Well said Roy. Its the decision makers that have made the mistakes in lack of preperation. Using the excuse of it doesnt happen that often to warrant a massive outlay on equipment, didnt this happen in Feb last year? So in the last year approx 2 months of flights have been effected by adverse weather due to the runway being covered in snow.....

Apparently in T2 yesterday the baggage handlers were mucking in and clearing stands which is very commendable and shows the good attitude of the people outside the Ivory towers of Man. Only thing is there was nobody removing bags from belts causing massive hold ups back inside the terminal.

This is not a go at anyone who works at Man out on the ground!

Purplehelmet
 

Info obtained from NATS

nats
 

thanks eric.:ok:

Even more amazing is they have actually managed i heard to wrinkle some of the members of the trumpton fire brigade out of their nice cosy fire station and they were also mucking in, must have been the first time for most of them that they were actually doing something usefull:ooh:

Airport Firemen helping
 

Actually incorrect, the guys have been helping since last week, I have seen them with brushes and shovels clearing paths.

Using Fire and rescue staff can only be done sparingly as it can have an effect on the fire category of the airport.

"Using Fire and rescue staff can only be done sparingly as it can have an effect on the fire category of the airport."

Does the category of the airport really matter if it is shut??? (I know it is open at the moment)

Sorry but the firemen can sit there all day & night if they want to, just as long as they are on the job when they are needed!!!:ugh:
They have a very specialised job and the drill and practice they do DOES pay dividends when incidents happen.:=
Perhaps you think that the pilots are just playing with a fancy ps3 when they are in a simulator?:rolleyes:

Well said Tulsablue. Smudgethecat seems to have the same idea as managers do that if someone does not actually appear to be doing something, anything, s/he is a skiver. Yet when the fan turns brown and a real emergency occurs it is the performance of the emergency services that comes under scrutiny and reasons for delay are examined. The Madrid tragedy of 2008 comes to mind. I was astounded at the speed with which the emergency services responded, considering the crash was outside the fence and in difficult terrain.
Perhaps Smudge would like to share with us the extent to which he has trained, or is prepared to, to brave his sorry ass in danger conditions. Given the choice between him/her and his/her ilk and the "trumpton fire brigade" I know which I would choose if in the sh1t.

A quiz for you Smudge -

1) How many seconds does it take to get an entire fire crew into a fire truck and ready to respond?

2) How many lives could be saved in each of those seconds?

Problem is trumpton are only there to satisfy the CAA , there a bunch of well meaning amatuers playing at being firefighters, ive seen them in action a few times and its like something from dads army TBH, luckily the only time it could have got serious the pros in the form of the Greater Manchester fire brigade arrived smartish and quickly took control of the situation

Hi,

Anyone in the know wish to confirm/deny that the current mess at EGCC has snowballed (parden the pun) from the airport using cheaper de-iceing fluid prior to christmas that simply froze and has left lots of the remote stands un-usable as a direct result of them trying this ??

I know BA have been begging all day for MAN to take diversions from LHR/LGW - in other words, 'here's a big bag of cash for you' - only for the airport to refuse on all occasions !!

smudge
 

And your qualification to present this well argued assessment is? You trained with which fire brigade? Your position at the airport is? Background in aviation?

By the way there = they're. Sorry to be so pedantic.

96ER
could be the airport taking revenge.
tower 1

Manchester - 7
 

I believe someone has just discovered the solution to the 'no diverts' rule . . declare a PAN.

Hope no-one thinks they're getting off here, there isnt a hotel room to be had between here and Carlisle.

T-M-Deicer

Wow thats a bit of a scathing statement isn't it? I've been a firefighter for 28 years (both airport and local authority). Unfortunatly to the untrained eye operations by any fire service can be a bit baffling ,this is especially so during training exercises. I can assure you that all firefighters are well trained and fully professional (whether it be airport or local authority). If they were not i assure you that it would'nt just be the snow that would close the airport. So I suggest that you keep your unqualified and may I say slanderous opinion to yourself.
And before you ask no I dont work for Manchester Airport Fire service!!

Just a quick question please.
There was a punter on Sky news bemoaning the aircraft and the fact that 5 AMERICAN aircraft arrived, turned round and went. Was this true?.
If so do they have slightly different rules?

Roy H

If you work for an airline tell me why dont they have their own de icing rigs, staff etc so they don't have to rely on the handling agents?. Why - cost and chances of it happening - couple of times a year.

I work for an airline, we have our own handling staff, own de icing equipment, (that look like fire engines not cherry pickers) so we have more control over our destiny. Look inside as well as outside :\

Manchester - 7
 

'One rule for one, one rule for another'? . .in aviation?!!! . .SURELY not!! :E
Airport 'prioritises' one airline over another in 'crisis times' (as i'm told we're in). Yesterday it was 2 Middle Eastern carriers that were the chosen ones . .perhaps today our American cousins came out of the hat 1st?

T-M-D

US734 was waiting nearly an hour (with engines running) for a stand to be cleared of ice/snow. Eventually used an adjacent stand that was vacated by SQ.

Go figure. :hmm:

To be fair smudge no ones claiming the airport fire brigade are as professional or as well trained as the big boys who are doing it for real every day 27/7, the airport guys are there to give first aid if you like until the pros arrive

Just wondering...is Manchesters weather equipment playing up....currently showing -12oC...yet 30 miles down the road at EGGP its -2oC, also Doncaster is -2oC...is 10oC in 30 miles possible .???