Manchester-3

[ATNotts]

Navpi

Please join the real world.

The growth in air cargo is primarily in the express parcel / integrator sector. They don't need flights into every airport, as they use hubs and their network of local depots served road trunkers. Aside of a few direct services from the like of MAN, BHX, LTN & LHR they tend to use primarily EMA and STN in England with the former serving Scotland and NI with domestic feeders.

Much of the traditional air freight through airports such as MAN is trucked to major hubs, LHR in UK, but also CDG, AMS, LUX and FRA. How the latter changes as a consequence of Brexit remains to be seen. Investing money in capacity to handle pure freight operations at MAN, BHX etc isn't going to be a business priority, rescuing PAX business most certainly will be.

[SWBKCB]

Surely manufacturing, distribution , NHS, etc need some capacity in the middle of a pandemic ?

Any evidence that there is any shortage of capacity anywhere?

[OzzyOzBorn]

THG (The Hut Group) said there was. But they've gone very quiet lately.

[TURIN]

Lots of rumours around that MAN is closing overnight again from 5pm tomorrow. Anyone seen anything official?

[PinOnTheRight]

Rumours of closing completely overnight, or inline with the below NOTAMs?

A0208/21 - SCHEDULING OF DEPARTING PASSENGER FLIGHTS WILL ONLY BE PERMITTED
BTN 0700-1700 DUE TERMINAL SECURITY OPERATING HOURS. SCHEDULED
INBOUND PAX PERMITTED BTN 0401-2200. THIS RESTRICTION DOES NOT
AFFECT THE FOLLOWING:
1. ACFT IN STATE OF EMERGENCY
2. CARGO FLIGHTS
3. TECHNICAL LANDING
4. PRIVATE FLIGHTS
5. FERRY FLIGHTS.
EXCEPT ACFT IN EMERGENCY THE EXEMPTED FLIGHTS ARE TO SEEK
PRE-AUTHOURISATION (PPR) FROM THE AD OPERATOR TEL[phone]
3331. AIR OPERATORS MUST ENSURE GROUND HANDLING SUPPORT IS AVBL AT
ALL TIMES. 20 JAN 00:01 2021 UNTIL 15 FEB 23:59 2021. CREATED: 15 JAN 16:37
2021

A0207/21 - SCHEDULING OF DEPARTING PASSENGER FLIGHTS WILL ONLY BE PERMITTED BTN 0530-2300 DUE TERMINAL SECURITY OPERATING HOURS. SCHEDULED
INBOUND PAX H24. THIS RESTRICTION DOES NOT AFFECT THE FOLLOWING:
1. ACFT IN STATE OF EMERGENCY
2. CARGO FLIGHTS
3. TECHNICAL LANDING
4. PRIVATE FLIGHTS
5. FERRY FLIGHTS.
EXCEPT ACFT IN EMERGENCY THE EXEMPTED FLIGHTS ARE TO SEEK
PRE-AUTHOURISATION (PPR) FROM THE AD OPERATOR TEL[phone]
3331. AIR OPERATORS MUST ENSURE GROUND HANDLING SUPPORT IS AVBL AT
ALL TIMES. FUEL AVBL 0400-2200. 15 JAN 16:31 2021 UNTIL 19 JAN 23:59 2021. CREATED:
15 JAN 16:34 2021

[Brewster Buffalo]

Also Terminals 2 & 3 to be closed.

[The96er]

Terminals 2 and 3 have been closed for some time now.

[Sioltach Dubh Glas]

The NOTAM has been updated:

Q) EGTT/QFALT/IV/NBO/A/000/999/5321N00217W005
B) FROM: 21/01/15 16:31C) TO: 21/01/19 23:59E) SCHEDULING OF DEPARTING PASSENGER FLIGHTS WILL ONLY BE PERMITTED
BTN 0530-2300 DUE TERMINAL SECURITY OPERATING HOURS. SCHEDULED
INBOUND PAX H24. THIS RESTRICTION DOES NOT AFFECT THE FOLLOWING:
1. ACFT IN STATE OF EMERGENCY
2. CARGO FLIGHTS
3. TECHNICAL LANDING
4. PRIVATE FLIGHTS
5. FERRY FLIGHTS.
EXCEPT ACFT IN EMERGENCY THE EXEMPTED FLIGHTS ARE TO SEEK
PRE-AUTHOURISATION (PPR) FROM THE AD OPERATOR TEL[phone]
3331. AIR OPERATORS MUST ENSURE GROUND HANDLING SUPPORT IS AVBL AT
ALL TIMES. FUEL AVBL 0400-2200

[RoyHudd]

It is a bit surprising to see both EK and EY operating in and out of MAN today, when all direct flights to the UAE were supposed to cease at 1300L on Friday 29/01/21. Any thoughts?

[BHX5DME]

Freight only inbound but I think pax ok outbound too.

[RoyHudd]

Makes sense.

[TURIN]

Qatar reducing services too. A350 back in place of the B787 for the rest of the week.

[Sioltach Dubh Glas]

As I understand it the B788 has 253 seats whilst the A359 offers 283. On that basis, assuming the frequency stays the same - which i don't know the answer to - then there is no reduction.

[BristolexFlyer]

New airlines

SkyUp to Kiev supposedly from June.

[RoyHudd]

Serious question: is MAN turning into a Covid super-spreader? T1 is now so rammed with incoming and departing pax that many people are having to queue outside in the freezing weather. Crowds are known to be a major risk-factor for infection.

Meanwhile the staff on the front-line are not being given priority vaccinations for protection. This is not a rumour, it is a serious issue that needs addressing.

[TURIN]

Sioltach Dubh Glas

The frequency hasn't stayed the same. Some of the QR21/24 and QR22/23 flights have been removed/cancelled. Not sure how long for.

[OzzyOzBorn]

Meanwhile the staff on the front-line are not being given priority vaccinations for protection. This is not a rumour, it is a serious issue that needs addressing.

The order in which UK citizens are to be vaccinated has been placed at the discretion of a committee of medical / epidemiological experts, remote from direct interference by political interests. Their brief is to enable the maximum possible preservation of life. This is exactly the way things should be done. The most vulnerable will be inoculated first, regardless of profession. So a clinically vulnerable airport worker / bus driver / supermarket worker will be vaccinated as a priority anyway, but a fit 20yo will not. And there are plenty of "invisible" professions which are exposed to elevated risk too: how often do we pause to think about those keeping our sewers functioning or emptying our bins? We could spend months debating who should be front of the queue for the jab.

Keep in mind that the NHS holds records of our date of birth and comprehensive medical history. Under the current system, that is the data they need to organise a successful super-efficient vaccination programme. And that is what we're seeing ... getting on for 500K inoculated each day. But start complicating this with demands by fringe interest groups that particular sets of workers should be prioritised, and suddenly the NHS has to collect employment data and disrupt everything to a massive degree ... all to accommodate early jabs for fit and healthy young adults ahead of those at far greater risk. The current system is absolutely spot-on. Keep virtue-signalling politicians and agenda-led pressure groups well away from this.

many people are having to queue outside in the freezing weather.

If this is so then it is a valid concern and you are right to highlight it. There is nothing sensible about forcing people to queue outside in freezing wet February weather on the pretext of 'protecting their health'. If we want to fill our hospitals with flu and pneumonia cases (never mind C-19) this is the perfect way to go about it. Never forget that this is peak season for colds and more serious respiratory viruses generally. We must be careful not to blindly subject the traveling public to a substantial known risk in the name of protecting them from a less-likely new one. Vulnerable people die from pneumonia too. MAG should attend to accommodating passengers in a warm, dry space in the depths of Winter.

[AndrewH52]

RoyHudd

Is this really the case? Looking at FR24 Manchester has had eight arrivals so far today (up to 15:15). I can’t see a circumstance where that level of arrivals would result in people queuing up outside (apart from ground staff going awol and not opening doors in time).

also all arrivals now have to have a negative PCR test to travel so not sure how that turns into a super spreader event?

[UnderASouthernSky]

Queues outside the terminal?

My first question would be: are they all passengers or are some them seeing people off/meeting arriving passengers? Many airports are currently requesting that non-travellers remain out of their terminals.

My second question would be: how many of these people are there for essential reasons anyway, be they passengers or friends & family? How efficiently are people's reasons for being at UK airports being checked?

[RoyHudd]

People, just see for yourself. It really is a problem.