It's being built right now.

Yes the A380 will be able to taxi its self onto stand 12. There are a few taxiway restrictions but its mostly fine.

As for how aircraft park, read the Visual Docking Systems section of this:

http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP637.PDF

Stand 12 will have SafeDock
B-pier (T1) has mirrors and PAPA
C-Pier has PAPAS

On a recent visit, I was told that the external dimensions (height and width) of the A380 Pier at MAN will not change to start with. Work is only on the airbridges and internal cosmetic pier improvements.
Will the evening 777 also use Stand 12, or stay on the other pier?

At MAN, I have also seen AGNIS guidance systems and staff on the ground guide aircraft onto stand. There seems to be a real mix of options... though I believe that the CAA is requesting only a single point for the pilot to observe in the near future. (e.g. no AGNIS and PAPA/mirrors)

EK 777s will start to use stand 12 towards the end of August. Assuming it's finished. :hmm:
Also heard that the start of 380 ops will be put back a week. Not sure why.

Can someone confirm yes or no if Ryanair are returning to Man and basing aircraft there. Where is this info coming from, any info from Ryan themselves?

Tender, utilities: UK-Manchester: passenger boarding bridges and stairs for aircraft | PublicTenders.net

The above link states info about a contract for the replacement of airbridges at some stands at Pier C T1, stands 28, 29, 30 & 31. I think they all need to be changed, including the one's on Pier B stands 4, 6, 8 & 10.

How does MAN expect passengers to walk from the new lounge in T1 all the way to the end of Pier B gate 12, no travelators in Pier B and it's freezing in the winter and to hot in the summer, air con seems to be on all year round and no heating in the winter. What's happened to the plans to re-build Pier B? Come on MAN, major international airport needs decent terminals, inside T1 looks great outside something from the 1960's.

Change
 

More change at MAN to follow no doubt with the announcement that Andrew Cornish MD is moving on. Don't think it can be denied that the airport has made great progress under his leadership.

Yes it can..!

Lets hear it then...

Transaero
 

Transaero will operate a 747-200 in to MAN, expected to arrive approx 1500 on 15th July to go in to maintenence. Aircraft regn is VPBQH.

Who does 747 maintenance at MAN?

Or is it a paintshop visit?

Airlivery has a VS 744 in being repainted.
Many years ago, Ffv/FLS used to do 747's but no idea now.

AFAIK MAN currently has four methods of stand alignment.

AGNIS PAPA - Fairly outdated technology but still does the job! Simply a neon tube behind a board with holes cut in it for various aircraft, when you see the tube appear on your aircraft type, you stop.

AGNIS Mirrors - Pretty much a mirror which reflects down to the nose gear

'Traffic Lights' - Not sure on the technical name, but as it says basically just a board with a traffic light type layout which is controlled by someone at the gate.

and finally an airport ops marshaller.

I believe that due to new EU regulations airports can only have two forms of alignment systems now so the Traffic Light system is in the process of being removed at MAN.

Hope that helped

The Transaero ended up at Filton as they allegedly owe money to MAN and so they might have had it impounded.

Ringwayman, that's interesting..
But have I missed a trick because they haven't had an aircraft into Manchester since 2008, does it date back to then ?

This morning's Thom 532 to Bodrum should have departed @ 7AM. Stuck in lounge and told there will be 9 hr. delay. Any details anyone?

Prestonian
 

Probably something to do with the late arrival of the aircraft from Holguin which is currently 24 hours late. Perhaps they are using the Bodrum aircraft as a sub for the next long haul flight of the late aircraft. Its just a thought.

I noticed a TOM 767 parked up all weekend at NCL, wonder is this having a knock on effect?

Great Outbound, Shocking Inbound
 

Just got back from AUH on Etihad and, once again, found the inbound experience at MAN to be terrible. I really like the improvements outbound, the queue for security moved at a constant walking pace when i left, a speed i have never seen in any other airport, and the revamped T1 departures is pretty good all-round.

However, inbound is still very poor. Firstly, we departed into Pier B and had to take the down-the-stairs-up-the-stairs route across the outbound pax. One passenger fell on the steps. We then took the narrow corridor with hoardings on one side towards immigration. I say towards immigration because the queue started before we got anywhere near the immigration desks. It was so long that pax were merging from two routes into a melee of a queue that was about 15 people wide. We were then patronized by firstly, the immigration officer coming and moving all non-EU pax to a much, much, much smaller queue inside the hall and then the automated message over the tannoy telling us about high demand and all the desks being manned. What i don't get is if the airport has lost 4-5million pax pa, why are the queues still this long? What would 'high demand' have looked like at the airports peak? Furthermore, the man from immigration then came along and told us more staff had been put on the desks. So the tannoy was lying to us when it said all the desks were manned.
After queuing, getting my bag was swift as it was already going around but then we had to squeeze through the U-Turn in the corridor between the baggage hall and the arrivals area. One person caught their bag on a corner, another paused to look at the duty free and the rest of us got blocked!
When you then get into the arrivals area, the route through the waiting families to the exit is too narrow and full of 'stuff' and if you want to get the train (like i do), you have to go outside to go back inside which is annoying if it's raining and you don't have a coat because you don't need one in Abu Dhabi !

I know the immigration officers are not the fault of the airport but get it sorted MAN. A new Pier B is a must if it is to serve A380's and that should be just the start.

Sounds about right for MAN, pax have lots of time on the outbound to spend money, but are just rushing through to get out on the inbound so arnt spending money. Therefore Arrivals is a lower priority for them.

I also agree Pier B needs to be improved urgently, I would not want to be an F class pax traversing that pier, but than again thats just me.