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.
BAE is a multinational company with its HQ in London and is one of the world's largest defence companies. I'm sure many pension funds and City bods are interested in what they are doing. And the HQ is in London......Sainsbury's has over 1000 stores across the country and employs 150,000 people. What happens there is no doubt of interest to people all over the UK. Of course when they have news it is likely to get into the national media.
By comparison Manchester Airport is much less likely to attract national attention as it is a much smaller scale and its impact is relatively localised in UK terms. I'm sure MAN has good links with the local and national press, but for the latter (except specialist publications and websites) most MAN stories will be a low priority and may only be used as a filler on a slow news day if space permits.
It will be interesting to see what happens this week with the release of the annual traffic stats - the figures are on line but no press release yet.
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.
Sorry - you are wrong here. MAN attended the hearing on 10th December. 117 parties submitted written evidence; about 30 were called to give oral evidence. Interesting that Willie Walsh had a session all to himself....
Oral evidence - UK Parliament
I assume the transcript will appear soon for the 10th December as it has for the other hearings.
A lot of the influencing of the regulators to allow things to happen is done away from the gaze of the press, so just because you haven't seen something in the media doesn't mean that nothing is happening.
And please remember that Geoff Muirhead (ex CEO of MAG) is the ONLY AVIATION member of the 5 person Davies Commission on UK Airport capacity set up by the Government to kick a SE airport capacity decision into the long grass until after the next election.......
However, it is disappointing to read about the shortcomings of the Airport's ticketing portal - not good at all when you can book a direct flight for substantially less by going on the airline's website as LN-KGL has outlined.