I'm not local to Manchester so may be missing something but what has happened in relation to the submission by MAG to the Davies Commission, specifically in relation to Manchester rather than "The Group" , it appears to either have not been released or placed in a "to file" tray to gather dust.
I really thought this was a golden opportunity to change thinking from the same old , same old and really put Manchester on the map but instead the opportunity to change the mind of opinion makers has been completely lost.
Since the purchase of STN the current management appear from the outside at least to have completely disowned the place.
OK Airport City is going ahead BUT it needs planes, not just buildings!
The Stansted website carries grandiose vision of a four runway system at Stansted but as for a contribution by Manchester sitting slap bang in the middle of the country with three terminals and two runways and enough capacity to handle another 20m pax a year Now !
NOTHING !
It seems even more bizarre when ;
- Two prominent Manchester MPs fought a good case for Manchester
- The Chairman H. Davies is from Manchester
- Former MAG CEO Geoff Muirhead is also on the Commission
I believe they even came to MANCHESTER in July, the ONLY place outside Parliament to hold a hearing !
Despite all this potential momentum it seems to have stopped somewhat before the threshold of 23R !
What happened to strident demands for;
- Separation in bilaterals
- US pre clearance
- Highlighting the impact of APD
And more importantly what about the marketing and the clear, concise placing of these issues in a prominent place so as to form a part of the overall discussion ?
You would be forgiven for thinking Manchester did not exist !
It's as though both the MPs AND the Commission handed the opportunity to MAG to say "come on this is your chance" but since purchasing STN they have contributed "diddly squat" to the debate.
I do not wish to harp back but by way of comparison can you really imagine Gil Thomson squandering such opportunities ?
OK build your multiple runways in the South East but at least then use that as makeweight for your own demands.
AND meanwhile we are now down to two bidders for Chicago, Midway !
I cannot for the life of me understand why MPs, local Government who are after all shareholders and even the airports usual mouthpiece the Manchester Evening News is not scratching their combined heads and at least not questioning the strategy.
I sincerely hope its a case of quiet diplomacy but I cannot help forming the opinion that Manchester has been abandoned in the face of a "perceived" dash for cash in the South East !