If you are correct, this is a terrible indictment of the business today. This is an iconic aircraft in the mould of the 747 and Concorde. I would hope as many people as possible who work at the airport would be enthusiastic about it and want to look at it and know more about it. It certainly used to be the case. And I'm sure there will be lots of the public at and around the airport to see it.

I realise of course that it is an operational aircraft and access needs to be restricted. Pity that a test flight is not being made first so that more people could have a closer look.

Suzeman

MAN an "approved 'future' destination" got a "flyby".
BHX for an "anniversary" got a 'full visit'
Says a lot......
Will the AHS run out of tissiues? :zzz:

Not got problem with this new car park ( staff west) on stand. Would love to bring the bus onto 22 and have the family waggon waiting! Save the maze of fortune in T1.

My bet is on double daily A380 before the year is out so plenty of time to gaze at it :)

Well, I would have tried the new girl out in October on my MAN-SIN trip. However, a J class ticket was twice the price of Lufthansa. So, gonna settle for a A319 + A343 without the stupid o clock plane change. If that's typical pricing (I may have been unlucky) then I can't see them filling 2 x A380s a day.

Re Emirates Pricing

On a theme, a work colleagues based near MAN is on way to Maldives Mid Aug, but was staggered to find out he is going out and returning via LGW.

The LGW flight was £1000 cheaper than MAN on same day same return date......:ugh:

...does it ever work the other way where flights are cheaper EX MAN than London ?

Your eyes will bleed if you do. I am looking forward to trying the A380 LHR-CDG-LHR next week but it really struggles to *look* good. Better looking from the inside out I think. Trust me, by Christmas you'll all be wondering what on Earth the fuss was about and getting back to gazing at better looking aircraft.

In theory the many more London pax pay willing to pay more on business trips subsidise the Y pax who pay can less on leisure fares. That's one of the benefits of a really big hub operation.
In theory.

If that's typical pricing (I may have been unlucky) then I can't see them filling 2 x A380s a day.

Well, its just over a month until the A388 kicks in, and if they are still charging this, to me it seems a good sign that people are paying it. When they have to start heavily reducing the J/F class fares, then we should worry.

Also, the problem with 2 A380s is not so much pax, as I habe no doubt EK could easily fill 2 of those things from MAN, but their issue would be cargo.
EK have already stated cargo has taken a huge hit thanks to the A380, and putting 2 A380s on would kill them. EY/QR would soon jump on that oppertunity, as QR are already studying B773 ops at MAN to try and take some of the displaced EK cargo.

The A380 is only adding an extra 70+ plus pax, it will be full most days. Give it a few months or within a year then they will make up the extra pax and cargo on an extra AM B773.

Went to Dublin yesterday for a business trip, flew with FR and all was ok.

Anyway, stand 09 going out and I noticed that Pier B is blocked off after Stand 11. Carpet has been taken up in the arrivals side and re-decorating is also taking place, the only thing different from the departures end is the mobile air con units and the usual leaking celings and stained carpet. So the gate 12 area will be after gate 11 and from the outside (when l was boarding and later yesterday de-boarding my FR flight) it looked quite a big gate area which also looked like it was being re-decorated, I hope to god it's tiled flooring and not carpet again! So the grey extension at the end of Pier B is what exatley? I take it the airbridges will connect the this? Pier B was very busy yesterday when I was there, 4 Jet 2 flights, 4 Monarch flights, Aer Lingus flight and my Ryanair flight, so how will it cope with the Dubai A380 flights? Also, hear EK will be using Stand 12 for the evening 777 flight too?
Come on MAN, Pier B needs re-placeing now! I did see an artists impression of what the new Pier B might look like but can't find it now, anyone have this link? It surley needs to be much higher, wider and longer than it is now?
Could Peir B go any longer? Wouldn't it block taxiways towards 23R/05L? If there will be 2 levels, then the height must be important and well as width, if MAN wants the current T2 transalantic flights to use T1, then Pier B is no way near as capable at the moment.
Pier C is better but still in need of a lot of work, new flooring, esclators and bigger seating areas at gates if the "bigger" flights are to use T1 in the future.
And finally I'm confused with the gating numbers on Pier B - noticed stand 12 has 12L, 12 & 12R. We have Stands 10 & 11 either side of these, but were are 13 & 14? I also see stand 15 is next to 12R? Anyone clarify?

Right, long rant over, comments more than welcome.

Where are the stands?
 

If you look at the ground chart from NATS dated 10 May 10:

http://www.ead.eurocontrol.int/eadba...2010-07-29.pdf

You'll see there is no stand 14 to keep either side of the stand odd/even. There is no stand 13 (or gate 13) at any UK airport so not that likely to find one at MAN.

Regards

Flyboy

I'm not sure about gate numbers, but Luton has a stand 13, and so do.....
Gatwick, Stansted, Birmingham, Newcastle......

A. 380 ops & gate issues.
 

I am told that when ever an A.380 is parked on stand 12, Stands 8,9,10,11, and 15 will close for use by pax.
That's not to say a/c will not be parked on them during this time, but only if they are not going to require to de-plane or load-up any pax.
By doing this the Emirates punters will have almost half of Pier B to themselves, - it just doesn't get much better than that does it !!!!!:oh:

Passed in and out of T3 this week (first time for a while) and am still impressed with the speed of security there from dropping my bag to sitting in the bar took no more than 10 mins.
The low number gates, although a bit of a walk work well and are clean and tidy.
On return, from landing through to collecting my bag and getting in the car was no more than 20 mins so:ok:

Am going through T1 next week so will have to wait and see.

One question though I travelled Tuesday morning and had expected to see departing aircraft using 23L but the airport seemed to be running single runway despite being busy. Apologies if its been discussed earlier.

Rob

I agree that the convienience of T3 is still there. Whilst security has been upgraded and is much more bright and modern, once in the departure lounge it is now starting to show its age and in need of a little spruce up (at least it was 2 month ago when i last passed through T3).

Are there any immediate plans for an overhaul of this part of T3? I know once T1 was almost complete they were to focus on T2, so i'm guessing it won't be too long for T3 to get a lick of paint at least?...

whats up with the DL155 2day, it has not left manchester yet

The replacement for the one that didn't arrive this morning landed a few minutes ago. Don't know what's up with the original aircraft though, but am surprised they've flown a replacement aircaft in and not looked at rebooking pax on to KL/AF routing through AMS & CDG.

Crew were out of hours last I heard.

T3 is a mess these days, since they moved security. Having lived in the NW for 30 years I know the airport well, but for occasional travellers, navigating from T3 security to the main lounge is horrible, with poor signage and no obvious routes....a bit like parts of NCL. T3 needs more than a coat of paint!

ok cheers guys hope they were weel looked after, i got delayed 8 hours on thomsons the other week, and to be honest was bored sxxtless having to wait in terminal 2