I'm not suggesting 'nothing' is going on. But there are no Airport City
lettings yet so not much will happen until then
Well at the moment a few business have been moved into the 'voyager' building under the guise of airport city, so, maybe they will move to other offices once they start getting built. I know Etihad want their own custom made office. Again, just because something is not public doesn't mean its not happening.
The other bit of Airport City, the logistics hub, is a few warehouses down by
J6 of the M56. No big deal. Most casual observers won't even associate them with MAG.
Well, its your opinion what a 'big deal' constitutes, but personally I think the largest construction project in the UK since the Olympics is rather a big deal. It may well just be 'a few warehouses', but its doesn't alter the fact that it still requires a large amount of construction and makes them no less important in the fabric of where MAG are about to push MAN into. The logistics hub already has a very well known tenant moving in (albeit moving from Trafford), but, judging by the gala dinner that was recently held, its already going to be a catalyst for new services at the airport. That itself cannot be seen as 'no big deal'. With the cargo market at MAN the shape it is, ANY new tenants/construction that helps boost it can only be seen as a good thing, surely?
And no I don't think I'm being over dramatic. I'm just suggesting that's what happens when newspapers get their hands on a story. They will - rightly in my opinion - ask why such an important project is discussed with airline partners before a breath of it is whispered to the locals. They are being naive in thinking that it won't be leaked anyway - and then they are on the back foot.
Firstly, why shouldn't they discuss it with the airlines first. Surely if you are developing something as big as MAN is, why wouldn't you consult your primary customers first into what would make the best environment for them? Without the airlines, there would be no public customers so anything that either brings new airlines in or keeps existing airlines here/expanding has got to be discussed first? Like I say, its not being made public yet as the plans are far from final. Why risk p*ssing off the local populous with ideas that may not make the final drawing board?
Furthermore, all this 'discussing with the public first', When was the last time a planning application was put in before the architect has drawn up the final plans, as Im not aware of many instances. Yes there can be those funky little renders in the media, but those renders in the initial phases rarely look like the finished product, but, when MAN want to get this right first time, such renders would be naive.
Furthermore, whilst I understand that MANMAG sees airlines as its customers and not passengers, they would be a little short-sighted in not consulting us too before they nail down their plans. After all the airlines are only there because of us passengers.
And passengers are only there because of the airlines. As said above, don't have the airlines on side, then the customer base goes with them. I have said already, you are entitled to your opinion but I whole heartedly agree with the approach MAN are taking with this one. Get it right, get in tune with your primary customer, then shout it from the rooftops.