Niknak
I do not want to appear to be having a personal go at anyone at Norwich but my comments stem from the various negative scenarios I have experienced over the last 12 years.
The days of just calling up on the radio on approach to Norwich and popping in for a coffee have long gone. As others have stated elsewhere the security team seem to delight in filling the few times when they are busy witha zeal that means Norwich is renowned for going over the top especially for departing private pilots flying their own aircraft. Removal of bottles of wine etc from GA operators is not going to win the airport any friends.
What did you want or expect me to say?
I'll put you right on one thing though; The "9 managers" were, until the previous MD came along, "Shift Leaders" in various departments. Each one of them ran individual shifts in 3 departments, (one am, one pm and one on rest days), so now it should be a bit clearer as to why there were 9 of them.
Their redundandcies are a big loss in terms of skill base and knowledge, it will take a long time before anyone is able to do the individual jobs as well as each of them did.
They were only made "Managers" because that is the way the previous MD wanted to run the business.
Their job tiltles changed and job functions included many more responsibilities for which many of them, when they were asked for help/training, were given the O'Leary treatment.
I know this because, unkown to senior management, I often helped them out with procedure formulation and writing - I'm not claiming to be the Messiah, it's just that I knew how to do it so I could pass on the benefits of my knowledge and I was very happy to do so.
You might call them team leaders and helped them with helped them out with
procedure formulation and writing
.
We call them jobsworths who have to justify their positions.
The drop of 30% plus in traffic at Norwich is down to management not caring about the customer. Have you ever experienced the Norwich treatment as a passenger or a private pilot?
You say
The current owners need to either significantly reduce or write off the airport company debt, its the only the airport will be able to get out the perpetual rut it finds itself in.
Well Norwich was not in that situation when it was privatized. Why should anyone bail out what has been a disaster.
Durham Tees,Blackpool etc are all facing the same problems.
All fall in to the same catagory. Little airports trying to play in the big league but with no idea and little finesse when it comes to the person who pays the bill. The customer
As for the new trade...just a case of Norwich poaching the offshore helicopter trade from Beccles and North Denes. Like a flock of starlings they could be off the airfield in a matter of months and where would that leave the airspace grab and the rip off cafe and duty free not to mention the 'development' fee?