Diversions
Sort of. I was listening to their convo on the scanner that night, the AA 777 repeatedly asked for MAN and was denied every time with ATC telling them that MAN had nobody to handle their pax nor any fuel available. Even when the crew came back asking to nightstop they were still told the pax would have to sit on the plane for hours before being disembarked, basically. They were then offered DSA (which didn't work out due to the fire category of the B772), they asked for PIK instead however eventually were offered DUB instead, which they accepted.
Quite a mess all told, they really wanted to come to MAN.
There has to be something seriously wrong with the Manchester Airport Management team and their handling agents. Why turn away business and sour potential relationships. Perhaps I'm living in the past but who remembers the days when at this time of year Manchester would be full of diversions - in Autumn 1976 LHR was down because of fog and Man was full with diversions including TWA & Pan Am 747s, B Cal DC 10s, East African VC10s, various BA planes but to name but a few. Of course those were the days when the likes of Peter Hampson and others managed the airport. Now there is a hissy fit if an airline requests to divert to Man (other than on an emergency) and every excuse in the book is used. I am left wondering whether Manchester is running a business or a select "gentleman's club!!!!!!!! Clearly "VISITORS ARE NOT WELCOME"!