ahhhhhb0ll0x,
I stand corrected on the figure i quoted (very much a guesstimate on my part!) however the fact is (and you have confirmed it), if a healthy percentage of people had wanted to they could have stayed where they were and commuted (and some did). NO-ONE at Manchester has that choice, WITHOUT exception.
My point about the smaller NATS units was to show what kind of a beast NATS management is. ie, if they think so little of the 3rd biggest unit, how much regard will/do they have for the smaller units? I wasn't suggesting for a second they were going to close!!
One final thing, what difference does rush hour on the M3 make to ATCOs working shifts that start at 7am (or earlier) 2pm or 10pm? As relevant as the rush hour on the M62/M56/M6 up here for the guys at Manch? Notwithstanding the fact that the centre is slap bang in the middle of one of the Top 30 busiest airports in the world with all the passengers and therefore car traffic that that entails......
Merry Christmas all!
