Originally Posted by
42psi
It looks to me from the discussions that a few folks don't realise exactly how an airport works!
MAN is not a handling agent.
It has no steps, belt loaders, gpu's, push back tugs, hylos etc, etc.
All aircraft servicing equipment is owned/operated by the handling agents only.
If MAN gets an enquiry from an airline/aircraft operator then it can say if there is slot/stand availability and try and link the potential customer to a handling agent.
If none of the Handling agents wish to take the work then there is little MAN can do other than perhaps try and suggest one of the other group airports to try and keep the potential revenue within the group. It may well be that if the incumbent handling agents have already made clear they don't want freighter business that MAN might go straight to that in the first instance.
A freighter operation requiring an MDL is a significant cost unless you are a multi airport agent with equipment availability elsewhere in the network to move to MAN.
The accountants in a handling agent are unlikely to countenance the expenditure for an MDL against a one year contract. In the freighter world it's not uncommon for a new route to be tried only to fold shortly afterwards for all sorts of reasons.
FDX when they operated previously into MAN used their own staff and equipment to handle their aircraft.
MAN still has a number of stands (at the moment) with nose wheel tether points for freighter ops. But these are likely to dissappear as MANTP progresses.
From recent performance issues it seems unlikely that any of the current handling agents would have the capacity to actually take on any pure freighter operations.
On the whole many of these in the past at MAN (China/CX/Polar) have a schedule so that they can measure their delays against something. Again that's not something a handling agent want to be faced with.
At the end of the day the role of the airport can only be one of facilitating/encouraging a handling agent to take business.
In the final analysis it's a cost benefit/risk decision by the Handling agents.
This is the bit Manchester Airport ( not MAG Group) CANNOT legally do “suggest one of the other group airports to try and keep the potential revenue within the group”
Manchester Airport can simple only decline the potential business as previous stated .
Airport can also “if they wish” discuss and potentially amend the terms (at contractually agreed times) with partner franchisees specifically the handling companies.
Its a multifaceted approach .
BTW Manchester Airport is an ACL slot controlled airport and the ONE THING the airport authority can NOT offer are slots !