Manchester-2
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More often than not dedicated freight flights are more hassle than they're worth to handling agents and other third parties, it's not uncommon for a handling request to be bounced back from various agents before finally finding one willing to handle it.
Most handling agents (at MAN, at least) are stretched to the limit on a good day just with their scheduled passenger flights - throw an often delayed or sporadically timetabled freight into the mix and you've got a lot of issues for your regular airline customers.
Not all that long ago people were waiting 3+ hours for baggage: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englan...ester-45308369
Of course, the answer is for companies to employ more staff.... But with margins being cut so fine, I can't see it happening anytime soon.
Most handling agents (at MAN, at least) are stretched to the limit on a good day just with their scheduled passenger flights - throw an often delayed or sporadically timetabled freight into the mix and you've got a lot of issues for your regular airline customers.
Not all that long ago people were waiting 3+ hours for baggage: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englan...ester-45308369
Of course, the answer is for companies to employ more staff.... But with margins being cut so fine, I can't see it happening anytime soon.
Some may appreciate the work post COVID-19. Sadly, "we don't want to know" has become an all too common attitude at MAN. I wouldn't anticipate boom conditions amongst passenger-orientated carriers for quite some time.
Also, not all freighters are ad-hoc. Most are known quantities which can be planned for well in advance.
A bit of "CAN DO" thinking would go a long way.
Also, not all freighters are ad-hoc. Most are known quantities which can be planned for well in advance.
A bit of "CAN DO" thinking would go a long way.
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OOB
You rant about stuff that quite frankly not many people give a toss about.
Of course freight is down at EGCC because the vast majority is carried on pax flights.
You live in Australia (supposedly) but are so angry that Manchester Airport is not pushing much more freight. Why?
You rant about stuff that quite frankly not many people give a toss about.
Of course freight is down at EGCC because the vast majority is carried on pax flights.
You live in Australia (supposedly) but are so angry that Manchester Airport is not pushing much more freight. Why?
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I suspect many of the employees on the cusp of possibly being made unemployed at Swissport, Manchester would definitely "give a toss".
"Jog on down to EMA people, chop chop".
A study of MAG accounts 2019 makes barely any reference to EMA, it's not beyond the realms of possibility that MAG may be coerced into strengthing the balance sheet by its shareholders, many of whom are in The N West, might that be a sale of EMA ?
If it does the MAG board will look pretty stupid having just switch sold traffic to another airport which originally wished to use Manchester.
"Jog on down to EMA people, chop chop".
A study of MAG accounts 2019 makes barely any reference to EMA, it's not beyond the realms of possibility that MAG may be coerced into strengthing the balance sheet by its shareholders, many of whom are in The N West, might that be a sale of EMA ?
If it does the MAG board will look pretty stupid having just switch sold traffic to another airport which originally wished to use Manchester.
Last edited by Navpi; 27th Jun 2020 at 20:33.
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Personally did loadsheets for Dragonair, Great Wall, Air China, China Airlines, Jett8 back in 2003-2007 during MANs Freighter hay day - which was a glorious period for tonnage.
There was only ever stand 68 ( for side door) and stand 82 ( for nose door) that the airport would give so hardly ever a 'freighter' base.
My current employer insists MAN as an ALTN on the flight plan but would still rather go to EMA/STN/LUX if they can't get in at PIK.
There was only ever stand 68 ( for side door) and stand 82 ( for nose door) that the airport would give so hardly ever a 'freighter' base.
My current employer insists MAN as an ALTN on the flight plan but would still rather go to EMA/STN/LUX if they can't get in at PIK.
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The point is that the employees looking at redundancy don't care why Manchester isn't a big cargo hub. Bread and butter flights are what matters and that is what they want back not some rant about cargo.
It is bewildering that some on here appear to believe that cargo jobs are without merit. Many cargo services follow a frequent and predictable schedule which implies steady employment for those on the ground. I presume that those moaning aren't about to face their handling agency bosses handing them their P45's?
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Prior to Covid19 general cargo didn’t cover the cost of the fuel. General cargo was being shipped at $1.00-$1.50 per kilo. At the beginning of the crisis cargo spiked at $8.00-$9.00 a kilo. Now the rush is over it has dropped down to between $2.50-$3.00 a kilo. As more and more passenger wide bodies return to service expect the cargo price to reduce further. The majority of air freight in today’s world is shipped in the belly of passenger aircraft. The B777/787 and the A350 have vast cargo holds and are capable of carrying a full load of passengers plus a very healthy uplift of cargo. The number of dedicated freighter aircraft is diminishing not growing.
Ringway airport handles a fair amount of freight arriving and departing on passenger aircraft.
Ringway airport handles a fair amount of freight arriving and departing on passenger aircraft.
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Some may appreciate the work post COVID-19. Sadly, "we don't want to know" has become an all too common attitude at MAN. I wouldn't anticipate boom conditions amongst passenger-orientated carriers for quite some time.
Also, not all freighters are ad-hoc. Most are known quantities which can be planned for well in advance.
A bit of "CAN DO" thinking would go a long way.
Also, not all freighters are ad-hoc. Most are known quantities which can be planned for well in advance.
A bit of "CAN DO" thinking would go a long way.
"Cargo has been tapering off, and as a result, there will be many cancellations of cargo-only passenger aircraft flights, as the commercial decisions are made closer to the time of the flight," the carrier said in an internal memo.
In a follow-up statement, the airline clarified that it planned to continue operating its fleet of dedicated freighters at high utilisation rates mainly to the USA Frankfurt and Amsterdam. But, it would gradually wean off using passenger aircraft for cargo-only services.
Cathay Pacific is also re-evaluating its earlier plan to convert four passenger B777 aircraft into makeshift freighters. Under the current circumstances, the airline is likely to only convert two jets. Such a conversion is a more permanent step than the straightforward deployment of passenger aircraft on cargo-only flights but with their cabins intact.
The fall in demand for air cargo, caused by the gradual resumption of passenger flights with the associated bellyhold capacity, development of alternative means of transportation, and lower demand for medical supplies, has caused average air freight rates to halve during the last month.
Pertinent points highlighted by me and i am sure Spans would agree with much of the above
And this is also the case down at Slough, Windsor , Hounslow and Spelthorne cargo flights are declining as more passenger flights come back on line cepting USA/Canada where brutal organic blob travel restrictions remain.
Caveat unless your name rhymes Rigel Mariage !
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Leading SE Asian cargo carrier was reported in another leading industry site - Cathay Pacific (CX, Hong Kong Int'l) is planning to end "many" of its cargo-only flights operated with passenger aircraft as the surge in demand and yields on the cargo market, driven by the demand for personal protective equipment and the drop in capacity, is coming to an end, the South China Morning Post has reported.
"Cargo has been tapering off, and as a result, there will be many cancellations of cargo-only passenger aircraft flights, as the commercial decisions are made closer to the time of the flight," the carrier said in an internal memo.
In a follow-up statement, the airline clarified that it planned to continue operating its fleet of dedicated freighters at high utilisation rates mainly to the USA Frankfurt and Amsterdam. But, it would gradually wean off using passenger aircraft for cargo-only services.
Cathay Pacific is also re-evaluating its earlier plan to convert four passenger B777 aircraft into makeshift freighters. Under the current circumstances, the airline is likely to only convert two jets. Such a conversion is a more permanent step than the straightforward deployment of passenger aircraft on cargo-only flights but with their cabins intact.
The fall in demand for air cargo, caused by the gradual resumption of passenger flights with the associated bellyhold capacity, development of alternative means of transportation, and lower demand for medical supplies, has caused average air freight rates to halve during the last month.
Pertinent points highlighted by me and i am sure Spans would agree with much of the above
And this is also the case down at Slough, Windsor , Hounslow and Spelthorne cargo flights are declining as more passenger flights come back on line cepting USA/Canada where brutal organic blob travel restrictions remain.
Caveat unless your name rhymes Rigel Mariage !
"Cargo has been tapering off, and as a result, there will be many cancellations of cargo-only passenger aircraft flights, as the commercial decisions are made closer to the time of the flight," the carrier said in an internal memo.
In a follow-up statement, the airline clarified that it planned to continue operating its fleet of dedicated freighters at high utilisation rates mainly to the USA Frankfurt and Amsterdam. But, it would gradually wean off using passenger aircraft for cargo-only services.
Cathay Pacific is also re-evaluating its earlier plan to convert four passenger B777 aircraft into makeshift freighters. Under the current circumstances, the airline is likely to only convert two jets. Such a conversion is a more permanent step than the straightforward deployment of passenger aircraft on cargo-only flights but with their cabins intact.
The fall in demand for air cargo, caused by the gradual resumption of passenger flights with the associated bellyhold capacity, development of alternative means of transportation, and lower demand for medical supplies, has caused average air freight rates to halve during the last month.
Pertinent points highlighted by me and i am sure Spans would agree with much of the above
And this is also the case down at Slough, Windsor , Hounslow and Spelthorne cargo flights are declining as more passenger flights come back on line cepting USA/Canada where brutal organic blob travel restrictions remain.
Caveat unless your name rhymes Rigel Mariage !
Would it be a daft question to ask / suggest : Isn't now the perfect time to crack on with the refurb of the old T2 whilst the terminal is not needed, causing the least long term disruption.?
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The dual taxiway work next to the hangers was still on-going during April & May. This is a project which ops will significantly benefit from in the future, maybe as early as next summer, so surly this for example, is the type of work that has a good justification to continue, after all the funds were already allocated for this type of work...
I suspect that there may be a financial reason - like very little income for over 6 months?
Keeping T2 closed whilst being refurbed might even save money in the long run?
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According to an interview with Brad Miller, Chief Operating Officer, that was released today in Travelweekly's website Terminal 2X will not open until early 2021.
https://travelweekly.co.uk/articles/...pen-early-2021
https://travelweekly.co.uk/articles/...pen-early-2021
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But capital finance needs revenue in order to repay it. I suspect that only currently contracted projects that would be too costly to stop in terms of penalty payments to the contractor would be continued. The funding will be in place but until the decision is taken to draw it down presumably it will just sit in the financier's bank.
