Free water at Manchester Airport Terminal 3

Another bug bear here, one of several about Manchester Airport! The biggest issue with them is pickups - the sheer cheek of charging for you to go and collect your friends and familys from the termial is bordering on criminal.

Not content with charging an arm and a leg for airlines to use the airport they impose additional pain of 'just' £2.90 for those 30 seconds you need to chuck the luggage in the boot and get seated. It's not even like they are taking the lead from other airports as at Stanstead parking is free for the first hour, and even Manchester Piccadilly train station is free for the first 20mins.

The next is the overzealous security measures, whilst I admit that it is a necessary evil, there are some times where I don't feel it is as proportionate response especially the policy concerning liquids. Whilst I accept there is some level of threat im even more annoyed of having to buy bottles of water at airports. I never pay for water except if i get stitched up at a posh restaurant preferring to take my own drinks whereever i go. Its not that i am tight (well i am actually!) Its bad for the environment bottling transporting and selling the stuff when we all pay for it to be directly piped to our doors, then there's the issue of all the waste it creates.

Even so, if they are making you throw away your water before security they should at least provide a tap the otherside to let you refill.

It was on the solitary occasion that we were departing Manchester from terminal 1 on our way to Amsterdam when i spotted a couple filling up their sports bottles from a water fountain immediately at the exit to security. This has set me off and my new mission for holidays now where I have to avail myself of free water from every airport.

So when our next trip was to Paris departing Manchester terminal 3, my initial thinking was they must have to supply free water some where so the hunt was on. Much to Alison's relief we managaed to locate it pretty quickly, it was by the toilets in the food area right next toTrattoria Milano. Mission complete!

There are no such worries at Charles de Gaulle airport, water fountains are everywhere. Only speculating here but probably due to the fact that a) water in Paris is safe to drink, b) there are public water fountains dotted around the city and c) unlike the Brits, Parisiens would probably revolt or blockade the airport at the mere whiff of any shenanigans!