Originally Posted by
OzzyOzBorn
With full acknowledgment to archived information provided by 'Mikey Humphries', a typical night in Summer 2018 saw MAN based fleet strength as follows:
EXS 18; TCX 17; TOM 15; EZY 13; RYR 10; BEE 8; VIR 6; FPO 1; CFE 1 (weekend only); FDX/ASL 2 = 91.
Projections for MAN based fleet strength in S23 is as follows:
EXS 24; EZY 21; TOM 17; RYR/RUK 16; VIR 4; EUK 2 = 84.
Of course, some of the long-haul aircraft are flying overnight - but conversely, additional aircraft from none-based carriers do night-stop as well.
So ... your question is asking where any additional services in S23 would park. We know that TP construction work and dualing of taxiways has impacted availability of stands. But set against this, additional stands have been constructed as well - and these are available for use. So essentially, you appear to be arguing that MAN cannot physically accommodate additional aircraft parking at a time when based fleet strength is 7 fewer than in S18, and in a calendar year where passenger numbers are likely to end up around 3,000,000 short of the record MAT throughput reported in September 2019. All whilst MAG claims capability of handling upto 45M passengers per year across its three terminals.
I would respectfully suggest that MAN can accommodate a few more flights yet.
As an aside, I would also point out that consolidation in the industry which has seen the number of based carriers reduced to just SIX names in 2023 does re-emphasise the need for MAG to accommodate whatever additional capacity those six carriers are prepared to commit to MAN. It is increasingly essential to do whatever it takes. No place for telling carriers that Terminal [N] is full so you can't base any more here! Especially since two of those six carriers (VIR and TOM) have filed for smaller programmes than the equivalent requested last year. The heavy-lifting for further based growth falls to fewer names than we have seen in decades.
Although there are new stands I believe there has been a loss of wide body capable contact stands at T2 with only 8 now, remembering that the LS 757’s can’t use the far side of the new A pier.
Also the terminal split, is different. In 2019 LS and TCX were in T1. EUK has replaced the loss of the two VS. That means any new entrant, particularly to the US may have to park remote, which the likes of US, DL probably wouldn’t want to do. I also believe they both used T2 in the past so wouldn’t want to use T1 or Ryanair HQ (T3) if they returned. There is already a massive amount of towing too/from remote stands early morning.
At T2 this summer you could have up to 4 TUI 787’s and 2 767’s, 4 VS, QR, EY, CX, 2 SQ, 2 EUK, 3 EXS A330’s plus EXS 757’s all who can only use 8 contact stands in T2. Surely that 2nd pier needs to be built before much more morning heavies come in?