathrow or Amsterdam.

Or use the company jet.

Flybe does have an interlining agreement with Singapore Airlines and has had since 2008. The ticket you buy should be able to route via Manchester to Aberdeen thus avoiding having to return to the landside of the airport as flanner outlines.

Singapore Airlines consider Manchester as their main hub outside London and have just routed their new A350 into the airport.

2:15 should be enough time if you don't need to switch terminals.

The immigration queue is a crapshoot and depending on who is in front of you, it could either go quickly or slowly. Don't forget that you need to complete a boarding card to hand to immigration.

Manchester introduced a few months ago an automatic recognition of your passport that speeds up the immigration. Some old european passports are rejected.
I have NO IDEA how this works for US tourists since I saw a lot of them being sent to the conventional lines, but it worked very effeiciently for me and I made most of a 'selfscan' before getting a nod from the officer.
Very fast indeed.
Inquire, it is a time saver.

The scanner DOES NOT work for US passports unless you are enrolled in the Registered Traveller program. It also costs £70/year. https://www.gov.uk/registered-traveller

All this - "that is enough time" talk is only true IF you land on time. Any delay at all w/ your Singapore flight and you are stuck.

Are you flying in and out of the same terminal as Manchester has three. Depending on the termjals you may need to allow another 15 minutes to get between them.

Thanks for the replies. It is Singapore Airlines that sells the ticket that includes the connection to ABZ on Flybe. I would have to change terminals.

Oh - so you are protected (?) . . . all on one ticket? If so they will get you to Aberdeen. It is just that FlyBe (I've flown them and they are fine) doesn't have a lot of flights so if you miss that one it could be a while . . .