Manchester-3

[roverman]

I do find the cargo discussion, which has been going on for years, a bit like a broken record. I'm a massive MAN-fan, it gave me a career for 40 years and I remember the glory days of main deck cargo. It was fun while it lasted. But we should accept that it is not likely to return and understand why.

The MAG business strategy since the turn of the century has been to maximise shareholder value. You'll still read the right words about 'being an economic engine' etc in the annual reports and press releases but it is money that talks. If main deck cargo made decent money for MAG at Manchester then it would be happening. It doesn't. Building the required apron space on a site with very little real estate would be an opportunity cost as compared with selling it off or leasing it to the likes of Amazon for non-aviation use. That's why all those warehouse have sprung up over on the west side on land once identified for core operational use. MAG has sold off that land for good. The 'economic benefit to the region' argument for flown main-deck cargo is sketchy, as consolidating and transporting cargo to East Midlands, London, or indeed the Continent is not going to deter companies investing or locating in the northwest of England if there are other reasons to be here, such as skills, labour, and a customer base. The transport logistics, even for just-in-time supply chains, work fine with an element of trucking. You could argue that the non-aviation warehouses and distribution give a greater economic benefit to the region than flown cargo.

Someone posed the question here that if MAG didn't have EMA and STN would it change the strategy on main deck cargo? No. Boxes on pallets don't park their cars in the car parks or buy anything in the shops. They are a low yield for MAG. The reason that the integrators are at EMA is because MAG inherited the legacy there from the previous owner. The integrators pay big lease fees and have invested all the money in the infrastructure, they are unlikely to leave and go elsewhere. It makes sense for MAG at EMA because there will never be the passenger throughput which could otherwise use that apron space. STN just has the luxury of space - a massive amount of real estate either on or adjacent to the airfield as compared to MAN. I don't like this state of affairs any more than other commentators here, but I know MAG! We're getting a decent new/refurbished T2 because it will in time pay for itself. As for cargo - the M56 is right alongside.