MANCHESTER - 9
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In other news.
It looks like Icelandair are adding a 4th weekly flight on Sundays from next summer. Fares are bookable in GDS but not on the website yet. Uses same flight times/numbers as the Mon, Wed, Fri flights.
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Vueling have some flights bookable from Manchester.
Dates are 20/27/29 December, and 2/3 January.
Flight numbers are VY8732/8733. No idea what these flights are for, but, still hearing that January will see s full schedule launched. GDS is showing 4 weekly flights from 2/1/15-26/7/15, so, I guess we will have to wait and see.
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It looks like Icelandair are adding a 4th weekly flight on Sundays from next summer. Fares are bookable in GDS but not on the website yet. Uses same flight times/numbers as the Mon, Wed, Fri flights.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Vueling have some flights bookable from Manchester.
Dates are 20/27/29 December, and 2/3 January.
Flight numbers are VY8732/8733. No idea what these flights are for, but, still hearing that January will see s full schedule launched. GDS is showing 4 weekly flights from 2/1/15-26/7/15, so, I guess we will have to wait and see.
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I've been catching up on the Manchester forum & its left me feeling pretty grumpy. May be mistakenly I thought PPRUNE was a pilots (aviation) website and not a review for the film Planes Trains and Automobiles!! So please stop talking about HS2, buses and the like and focus on aviation issues at Manchester Airport. Yours etc "Humbug"
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daynehold,
all the other subjects discussed affect the operation of the airport and it's surroundings. The other airport threads cover a wide range of related topics pertinent to each individual airfield.
Far more interesting than a 'who's flying where with what' rumour mill.
all the other subjects discussed affect the operation of the airport and it's surroundings. The other airport threads cover a wide range of related topics pertinent to each individual airfield.
Far more interesting than a 'who's flying where with what' rumour mill.
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From this post, is it referring to 1 of 5 new routes from MAN or Shannon?
https://twitter.com/Ryanair/status/4...627840/photo/1
https://twitter.com/Ryanair/status/4...627840/photo/1
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It's from MAN but the SNN route is the only "proper" new route as the others are already currently being flown but have not been done in the winter timetable before, so proper FR spin at play.
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They are Manchester
Have already been announced albeit with a touch of RYR spin.....but hey why not !
LOW cost carrier Ryanair has added a fifth new daily flight to its winter schedule out of Manchester Airport with a Shannon service.
The schedule also includes new routes to Barcelona, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria and Lisbon and increased frequency on three others, Madrid, Riga and Rome. It is also flying to the Dutch city Eindhoven four times a week.
Re Vueling, is this the first time that an airline timetable has actually appeared 6 months ahead of launch on the MAN website ?
I will have to go and lie down !
Perish the though that somebody has a bit of vision and a whiff of creativity and actually thought potential passenger may actually be planning their trips 6 months before they fly rather than 6 days !
Maybe there is a spotter from here in account management ?
Shame a certain Middle East airline didn't use the same Irish and Spanish template re marketing or were given a helpful nudge !
And what of Icelandair, 4 a week according to PM, great news !
Have already been announced albeit with a touch of RYR spin.....but hey why not !
LOW cost carrier Ryanair has added a fifth new daily flight to its winter schedule out of Manchester Airport with a Shannon service.
The schedule also includes new routes to Barcelona, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria and Lisbon and increased frequency on three others, Madrid, Riga and Rome. It is also flying to the Dutch city Eindhoven four times a week.
Re Vueling, is this the first time that an airline timetable has actually appeared 6 months ahead of launch on the MAN website ?
I will have to go and lie down !
Perish the though that somebody has a bit of vision and a whiff of creativity and actually thought potential passenger may actually be planning their trips 6 months before they fly rather than 6 days !
Maybe there is a spotter from here in account management ?
Shame a certain Middle East airline didn't use the same Irish and Spanish template re marketing or were given a helpful nudge !
And what of Icelandair, 4 a week according to PM, great news !
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It is good to see the, eventual, arrival of Vueling to MAN. I wonder if VG will launch flights to other destinations, of most interest could be MAD, which could be a good connection to IB flights to south america. Many VG flights carry IB flight codes and can be booked as interline flights.
I can only assume that it is not coincidence that VG serve ALC, BCN, PMI, AGP and SVQ from Cardiff, which was a previous bmibaby base. VG is owned by IAG, which purchased bmi. I would assume that VG have direct access to any information they want from the WW days.
I can only assume that it is not coincidence that VG serve ALC, BCN, PMI, AGP and SVQ from Cardiff, which was a previous bmibaby base. VG is owned by IAG, which purchased bmi. I would assume that VG have direct access to any information they want from the WW days.
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Just a point to note with regards Vueling and Cardiff - Seville is only 2 positioning flights, this is not a regular route.
Does MAN need more carriers on BCN, AGP, ALC, PMI, IBZ, MAH? Fares are substantially cheaper than other UK airports as it is, suggesting overcapacity?
Does MAN need more carriers on BCN, AGP, ALC, PMI, IBZ, MAH? Fares are substantially cheaper than other UK airports as it is, suggesting overcapacity?
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Snakes and Ladders!
This additional Ryanair capacity is great news. To put it in perspective, the new SNN service alone will bring far more new passengers through MAN's doors than the loss of FlyNas will deduct. Indeed, whilst it is always extremely disappointing to see a scheduled service fail, it always seemed a big ask for MAN-JED to support two 3x weekly widebody operations. Those relatively few customers who booked with FlyNas can easily be absorbed by the Saudia operation. Disappointing for FlyNas and the aviation enthusiasts amongst us, but at airport level those passengers will still be coming through the doors at MAN.
Air transport has always been a cut-throat business. Failures and setbacks are part of the landscape, but if new business exceeds the capacity withdrawn then we're on the right track. The new Ryanair to SNN will put pressure on the existing Aer Lingus Regional schedule on the same route. The additional Barcelona runs with Ryanair and Vueling will impact incumbent players on that route. It would be nice (but probably naive) to hope that business is sufficiently robust to allow all carriers to prosper. In reality, there will be more like FlyNas and the industry must take such setbacks in its stride.
Bagso is of course entirely correct in his assertion that MAG should ensure that all MAN's airline customers are given the best possible support in terms of publicity. Give them the best chance we can. MAG needs to actively promote awareness of services available, but in a manner which does not appear to favour one carrier over another. There can be no repeat of the Cathay - SIA PR disaster. But that all comes down to sound knowledge of the airport's full portfolio of services, something which one hopes that MAG will henceforth be paying very close attention to. It is incumbent upon them to support all its loyal operators equally, not just the 'flavour of the day' newcomer.
Right now it looks like 'business as usual'. Extra Ryanair routes, Vueling, Cathay on the launch-pad; FlyNas (gone), FlyBe - Waterford, Libyan - Tripoli, EgyptAir - Cairo giving cause for concern. Expansion by Thomas Cook and Condor, Etihad's upgrades to B77W's, possibly extra Qatars and Icelandairs. Potential capacity reductions from Monarch and Jet2? There will always be winners and losers.
Personally, I'm hoping that MAG will endeavour to hone its PR efforts along the lines that Bagso has called for. They need a joined-up plan to promote awareness of the full portfolio of services offered by carriers operating through MAN. Their initiative must be driven by an in-house team with inherent knowledge of MAN's existing portfolio. A sub-contracted PR-type tasked with a narrow brief to promote a product they don't understand will not suffice. Does MAG contract out its PR? I don't know, but I wonder whether an internal PR chief would have been unaware that SIA operated (daily!) to MAN? That fiasco MUST serve as a wake-up call to MAG. There can be no return to PR blunders of such magnitude. Incorrectly briefing the Prime Minister for a high-profile speech on links to the Far East has to mark the lowpoint of PR failure. Line in the sand moment. No repeat, please!
Manchester Airport does present quite a tough challenge from a PR point-of-view. This is because the airport has an unusually broad portfolio of carriers rather than one overwhelmingly dominant player. MAG must tread a careful path between promoting 'XYZ Airways' to Barcelona as opposed to ALL carriers serving Manchester - Barcelona. So perhaps MAG needs to focus on destination-marketing as opposed to identifying too closely with one named carrier. It is good to note recent moves in this direction because inaction is not an option. 10% off car parking and breakfast vouchers is all fine, but let's see real effort directed towards promoting things to do around Shannon, Eindhoven, Barcelona, Reykjavik, Miami and the rest. THEN tell 'em how to get there! When services do fail (and some will), let us not lament in hindsight that "its because nobody knew Manchester had flights going there!"
Air transport has always been a cut-throat business. Failures and setbacks are part of the landscape, but if new business exceeds the capacity withdrawn then we're on the right track. The new Ryanair to SNN will put pressure on the existing Aer Lingus Regional schedule on the same route. The additional Barcelona runs with Ryanair and Vueling will impact incumbent players on that route. It would be nice (but probably naive) to hope that business is sufficiently robust to allow all carriers to prosper. In reality, there will be more like FlyNas and the industry must take such setbacks in its stride.
Bagso is of course entirely correct in his assertion that MAG should ensure that all MAN's airline customers are given the best possible support in terms of publicity. Give them the best chance we can. MAG needs to actively promote awareness of services available, but in a manner which does not appear to favour one carrier over another. There can be no repeat of the Cathay - SIA PR disaster. But that all comes down to sound knowledge of the airport's full portfolio of services, something which one hopes that MAG will henceforth be paying very close attention to. It is incumbent upon them to support all its loyal operators equally, not just the 'flavour of the day' newcomer.
Right now it looks like 'business as usual'. Extra Ryanair routes, Vueling, Cathay on the launch-pad; FlyNas (gone), FlyBe - Waterford, Libyan - Tripoli, EgyptAir - Cairo giving cause for concern. Expansion by Thomas Cook and Condor, Etihad's upgrades to B77W's, possibly extra Qatars and Icelandairs. Potential capacity reductions from Monarch and Jet2? There will always be winners and losers.
Personally, I'm hoping that MAG will endeavour to hone its PR efforts along the lines that Bagso has called for. They need a joined-up plan to promote awareness of the full portfolio of services offered by carriers operating through MAN. Their initiative must be driven by an in-house team with inherent knowledge of MAN's existing portfolio. A sub-contracted PR-type tasked with a narrow brief to promote a product they don't understand will not suffice. Does MAG contract out its PR? I don't know, but I wonder whether an internal PR chief would have been unaware that SIA operated (daily!) to MAN? That fiasco MUST serve as a wake-up call to MAG. There can be no return to PR blunders of such magnitude. Incorrectly briefing the Prime Minister for a high-profile speech on links to the Far East has to mark the lowpoint of PR failure. Line in the sand moment. No repeat, please!
Manchester Airport does present quite a tough challenge from a PR point-of-view. This is because the airport has an unusually broad portfolio of carriers rather than one overwhelmingly dominant player. MAG must tread a careful path between promoting 'XYZ Airways' to Barcelona as opposed to ALL carriers serving Manchester - Barcelona. So perhaps MAG needs to focus on destination-marketing as opposed to identifying too closely with one named carrier. It is good to note recent moves in this direction because inaction is not an option. 10% off car parking and breakfast vouchers is all fine, but let's see real effort directed towards promoting things to do around Shannon, Eindhoven, Barcelona, Reykjavik, Miami and the rest. THEN tell 'em how to get there! When services do fail (and some will), let us not lament in hindsight that "its because nobody knew Manchester had flights going there!"
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It's worth being here just to read "The Sheds" occasional musings.
As a template the London City output is worthy of note. This week they focused on Cities and whilst I suspect each route is dominated by one airline the strategy was the same, similar wording "why not fly London City to xxxxxxxx" followed by a good link with the offering.
Of course its debatable who is following, let alone who is actually reading but on that basis offering a 10% discount for parking to a twitter follower in Bolivia is as equally worthless. ...but if you have 120k following , at least have a go.
In order to dispel the mutual appreciation syndrome I would disagree with Shed in terms of why it failed.
The target audience to me were visitors to Mecca, rather than Arabic, they were predominantly Pakistan Muslims, a massive catchment area and one which I feel could have been exploited on a low cost basis.
By way if example with the BBC always anxious to appease all sectors of society I'm pretty sure an interview promoting access to Holy Cities could have easily been picked up by Radio Manchester, Blackburn, Leeds.
Target Jeddah. ..NOT a specific airline but have the message couched in terms that doesnt promote one over the other.
It may not have made any difference but the other option appears to have been sit on your hands.
One failure is one too many , grab the opportunity by the b@@@s and at least have a go !
Don't forget whilst easy to dismiss other entrant airlines may think look at this and think , fragile market, no support from hosts, and walk away !
As a template the London City output is worthy of note. This week they focused on Cities and whilst I suspect each route is dominated by one airline the strategy was the same, similar wording "why not fly London City to xxxxxxxx" followed by a good link with the offering.
Of course its debatable who is following, let alone who is actually reading but on that basis offering a 10% discount for parking to a twitter follower in Bolivia is as equally worthless. ...but if you have 120k following , at least have a go.
In order to dispel the mutual appreciation syndrome I would disagree with Shed in terms of why it failed.
The target audience to me were visitors to Mecca, rather than Arabic, they were predominantly Pakistan Muslims, a massive catchment area and one which I feel could have been exploited on a low cost basis.
By way if example with the BBC always anxious to appease all sectors of society I'm pretty sure an interview promoting access to Holy Cities could have easily been picked up by Radio Manchester, Blackburn, Leeds.
Target Jeddah. ..NOT a specific airline but have the message couched in terms that doesnt promote one over the other.
It may not have made any difference but the other option appears to have been sit on your hands.
One failure is one too many , grab the opportunity by the b@@@s and at least have a go !
Don't forget whilst easy to dismiss other entrant airlines may think look at this and think , fragile market, no support from hosts, and walk away !
Last edited by Bagso; 26th Jul 2014 at 07:08.
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LIVERPOOL business and tourism chiefs are hoping to score with investors in the US during Liverpool Football Club's pre-season tour.Marketing Liverpool and Liverpool Chamber of Commerce are working with the football club to make the most of opportunities to promote the city region, with a focus on the match against Manchester City in New York’s Yankee Stadium on July 30"
International Trade**/**Business and tourism chiefs hope to score with LFC US tour THEBUSINESSDESK.COM
This is precisely what I said Manchester, and Manchester Airport should have been doing on the MUFC and indeed MCFC tours.
We have one of the largest sporting brands in the World and seemingly nobody has a clue how to capitalise !
Quite incredible really.
Fortunately at least Manchester Airport with numerous flights to the US should more by accident be the beneficiary of this move by Liverpool.
International Trade**/**Business and tourism chiefs hope to score with LFC US tour THEBUSINESSDESK.COM
This is precisely what I said Manchester, and Manchester Airport should have been doing on the MUFC and indeed MCFC tours.
We have one of the largest sporting brands in the World and seemingly nobody has a clue how to capitalise !
Quite incredible really.
Fortunately at least Manchester Airport with numerous flights to the US should more by accident be the beneficiary of this move by Liverpool.
Griefest.
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Maybe this wider discussion around the region and the ongoing thoughts around marketing and PR deserves it's own thread? Please. Pretty please?
See also trains. Lots of trains.
See also trains. Lots of trains.
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Bagso
.
"and what of Icelandair, 4 a week, great news".
Assuming there are botties to sit on the seats.
In 2002, the Zookermobile was off the road for a week I had to get the bus to Ringway. Fortunately, that nice Mr. Bullock had laid on a spanking-new bus-service, just for me.
Used the bus for my 0600 UTC start for a week, - excellent. There were only 2 of us on the bus Me and the driver.
Zookermobile repaired, bus service withdrawn about a fortnight later.
Can't get to the airport, bot if I could, there'd be a plane to Keflavik.
Monster.
"and what of Icelandair, 4 a week, great news".
Assuming there are botties to sit on the seats.
In 2002, the Zookermobile was off the road for a week I had to get the bus to Ringway. Fortunately, that nice Mr. Bullock had laid on a spanking-new bus-service, just for me.
Used the bus for my 0600 UTC start for a week, - excellent. There were only 2 of us on the bus Me and the driver.
Zookermobile repaired, bus service withdrawn about a fortnight later.
Can't get to the airport, bot if I could, there'd be a plane to Keflavik.
Monster.
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Trains & PR
Skipness
I do understand your point, but your comment amply demonstrates that your location is remote from Manchester Airport and the issues which affect the site.
If you were at Manchester Airport you would see the new Metrolink infrastructure which has now reached Manchester Airport Interchange. Services should commence by the end of 2014. Metrolink will be a godsend to a number of airport staff (notably shiftworkers), some of whom read PPRuNe. If you were at Manchester Airport you would see preparations for the fourth 'heavy rail' platform at the airport station. You would also see the new trains which now operate hourly between Manchester Airport Station and Scotland. These alternate between Glasgow and Edinburgh, then link Carlisle and points South to Manchester Airport. Carlisle to Manchester Airport now takes H2.11 with no changes required. All part of the 'Northern Hub' enhancements which also improve access between Manchester Airport and points east of the Pennines beyond Leeds. Hence we discuss trains. Lots of trains. Because the improvements to them directly impact the reach of air services using Manchester Airport. And they affect staff access. They're relevant. Although I do understand that such is difficult to discern from your vantage point in Babylon-on-Thames.
If your livelihood depended on Manchester Airport you would be concerned when a scheduled flight fails with few in the region ever having realised the service existed. Who knew about FlyNas? Where is the publicity for EgyptAir? Who knew we used to have a Ryanair scheduled service to Tours perfectly located for visits to the beautiful Chateaux of the Loire Valley? Who told the NW public that Tours is the perfect point-of-entry for visits to the Loire Valley region? Nobody that's who. Such failures constitute valid discussion points for those whose professional futures rely on the success of carriers serving Manchester Airport.
Manchester Airport's marketing used to be the best in the business many moons ago. Individuals including Paul Connellan and Tim Jeans did an outstanding job promoting the airport they were visible, everybody knew they were the guys responsible for marketing. Do you remember how the airport encouraged Tal'at Mahmoud in leveraging his links with Asian carriers? I think he also assumed responsibility for domestic services as well (before the big downturn). Yes, Manchester did have a couple of marketing dumbbells as well (mentioning no names, but particularly the guy who was too grand to engage with no-frills carriers when it really mattered). At least back then the marketing guys were accountable. They were visible. We knew who they were.
Who does the marketing now? Is it all done in-house or not? Didn't they consolidate the role down at EMA at one point a truly dumb move. I'm not sure MAN has ever recovered from that, but such scenarios could explain why the airport's PR crew didn't know that Singapore Airlines operated here. A misunderstanding duly promulgated by misinformed parties including the Prime Minister and the 'Manchester Evening News'.
I like to think I know more than the average punter about Manchester Airport, but I don't know who the current marketing chief is. Why doesn't this person have a public profile like Connellan and Jeans used to have? Why are they invisible? Is MAG's marketing still consolidated off-site (at EMA???). Their profile is so low it is difficult to even know. And when we see poorly-researched press releases EasyJet: Manchester's first scheduled service to Moscow? Cathay Manchester's first direct service to the Far East (???!!!) with the PM and the MEN fully briefed with that message well, I think that is a valid concern for discussion on the Manchester Airport thread.
Manchester Airport's hit-and-miss marketing strategy controlled by invisible and seemingly unaccountable personnel is a matter of legitimate concern to those who have a vested interest in the future success of Manchester Airport. It is a valid topic for discussion amongst the airport's staff and customers. We want to see enthusiastic, joined-up marketing driven by a visible leader in the tradition of Paul Connellan and Tim Jeans. We need that high-profile personality networking with the regional media from their onsite office at Manchester Airport getting the message out there!
The marketing efforts we see now are just a shadow of what they have the potential to be. And when some services are falling by the wayside due to lack of awareness see the recent discussion with LN-KGL about the impression NAX now have of MAN well, there is legitimate cause for concern. Yes, passenger numbers have grown in encouraging fashion of late. But we're STILL below 2006/7 levels. And don't even mention the collapse in air freight who is marketing to that sector? There is no room for complacency yet.
And where is the correct venue to discuss marketing issues at Manchester Airport? For me it has to be the Manchester Airport thread. Where else? Do you genuinely believe that the mods would like to see seperate threads entitled 'Public Transport Access Improvements at Manchester Airport' or 'Marketing Strategy at Manchester Airport'? I'm guessing they might not be overly impressed!
Bottom line: the new developments improving [heavy / light] rail-access to Manchester Airport are of primary importance to the future success of the operation. The effectiveness of MAG's marketing strategy is critical to the future of Manchester Airport. Such issues are directly relevant to discussion here.
Of course, we all have preferred topics which engage us more than others. But it is easy to skip posts which don't interest us personally. Marketing, infrastucture developments and ground transport issues don't interest everybody but that does not mean they should be ignored. I tend to gloss over the posts discussing handling agents winning / losing contracts, but I recognise that they are essential reading to many staff at the airport hence it is fitting that they are discussed on the thread. Those posts shouldn't be excluded because they bore me. It is incumbent upon the individual reader to decide which Manchester Airport topics interest them in particular then read, skim or skip accordingly. By definition, postings in a well-frequented public forum cannot be tailor-made to suit the specific tastes of any one individual reader. We must each be our own 'editor'.
Let the lively discussion continue. All of it. Even the handling agent chatter which doesn't interest me personally! 'Manchester' is one of the best threads on PPRuNe with lots of well-informed contributors and intelligent discussion. Why discourage that? Why dumb down to appease those who don't appreciate the big picture overview?
I'm going to drink to continued lively debate on ALL issues pertinent to Manchester Airport's future progress. In fact, I'm off to fetch the Vimto right now!
Best Regards to all! SHED.
If you were at Manchester Airport you would see the new Metrolink infrastructure which has now reached Manchester Airport Interchange. Services should commence by the end of 2014. Metrolink will be a godsend to a number of airport staff (notably shiftworkers), some of whom read PPRuNe. If you were at Manchester Airport you would see preparations for the fourth 'heavy rail' platform at the airport station. You would also see the new trains which now operate hourly between Manchester Airport Station and Scotland. These alternate between Glasgow and Edinburgh, then link Carlisle and points South to Manchester Airport. Carlisle to Manchester Airport now takes H2.11 with no changes required. All part of the 'Northern Hub' enhancements which also improve access between Manchester Airport and points east of the Pennines beyond Leeds. Hence we discuss trains. Lots of trains. Because the improvements to them directly impact the reach of air services using Manchester Airport. And they affect staff access. They're relevant. Although I do understand that such is difficult to discern from your vantage point in Babylon-on-Thames.
If your livelihood depended on Manchester Airport you would be concerned when a scheduled flight fails with few in the region ever having realised the service existed. Who knew about FlyNas? Where is the publicity for EgyptAir? Who knew we used to have a Ryanair scheduled service to Tours perfectly located for visits to the beautiful Chateaux of the Loire Valley? Who told the NW public that Tours is the perfect point-of-entry for visits to the Loire Valley region? Nobody that's who. Such failures constitute valid discussion points for those whose professional futures rely on the success of carriers serving Manchester Airport.
Manchester Airport's marketing used to be the best in the business many moons ago. Individuals including Paul Connellan and Tim Jeans did an outstanding job promoting the airport they were visible, everybody knew they were the guys responsible for marketing. Do you remember how the airport encouraged Tal'at Mahmoud in leveraging his links with Asian carriers? I think he also assumed responsibility for domestic services as well (before the big downturn). Yes, Manchester did have a couple of marketing dumbbells as well (mentioning no names, but particularly the guy who was too grand to engage with no-frills carriers when it really mattered). At least back then the marketing guys were accountable. They were visible. We knew who they were.
Who does the marketing now? Is it all done in-house or not? Didn't they consolidate the role down at EMA at one point a truly dumb move. I'm not sure MAN has ever recovered from that, but such scenarios could explain why the airport's PR crew didn't know that Singapore Airlines operated here. A misunderstanding duly promulgated by misinformed parties including the Prime Minister and the 'Manchester Evening News'.
I like to think I know more than the average punter about Manchester Airport, but I don't know who the current marketing chief is. Why doesn't this person have a public profile like Connellan and Jeans used to have? Why are they invisible? Is MAG's marketing still consolidated off-site (at EMA???). Their profile is so low it is difficult to even know. And when we see poorly-researched press releases EasyJet: Manchester's first scheduled service to Moscow? Cathay Manchester's first direct service to the Far East (???!!!) with the PM and the MEN fully briefed with that message well, I think that is a valid concern for discussion on the Manchester Airport thread.
Manchester Airport's hit-and-miss marketing strategy controlled by invisible and seemingly unaccountable personnel is a matter of legitimate concern to those who have a vested interest in the future success of Manchester Airport. It is a valid topic for discussion amongst the airport's staff and customers. We want to see enthusiastic, joined-up marketing driven by a visible leader in the tradition of Paul Connellan and Tim Jeans. We need that high-profile personality networking with the regional media from their onsite office at Manchester Airport getting the message out there!
The marketing efforts we see now are just a shadow of what they have the potential to be. And when some services are falling by the wayside due to lack of awareness see the recent discussion with LN-KGL about the impression NAX now have of MAN well, there is legitimate cause for concern. Yes, passenger numbers have grown in encouraging fashion of late. But we're STILL below 2006/7 levels. And don't even mention the collapse in air freight who is marketing to that sector? There is no room for complacency yet.
And where is the correct venue to discuss marketing issues at Manchester Airport? For me it has to be the Manchester Airport thread. Where else? Do you genuinely believe that the mods would like to see seperate threads entitled 'Public Transport Access Improvements at Manchester Airport' or 'Marketing Strategy at Manchester Airport'? I'm guessing they might not be overly impressed!
Bottom line: the new developments improving [heavy / light] rail-access to Manchester Airport are of primary importance to the future success of the operation. The effectiveness of MAG's marketing strategy is critical to the future of Manchester Airport. Such issues are directly relevant to discussion here.
Of course, we all have preferred topics which engage us more than others. But it is easy to skip posts which don't interest us personally. Marketing, infrastucture developments and ground transport issues don't interest everybody but that does not mean they should be ignored. I tend to gloss over the posts discussing handling agents winning / losing contracts, but I recognise that they are essential reading to many staff at the airport hence it is fitting that they are discussed on the thread. Those posts shouldn't be excluded because they bore me. It is incumbent upon the individual reader to decide which Manchester Airport topics interest them in particular then read, skim or skip accordingly. By definition, postings in a well-frequented public forum cannot be tailor-made to suit the specific tastes of any one individual reader. We must each be our own 'editor'.
Let the lively discussion continue. All of it. Even the handling agent chatter which doesn't interest me personally! 'Manchester' is one of the best threads on PPRuNe with lots of well-informed contributors and intelligent discussion. Why discourage that? Why dumb down to appease those who don't appreciate the big picture overview?
I'm going to drink to continued lively debate on ALL issues pertinent to Manchester Airport's future progress. In fact, I'm off to fetch the Vimto right now!
Best Regards to all! SHED.
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Shed, I enjoyed reading your last 2 posts as always for the clear, articulate and polite way you express your views.
In this case, your knowledge of some of the past executives who made an impact at Manchester Airport even rang a few bells in my failing memory bank.
Tim Jeans went on to hold very senior positions at Liverpool Airport and Monarch Airlines so was something of a rising star at Manchester.
As I recall, Paul Connellan was a director at MAN in Gil Thompson's time, but didn't his role encompass both Marketing and Business Development? (And Gil himself was fairly prominent and influential in that area!). Haven't these two functions been separated, and there is maybe a perception that while the latter is rightly regarded as an increasingly vital part of the Airport's business, the former has been downgraded somewhat. The other change in the management structure over the last 20 years or so has been the growing importance of the wider commercial activities of the airport other than pure aviation, from shopping malls to car parking and the property portfolio.
As regards Aviation Business Development, there have been periods of economic downturn when I gather effort in that department has had to be concentrated on retaining the airlines and routes we held rather than on gaining new business. It seems to me this is where coordination between that department and Marketing is still a key factor, and it's not hard to conclude that isn't always happening as evidenced by the recent CX/SQ PR disaster and the lack of any obvious promotion for the Cairo and Jeddah services.
I do of course agree that topics such as Marketing, Infrastructure developments and Transport links are essential ingredients to the future of Manchester Airport and trust they will continue to be intelligently discussed by you, Bagso and others on this forum.
In this case, your knowledge of some of the past executives who made an impact at Manchester Airport even rang a few bells in my failing memory bank.
Tim Jeans went on to hold very senior positions at Liverpool Airport and Monarch Airlines so was something of a rising star at Manchester.
As I recall, Paul Connellan was a director at MAN in Gil Thompson's time, but didn't his role encompass both Marketing and Business Development? (And Gil himself was fairly prominent and influential in that area!). Haven't these two functions been separated, and there is maybe a perception that while the latter is rightly regarded as an increasingly vital part of the Airport's business, the former has been downgraded somewhat. The other change in the management structure over the last 20 years or so has been the growing importance of the wider commercial activities of the airport other than pure aviation, from shopping malls to car parking and the property portfolio.
As regards Aviation Business Development, there have been periods of economic downturn when I gather effort in that department has had to be concentrated on retaining the airlines and routes we held rather than on gaining new business. It seems to me this is where coordination between that department and Marketing is still a key factor, and it's not hard to conclude that isn't always happening as evidenced by the recent CX/SQ PR disaster and the lack of any obvious promotion for the Cairo and Jeddah services.
I do of course agree that topics such as Marketing, Infrastructure developments and Transport links are essential ingredients to the future of Manchester Airport and trust they will continue to be intelligently discussed by you, Bagso and others on this forum.
Last edited by MANFOD; 26th Jul 2014 at 07:40.