MANCHESTER - 8

[dwlpl]

existing mid day/early aft from LPL supplemented by a morning and evening service from MAN

Liverpools EZY MAD route already has that evening rotation, twice per week, in its system.

[easyflyer83]

Northwest-MAD is a bit of an overkill.

[MUFC_fan]

Maybe ZB could get involved? During the summer BCN it is an A321 hotspot with Monarch and in the winter they still maintain a 2x weekly A321 and a weekly A320 service.

[Ringwayman]

ZB tried and failed with MAD once before - it was the era of 1 aircraft operating MAN-MAD-MAN-NAP-MAN. (or was it the other way round?)..

[mickyman]

Does anybody have any passenger numbers for the last
MAN-MAD service tried by Monarch ?
When I used it a few years ago the aircraft was not
well utilised - and I wasnt too shocked when it died.
Perhaps Manchester (fans) should realise that Easy at Liverpool
have got it covered! - or is it now a case of the 'heathrow
of the north?

MM

[Shed-on-a-Pole]

BMI Baby Belfast Move

BMI Baby has confirmed plans to move all of its Belfast operations from Aldergrove (Belfast International) to Belfast City Airport, citing the latter's more convenient location. Hence, all MAN-Belfast services operated by FlyBe and BMI Baby will use City Airport (BHD).

[Skipness One Echo]

Stand on T3

Hey guys, I was flying out of T3 at the weekend and got to wondering.

Didn't gates 41 / 42 / 43 / 44 all used to be even numbers like 42 / 44 / 46 48? The reason I ask is my first ever flight was on a BA ATP into the old domestic pier in 1991. Epic or what?

[MARK9263]

That was an aircraft!!!!!!!!!! Used them many times on business with Manx Airlines and BA Connect/BA etc..Noisy.
The left side of Pier A went Stand 41/43/47/49
The right side of Pier A was Stand 42/44/46/48..with 50 on the end.

[IB4138]

I have had the misfortune to use T3, inbound on the 21st and outbound yesterday.

Inbound, only one exit gate was operative to exit the customs area. The central exit doors from the terminal are now closed with a sign proclaiming something on the lines that they are closed for the winter to keep heat in the building and therefore save energy. They are in fact the direct and signed route to car hire and taxi rank. Only one lift operative in T3 car park and if you want to get to level 3 from level 1, you find that the escalator is barriered, out of use for a refurb, although no work appears to be being carried out.

Outbound, on returning the hire car, found the ramps gritted, but the car hire area , which is on the roof and open to the elements, had not been and was a skating rink. Our flight should have departed at 06.30. After checking in at 03.45, found security area closed with sign saying they opened sometime between 04.00 and 04.30, so a queue developed. Surely, if check-in is open, then it is common sense that security should be? My wife then encountered a member of security, who can best be described as having had a personality bypass, unhelpful, uncaring, scruffy jobsworth. My wife has one hand in a splint, but he required her to remove her boots for x-ray. No chair was available for her to sit on and no compassion, help or care was shown by this individual in her complying, despite me making him aware of her predicament. She complied but with difficulty and with pain, as he would not allow me to assist her in removing her boots.

On arriving in departures lounge, no retail units, including food/drink outlets were open, the centre bar being first to open, the others finally crawling into life from around 05.00. In WHS, two out of their three tills were faulty and would not accept credit/debit cards, with customers being asked to pay in cash. Finally had to board aircraft via stairs to tarmac, which were slippy and dangerous.

[paully]

Sounds about right for there and a mirror image of my experience last time I used it....dreadful......Thanks to Easyjet I can now fly from elsewhere

[wanna_be_there]

After checking in at 03.45, found security area closed with sign saying they opened sometime between 04.00 and 04.30, so a queue developed

This I do find unnacceptable, if there are flights checking in, the security area should be open.

My wife then encountered a member of security, who can best be described as having had a personality bypass, unhelpful, uncaring, scruffy jobsworth.

Whilst its not nice, please dont let the actions of 1 person marr your experience of the airport. Whilst some are horrible, grumpy and evidently lathing the fact they are there, there are some nice guys too.

In WHS, two out of their three tills were faulty and would not accept credit/debit cards, with customers being asked to pay in cash

With this, its a techinical fault within a private company. This could have happened on any high street or any airport. Not really MAN's fault

Finally had to board aircraft via stairs to tarmac, which were slippy and dangerous.

It is an airlines policy to board via stairs or jetways, not MAN. so please dont blast MAN for something that is not withing their perogative.

Sounds about right for there and a mirror image of my experience last time I used it....dreadful......Thanks to Easyjet I can now fly from elsewhere

Thanks to some reason, I know where you will fly from in the future. Liverpool MAY still be subject to these issues (and before I get an ear bashing, I am NOT saying they are commonplace at LPL, just that it could happen to anyone, anywhere).
May I also remind you paully, LPL still boards via outside stairs, just like some MAN services, so kind of negates that aspect of the arguement.

I will defend MAN where it is not to blame, but as you can see, I will also critisise too. Sorry about your experience, but T3 will be re-vamped soon so hopefully it wont happen again.

[IB4138]

Finally had to board aircraft via stairs to tarmac, which were slippy and dangerous.

It is an airlines policy to board via stairs or jetways, not MAN. so please dont blast MAN for something that is not withing their perogative.

I think you have missed the point.

The stairs I refer to are within the terminal and therefore are the airport's responsibility. You go down the stairs at the gate to the tarmac, then walk to the steps up to the aircraft.

The steps up to the aircraft were most adequately clear and gritted.

[perkin]

No chair was available for her to sit on

I pass through T3 every week and there are always chairs available at the security checks.

If removing her shoes was such and issue, why did your wife not request a pass through the body scanner...?

[paully]

Wanne Be

I couldnt care less if I board via steps or not and in fact I never mentioned this aspect at all. I find the Manchester Airport experience crap and my wife just loathes it. So anything else is an adventure worth embarking on

[steve platt]

'NEW' Snowplan not worked! Several divs away tonight.
Good old MAN

[dwlpl]

The Liverpool Riviera Airport is open, no snow at all apart from a millimetre or two Monday night so far this winter.

[easyflyer83]

Admittedly paully it does seem that whilst one or two of the grumbles I can understand, you do seem to have it in for MAN.

Obviously everyones experiences are often subjective and anecdotal......so is my negative experience of security at LGW and LBA plus some other (smaller) airports. Personally I always find MAN a breeze. T3 could do with updating but like T1 and T2 it does the job it is meant to do. As always though, improvements can always be made.

I'm with wanna_be_there....I will not be scared to admit or criticise short comings but turning it into a bashing/vendetta just loses credibility.

[Betablockeruk]

I'm sure they're doing their best and the snow seems quite localised.

However, the arrivals board is in a mess. Plenty of "scheduled" past sell by date. Been quick to add "diverted" (from other airfields) but there is no mention of anything diverting away. Poor show for waiting friends and family.

[wanna_be_there]

Pully, your obviously a man who likes smaller airports, straight in straight out with only 1-2 departures either side for the quiter experience, so no point trying to change your mind.

IB4138, I understand there were some issues, but the main point I was trying to make is dont blame MAN for the actions of private companies. For example, WHSmith is a large national chain, its not MAN's fault if the card machines dont work, it could have happened anywhere as WHSmith are on nearly every high street and most airports.
Also, even if the security woman was a b**ch, thats one person and its unfair to base your whole experience on that 1 person.

Ill agree that the wierd opening times of security were not on, but instead of ranting on here, why not write to the airport and explain what happened, as you might actually help in getting thinks changed for a better experience?!?

[Skipness One Echo]

That was an aircraft!!!!!!!!!! Used them many times on business with Manx Airlines and BA Connect/BA etc..Noisy.
The left side of Pier A went Stand 41/43/47/49
The right side of Pier A was Stand 42/44/46/48..with 50 on the end.

Thanks mate. That's what I thought, funny how the memory cheats!
I was lost at the weekend in my dad's slides of our 1991 trip with an entire fleet of BA BAC111s yet still the AA54 and the DL64. Plus ca change!

She complied but with difficulty and with pain, as he would not allow me to assist her in removing her boots.

If that's the case you most certainly should have challenged the fellow in polite yet robust terms. Helping your other half off with her shoes is none of his business if indeed this is what transpired.

In other news :
BBC News - Manchester Airport criticised over immigration security