Momentary Lapse - much of what you say is right, however I can tell you that back in 1991 MAplc actually opposed the introduction of multiple handling agents rather than instigate it. It was the Monopolies & Mergers Committee which forced this following representations to the Thatcher/Major government. MA made a case for retaining a monoploy due to fears of ramp congestion caused by duplication of equipment - and look what happened!

Moving on from MLs points to the general debate now: I just don't see how the present economics within the industry are sustainable. The low-cost culture generates so little revenue for airports - how on earth are they to invest in infrastructure? Terminals are one thing - you can put up a shed and make pax carry their own bags, but the airfield is different. The CAA has no 'low cost' requirements - you can't have a cardboard runway and LEGO Fire trucks - airfield infrastructure requires multi-millions to build and more millions to maintain whether it's for easyjet or Lufthansa, the licensing requirements are the same. This money has to come from somewhere. LPL and BLK are alright at the moment because these airfields were underutilised, but wait till their airfields are worn out and need re-building like MAN. Will the business case stack up to re-invest?

LPL is not alright at the moment or they wouldn't be embarking on a major reconstruction of the runway in October. This has been required for the last two years so they can handle 4 engined aircraft again (B747, A340etc) as the outer edge of the runway was breaking up. True money plays a big part in timing of the maintenance but MAplc should have thought of that before they embarked on a 2nd runway they didn't need, after all Gatwick manages quite well with 1 runway and more passengers. Perhaps the management should be changed!:E

ONE RUNWAY

Yes and so does Stansted at the moment, "just".

The reason I understand is due to the mix of traffic i:e EMB145 then B747 or reverse which Gatwick or Stansted do not get to the same extreme as Manchester

Stansted has a traffic pattern which is longer than Manchester with the first rush of departures at 05.00 and not finishing until around midnight
and Gatwick has more aicraft at a constant size

G-I-B

Six new routes by Jet2 from the first part of the summer 2007

Barcelona
Berlin
Toulouse
Warsaw
Venice
Paris CDG

Bravo Jet2! After baby snubbed MAN yesterday in favour of expansion in BHX, it's good to see that at least one of our LCC's are commited to the cause. And with TOM also announcing 11 new routes, it has been a good week for MAN. I think LS and TOM will lead the way now in terms of future commitment to the airport, with ZB up there as well no doubt. Now then, how about this long-haul expansion we've long been promised...

Yes, good news from Jet2. Welcome competition for Monarch on the BCN, where we once had 3 operators (ZB,IB & WW), interesting to see they have also picked another ex baby route Paris CDG & a BMI Regional route -Toulouse.
Still waiting for someone to pick-up the Lisbon route, which we lost after many years of service by the excellent Portugalia. Maybe this is one for ZB, as they do this route from LGW.

Manchester's got one: Runway 2 is falling to bits already at the starter end cos it's built from talcum powder and meringue nests. The bit that needs rebuilding is the bit where all the taxiways cross each other :eek: on the way to the threshold. Pity they didn't pay cardboard prices for it though...

Thanks for the comments re MA resisting multiple handlers. I bow to your knowledge. I do remember that when the handlers were jostling for the original 3 or 4 handler contracts, some of MA's Board members (who'd never been out of Gtr Manchester before because their whippets would miss them and they'd have no-one else to run their pie shops) went out to exotic places at the expense of one of the prospective handlers, who then went on to mysteriously win one of the contracts despite having no experience of working at MAN. And several Board members were also given genuine Rolex watches. At that time, MA should have implemented equipment licensing to limit apron congestion.

MA doesn't need a second runway for more movements, because it hasn't got enough space for more apron, taxiway or terminals to serve it properly. What they need is bigger a/c per movement (like LGW) and a better spread across the day's peaks and troughs. Then one runway would be sufficient, like LGW.

From Jet 2 press release

'The low cost revolution at Manchester has only just started, today marks the beginning of the end for high fares to European cities and Jet2 is leading the way - there are many more destinations to come, so keep visiting Jet2!'

Sounds promising! Surely Jet2 has more scheduled destinations than any other airline now at MAN? 23 routes compared to BACONS 17

Jet2 have been my carrier of choice on the AGP-MAN route for a while but I'm sorry to see that they've ditched the afternoon MAN-AGP for the winter. They won't be seeing me for a bit. :bored:

Jet2 will continue with a morning departure on the MAN - AGP route throughout Summer 2007 too. Flights depart daily at 06.45

06:45 is nob all good to me I'm afraid, nor is the ZB winter schedule. Having said that, I went off ZB some time ago. Being told that charging for scoff was because of customer demand, the endless p.a.s telling us what not to do next flight and if I hear that the rip off exchange rate is based on the bank buying rate with no added commission one more time - I'll scream. Seat pitch seems to have shrunk too, doubt I'm still growing at my age.
Back to ID90s for a couple of months. Never know, I might get to like it. ;)

I'll agree with that spud.....ZB had to get to the level of WW and LS to compete effectively, without worrying too much about the people who are prepared to pay for just a little bit of 'service'.

There's no way LS could continue an afternoon service through winter. AGP demand is there all year round, but it tails off between November and March especially.

I agree with spud re the very annoying Monarch PAs, constant can't do this, that or the other, buy this, buy that & then the constant scratch cards sales PAs, it just goes on and on and on and on, far worse than anyone else. Give us a break Monarch, or some peace & quiet during our flight.

Momentary Lapse -

I've been off your case for quite a while to give you a chance to reform, but your constant moaning and sniping about all things Manchester has once again become just too tiresome to ignore. Do you ever have a good word to say for the place or the people who strive to make it the success that it is? Yes, 12th busiest in Europe and over 22.5 million passengers per year does constitute success. The place isn't perfect - we all know that, but it compares very well with the many other airports which I visit. Perhaps MAplc upset you in some way ... did they sack you or pass you over for promotion? Whatever it is, you have the right to post only negative comments if you wish, but if you post incorrect material I will challenge you.

So Manchester doesn't need a second runway, eh? Please tell us then exactly how Manchester should accommodate upto 800 daily movements on one runway (demand as per this Summer), many of which require peak morning and peak evening slots to conform with the business day? The answer is that the need for Manchester's second runway was proven beyond doubt a long time ago, and is answered again every weekday. Go and look. Your sneering remarks serve only to sap the last of your credibility. And what's all this whippets and pies nonsense in your most recent contribution? It sounds like a form of racist stereotyping to me.

Sometimes, if you have nothing good to say it is better to say nothing.

Meanwhile, after a fortnight of good news for MAN courtesy of Thomsonfly, Jet2.com, VLM and BMI Regional here's another gem. According to 'Travel Trade Gazette' [22 Sept edition], Flyglobespan is to operate a daily MAN - Toronto (Hamilton) service from May 2007 using 183-seat B757 equipment.

Would you care to join me in congratulating the Manchester Airport team for securing these fantastic new schedules at such a difficult time for the aviation industry in general? Should I hold my breath?

Cheers, SHED.

Hi Shed. Nice to hear from you.

I'm not going to bother answering your comments in detail because we've done it all before.

My views are my views and neither you nor anyone else is entitled to call them incorrect.

I am not a racist, and I call on you to withdraw that serious allegation.

Spud, I think one of the flights is a bit later, think it maybe at the weekend, think its about a 1030ish departure.
Next year the AGP is on the 757 in the morning, bit nicer than the 737 i think

Good job we have got 2 runways as it would be fun with runway closure of 24R for 2 or 3 weeks we have at present overnight whilst it gets its cleaning and overhaul as there must be at least 20 movements after the closure time

I`m sure that the airlines would love to go back to the long holds there used to be in the morning and evening when there was only one runway which was quite often 30-40 minutes and just think of all the fuel used and burnt
The Bollin valley and surrounds now look wonderful with it being managed by the wardens and a pleasure to walk through

G-I-B

This type of thing is rife on this BB.

But of the six new routes only one is not being served from Manchester at the moment (Venice). Some new destinations is what we need
Regards

Peakp

Hi Momentary Lapse -

Thankyou for your response. You call upon me to withdraw a remark in which you allege that I call you a racist. Er, where is it? I can't seem to find that one! If you do find it, please highlight it to a moderator immediately. I do not know you personally and am not therefore familiar with your views on race. I am therefore in no position to judge you in this respect and make no attempt to do so. However, if I come across a posting made by you which contains material of a suspect nature, I reserve the right to comment upon it since it appears on a public discussion board. I stated that your references to pies and whippets in a posting (about MA board members) "sounds like a form of racist stereotyping." I stand by that.

I note that you don't want a "serious allegation" posted against you. I sympathise entirely. Indeed, I have great sympathy with the MA board members referred to in your posting of 20th September. You insinuate that they succumbed to corruption by accepting gifts and subsequently making a "mysterious" contract award. That sounds like my idea of a "serious allegation". Please remember that your postings often refer to individuals who could easily be identified by readers here, so please be a little more sparing with your accusations or support them with hard evidence.

Moving on, please note that I do not call your VIEWS incorrect. We are all entitled to our opinions. What I did say is that if you post incorrect MATERIAL (ie. facts) I will challenge you. I do note that you have not taken up my invitation to explain how you would accommodate Manchester's Summer 2006 slot demand on a single runway. I note also that you did not choose to join me in congratulating the Manchester Airport team for their string of successes in attracting new routes to Manchester over the last fortnight.

In conclusion, your postings give the impression that you have an agenda. You are consistently negative in all your comments about Manchester Airport. You absolutely have the right to hold such views and post such comments if you wish. But on a discussion board, you must recognise that other posters have the right to post alternative opinions. Where we must draw the line however is in making uncorroborated allegations regarding specified or easily identified individuals who are known to many readers of PPRUNE. It is this aspect of your posts which prompts me to take you to task from time to time. MAplc directors, managers and staff are people with rights and feelings too. Please show more respect when referring to individuals who are known to readers here.

[QUOTE]
But of the six new routes only one is not being served from Manchester at the moment (Venice). Some new destinations is what we need


Agreed. However, these are fairly popular destinations and as things stand the fares on these routes are ridiculously priced. Out of all 6, only BCN has relatively cheap fares with ZB. bmi to TLS, BA/Air France to CDG, LOT to WAW and BA to TXL are more often than not very expensive. It's time the more popular cities were opened up more from MAN by offering a low cost alternative before they start thinking about ryanair-esque destinations in the middle of nowhere.

Shed

I won't bother arguing with you again as we've been over it before.

Don't make me angry: you wouldn't like me when I'm angry.

Guys can we get back to something a bit more consructive please

Now a question has Bangladesh got anywhere near sorting out it`s problems in it`s onward flights to the US?

G-I-B

Monarch
 

Hi,

Does anyone know which A320's Monarch has based at Manchester? I am flying on one to Menorca on Monday 2nd October, and was just wondering which one I'll be on! Also, are these kitted out with the latest leather seats?

Cheers

Ryan

The Monarch A320's tend to be swapped around quite frequently. G-MONX, G-OZZB, G-MRJK and G-OZBJ have all been operating out of MAN this past week. Only MONX has the leather seats at the minute as far as i'm aware. You will benefit more if you travel on 1 of the older A320's in the fleet (MONX, OZZB or MPCD) as these have onboard in-flight entertainment systems fitted and if you're travelling on a scheduled (ZB) flight, this service is free. The newer 320's to the fleet (OZBK, OZBJ and MRJK) don't have entertainment systems fitted as yet, or at least they didn't last time I flew on these aircraft.

I am flying with ZB. Thanks for the advice! Do you know by any chance which aircraft has been operating the Menorca flights recently? Cheers

Ryansf,

I'm afraid I don't know which aircraft has been operating MAN - MAH recently but knowing Monarch my guess would be that it's been a mixture of their 320's, whichever have been based at MAN at the time. They don't tend to assign a particular aircraft to a route.

Your best bet would be to try and get hold of someone from Swissport at MAN, preferbaly who works in Ops. They may be able to answer your question more accurately.

Sorry I couldn't be of any further assistance.

FlyZB

Thank you for your time!

Bangladesh Biman
 

Hi G.I.B.
As I understand it, Bangladesh Biman have not resolved their problem in routing Man - JFK and return. Something to do with the Bangladesh - USA Air Agreement, which stipulates that Brussels is the named intermediate stop-over and that can't be changed quickly apparently.
However I'm told that shortly the present once a week service to Dacca that arrives via Heathrow, will stop and be replaced with the present Rome service, twice weekly. It will therefore route Dacca - Rome - Man - Rome - Dacca. I'm not sure what days they will be operating on, but I think one is a Sunday and the other possibly Thursday. Time will tell.
Unfortunately this will mean an end to the "Grovel" direct to Dacca that presently occurs with those lovely DC-10's!!:D :ok:
Adola 69.

Thanks Adola69
I have looked at their website and you are correct with twice weekly Thursday and Sunday and would end up in Manchester about 20.00 and the flights are still DC-10
G-I-B

You're not wrong. It is racist, and it offends me.

Moving on, I think BG have given up any hope of serving JFK. Thier DAC-BRU-JFK service lost shedloads of money apparently, so a change to MAN was an attempt to stem further losses.

I don't think the US really want knackered old Biman DC-10s flying into JFK, and any regulatory agreement to hinder them will have to be upheld.

Operating to MAN is bound to be the best bet for BG, whether it's via BRU or LHR, with either DC-10 or 310.

I understand that one of the other problems with Bangladesh Biman operating to New York JFK is that the DC-10s do not strictly comply with noise regulations at JFK and the airline was fined £40,000 each time they operated a rotation through JFK.

EK
 

Emirates are changing there evening flight from a A330 to B773 from the 29 october they are also looking at going 3 times a day from the end of next summer :ok:

rampman

A bit of a friend of a friend story, but I've heard that EK are desperate to open a dedicated lounge in T2, but MA will not let them. The idea would be for it to be Emirates branded, but shared with Virgin.

After using the current 'Escape' lounge last week (Escape is what I did, pretty rapidly), a dedicated lounge would be a godsend.

Cheers,
Rick

I have heard that the new proposed 0600 EK arrival from Dubai may carry on to a destination in the USA.

Anyone else know anything else about this?

gayrugbybloke

The EK cc were talking about this very thing about a year ago but it all died a death. 0600hr arr. You sure?

Not ending- Re-scheduling -Marvellous !
 

I have been told that the rumoured ending of the Norwegian Air Shuttle service to Bergen at the start of the Winter schedules, is incorrect.
They are re-timing their flights along with the day of operation.
The new schedule will be still be a two day per week operation, but now arriving at 09.00 on a Friday and Monday( Local time) and departing at 0945.
I reckon this will be better aimed at the Premier League footy supporters of Man Utd and Man City ( I suppose there are some that support City?) who live in Scandinavia, than the present terrible hours of operation.:D
Over to you Aldi AL - re City ?! :rolleyes:
Adola:p

It is indeed on their website for November
Arrives Manchester at 09.00 on a Friday and 10.00 on a Monday


G-I-B

Latest news from AIRAC
 

Just been browsing through the next Airac release - due 26th October - and noticed a few items of interest.
1/ New stop-bar D7 introduced at the end of Pier C, old D7 renamed D8.
2/ Taxiway F extended to meet Taxiway J - noticed today that there appears to be a new painted 'grass' island separating J & F.
3/ Light aircraft park is new split into 2. The area at the end of the old Runway 28 (bordering Taxiway A) is renamed Light Aircraft Area 'ROMPA'. The area between Taxiway B and Runway 24R/06L is Light Aircraft Area 'TATON'.
4/ Work on the extension of Taxiway S to the east is due to start. Looks for the chart as if it will be extended to join Taxiway V between links FZ and DZ, although it would appear logical for it to be extended to become an extention of FZ and thus save the sharp right turn onto V.
5/ Rapid Exit Alpha Echo becomes available for usage in LVPs. Will the introduction of a long needed vacating point allow an increase in the landing rate in LVPs?

Finally there is an, as yet, undesignated stop bar on Taxiway N just north of stand 67. If these new stop bars are all operation for the start of the LVP season it should see a welcome increase in the number of movements that Manchester can handled - not nearly as many long stretches with a single aircraft on it.

Any comments?

Scottie Dog.