And what makes you think that MAN are not "really going for it"?
Suzeman I know you support MAN as I do, but I just think there is always room for improvement. Increasing the "national" profile, taking advantage of constraints down South and making sure there is optimisation of MAN long haul flights.
Despite Manchester perhaps being the largest employer direct or indirectly in the North of England projection through the national media still seems woeful, to me at least.
As an example when BAE, Sainsburys etc etc announce annual reports/figures they use it as a media opportunity to sell their services, we seldom here from the airport other than press releases in The Manchester Evening News. We hear about the mantra "20m pax inside 90 minutes" but all I am saying is surely more could be done to fly the flag and use opportunities like the release of annual figures to shout out the success and what Manchester offers.
I'm sure like you, you have google alerts set to "Manchester Airport" but bulletins in terms of new routes appear limited to a purely mancunian audience.
In terms of LHR we all know it's about extra runways at LHR, LGW or a new airport in the Thames but Manchester could take adavantage could it not....? MAG seem to think so ....
I read on another forum that in November the Government transport select committee sat to hear representations from indutry and interested parties on this UK "Wide" aviation review. CEOs from LHR LGW STN as well as airlines leaders attended, I checked the minutes myself, but where was Manchester...OK we all know its about LHR but if it is a "UK wide review" lets get our voice heard.
This was especially galling when in my view there was disproportionate representation by HACAN, RSPB, Stop Stansted etc CRUCIALLY at the same time.
OK they deserve to be heard but if they have platform on the top table why not Manchester ?
Hopefully MAN will get chance down the line BUT personally I think they should have been banging the table to be in attendance at that hearing, either it's a UK review or it isnt.
If we do appear in the future I suspect we will be included with BHX. GLA etc which simply reinforces the perception of being merely another regional airport.
We all know the Governement pays lip service to "regionals" this simply mean MANs potential contribution is totally lost, despite that fact it could handle another 20m pax NOW!
One other point the airports OWN ticketing portal has also come in for criticism and one can see why. On the one hand we have senior management wanting more long haul flights but then offering a means of booking which is loaded to cheapest price.
Cheapest usually means the offer of a connection VIA AMS, CDG FRA etc so our direct flights are there, but rely on the viewer making some fairly precise choices to track them down as they are lost in a fog of cheaper deals.
The same web site engine is used at other regional airports and is always geared to the "lowest common price denominator". That fine for them as they don't have a significant raft of direct flights they are trying to promote.
By contrast the LHR ticketing portal isvery much geared to LHR> XYZ first and price second.......
Last edited by Bagso; 6th Jan 2013 at 11:05.