Originally Posted by
Navpi
An airport the size of Manchester should be supporting dedicated aircraft handling services to airlines specialising in time-sensitive air freight services, just in time logistics and general air cargo supporting the North of England region.
Nail on head firmly hit!
It would appear that at one time 2 of the airport's handling agents each had a hi-lo for main deck cargo. Whether the decision to dispose of them and send them elsewhere was solely the decision of the agents, with the approval of the Airport, or at the instigation of the Airport is not clear.
ATNotts refers to BHX, which presumably has a hi-lo that enabled it to handle the occasional ad-hoc freighter during the pandemic.and perhaps still does.
If freight companies and airlines enquire to MAN to operate flights and are told they cannot be handled, why should it be assumed they would automatically go to EMA or STN, the other MAG airports? Isn't it conceivable they may choose to go elsewhere and MAG not get the business?
An earlier post, by navpi I recall, referred to minimum level service agreements that airports require to be agreed by their handling agents. Would this not normally specify requirements for the handling of cargo?
I believe Ozzy is correct when he states that MAN is not full at night, despite the ongoing temporary loss of some stands. However, I do sometimes wonder if the airport creates a misleading impression. For example, a few years ago, it was reported that ryanair could not have the number of extra based a/c they wanted.that summer. That would have been T3 and it could possibly have been terminal capacity rather than parking stands that was the issue. I also understand that airlines wishing to base additional a/c at MAN have to get prior permission before slots can be allocated. Is this correct, and if so, is it something new or been there for some time?
Finally, thank you to chaps1954 for pointing out that there are such things as night restrictions for departures, noise level limits etc.which seem to have escaped some posters. Not sure why hovis thinks things are dead after 01.00. As eggc and chaps 1954 mention, arrivals between midnight and 03.00 can be extremely busy.. .
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