It's completely rubbish. Just like T3 at MAN.

So having gotten that out of the way, might be worth addressing why so many people keep doing it. That's your hard/soft product combo, T3 MAN on a 1988 build B763 fails on both counts. Nothing wrong with being a local supporter, it's not meant as a put down as many can debate well.

MAN is competing with LHR, so unless the product is half way decent, people can and do choose other options. Remember what a huge hit AA took when BMI came onto MAN-ORD?

It is no secret that we will soon (next year sometime) hear of plans to deal with the inadequate T1 & T3 so one can say that deficiency will be addressed. What however would you suggest we do about AA choosing to use older aircraft on MAN routes.

I have said, and I meant it, that everyone stays on topic. Already its starting to drift.

My apologies for being guilty of that.

This is a genuine querie MOD. The subject seems to be about MAN and it's AA service. Why is it a thread drift? It's directly related to MAN and particularly the constraints of and felt by the terminals at Manchester Airport.

I'm genuinely confused by the thread drift comment and what is actually allowed to be discussed on the Manchester forum.

Regarding Hainan, the company are to announce 9 new routes in the next 7 weeks.


Tel Aviv, Montreal, London and Manchester will be the first 4, by all accounts.

Nonsense. They may well do in the LCC world, where everybody knows what they are (not) paying for, but I don't like being bussed to and from aircraft and I dare you to suggest that on the bus with the pax who have just spent north of 15 hours in economy on SQ328 inbound to MAN, only to find themselves on a remote gate and getting bussed in. There are some very angry folk on there I can assure you.

Moving on to another subject, and apologies if it has been mentioned already, it appears the plans for CX (yield permitting ;) ) is to 'share' stand 206 with SQ when they can. The idea is for CX to come in and unload, then get towed remote while SQ arrives and departs before CX gets towed back to load. If CX is delayed much inbound then that could prove problematic.

While the experience of being bussed to/from an aircraft is needlessly unpleasant in most cases, let's not forget that walking 20 minutes to baggage reclaim, particularly if one has a small child or more, isn't great, either.

My method of choice is the mobile lounge: no slopes or steps to manage, no crowded, dark passageways, no weather.

T3 was built for BA. Post 1-11s. B737s, B767s etc.


If that doesn't get a ban....:ugh:

I've had extensive experience of both legacy and low cost both as a pax and with work and hear very few complaints of being 'bussed'. Occasionally the organisation of the buses has come in for criticism but the actual process of getting on a bus (the poor souls) rarely in my experience, attracts many complaints.

Of course, many on these forums believe that full service is the holy grail and that it is the LCC's should settle for less. Those truly in the know will tell you that LCC's are often every bit demanding in their stipulations than their legacy counterparts. Their requirements may differ sometimes but nevertheless they are demanding.

May I suggest that your extensive experience is in need of an update.

It always causes a groan when it is announced that the flight has arrived on a remote stand. Always. Passengers hate it.

We'll have to agree to disagree then.

Thread content
 

Sorry guys, but I'm with the MODs here, something like 17 of the last 31 posts have been about bussing pax to the aircraft.
It can happen anywhere, ORD, HKG Ive been bussed the world over- which I prefer, to waiting 30-40 minutes for a gate, which also happens all over the world.
Get over it guys & print some news or something interesting.

The original comments focused on whether MAN, an airport, were doing the right thing by AA, an airline, if pax on their routes to ORD & JFK were bused between T1 & T3 and issues it raised for MAN in terms of capacity. Now what's the title of this thread and forum?

To be fair, it has got diverted, or broadened rather by arguments as to whether or not passengers, in particular J class pax, are sufficiently bothered to prefer to fly via LHR with BA. However, perhaps this particular debate has run its course.

Well, an announcement about Hainan is certainly overdue if it's definitely happening. We also await confirmation of EZY's rumoured additional routes and there are expectations of further news from Ryanair. It could be a very good summer in 2015 but if so, let's hope MAN's infrastructure doesn't creak too loudly.

T3
 

Whilst risking the wrath of the Mods, I think a number of posters here are missing the point. Blue riband customers (ie AA long haul) are being denied the best service (direct to air bridge) to accommodate Ryanair. That may be in the interests of the Airport's bottom line, but it is contrary to accepted service standards (ie the best service to your best customers). In this case, it suggests that the Airport ranks Ryanair more highly than AA. In turn, that tends to rank sunshine routes above business.....no issue for the Airport, but perhaps to the detriment of the North West.

It's J and F class pax that determine whether a route is profitable, if these chaps don't fly or stop flying trans-Atlantic to/from MAN, the services will be pulled. It is as simple as that.

There's an impression that MAG is distracted by STN. Is this impression correct?

The Perils of Ranking MAG's 'Best Customers'
 

Strictly speaking, Ryanair actually IS a more important customer for Manchester Airport than American Airlines. Their Summer 2015 programme is already set at 205 departures per week, and this total could yet rise further from that level. Over coming years, the hope exists that RYR will continue to expand significantly at MAN. Add in Ryanair's importance to MAG as a whole, and the difference becomes a chasm. Ryanair is huge at STN, and remains a key customer at EMA and BOH. American is limited to a modest presence at MAN only.

American Airlines is not unappreciated - far from it - but prior to the US Airways merger they had done little to expand their MAN presence. This Winter, their route suspensions are the longest in years. MAN-ORD capacity provision is at a low ebb. And as Skipness points out, the equipment they use ex-MAN is inferior to that used at competing airports. Meanwhile, their tie-up with AWE has brought, yes … the withdrawal of the MAN-CLT Summer schedule. Now, these commercial decisions are no doubt justifiable. But, considering all this, looking at things dispassionately (as successful businesses must), is it right to unthinkingly 'rank' AAL as more precious to MAN/MAG than RYR just because they serve three US destinations?

Business travellers visit cities such as MAD, EIN, Brussels (CRL), DUB and all the others too. Don't disregard the importance of EU connectivity to businesses in Manchester and the wider region. And Ryanair itself has become extremely important to both MAN and the region's travelling public. A slightly half-hearted AAL, welcome and appreciated as they may be, have no inherent right to preferential treatment at the expense of RYR.

Confirmed that Qatar Airways back to 14 weekly from february.

Randomly its an addition with new times and flight number (QR25/26) rather than expansion into existing times/numbers.

Intention to go 3 daily?

The QR25/26 arrival/departure time at 1800/1930 is a relatively quiet time in T2 as well. So good use of terminal capacity, and should be a breeze for the customers (no bussing for them :ok:)

QR announced a similar thing at Barcelona so looks like a build-up a of a 3rd bank of departures for them out of Doha

Great news re QR

Note - The CEO of Manchester Airport is now also attending the airport commission debate at Manchester Airport Concorde suite 2nd Dec. but also just as important is Sir Richard Leese who it has to be said, has arrived in the nick of time on his white charger called "Gil".

Free tickets to the debate and a chance to have a say are available from;

Runways UK - Regional

Qatar Airways: excellent news. To put this development into perspective, let's remember that the proposed new Hainan Airlines service so many have been keeping their fingers crossed for is expected to be 4 x weekly A332. And this confirmed upgrade by Qatar is exactly that, four additional A330's per week to a prestigious long-haul destination offering great onward connections.

As for QTR going upto three flights daily, this is possible in due course. But I suspect that the new evening timings offer a range of connection opportunities which differ from those in the other two waves. Perhaps the initial priority is to optimise the range of connecting destinations available as a one-stop from the North of England over Doha.

Thomas Cook Group Changes
 

Shares in Thomas Cook Group fell by 17.69% today following the shock news that CEO Harriet Green is to leave the company. She says that she has completed her task of turning the company around during her two year tenure. Thomas Cook have put MAN at the centre of their turnaround strategy, particularly with respect to developing long-haul leisure travel. MIA and JFK launch from MAN in 2015, complementing existing long-haul destinations. It has also been proposed that MAN would serve as a hub feeding the TCX long-haul programme, but aside from an agreement with FlyBe this idea doesn't appear to have been developed to its full potential so far.

This management change at the top implies uncertainty going forward (hence the large setback in shareprice). Ms Green's tenure has been good news for MAN. It will be interesting to observe whether the new CEO's strategy will be as positive for MAN's prospects as Ms Green's initiatives have been. Perhaps the first test will be to see whether MAN-MIA and JFK prove successful for the group.

As CX gets in before SQ, possession is 9/10's of the law:ok:
T2 can accommodate 2x 777-300's stands 204 and 206 I expect they'll (both) get whatever is available.

Yes, delighted that QR are going back to 2 x daily and it means that on 4 days a week all of the MEB3 will have an evening departure.

Regarding CX and SQ, it should make for interesting viewing on a Saturday morning as SV will be operating that day as well. I assume that is a B772 as I've seen it parked on gate 202.

Thanks Bagso, just applied to attend the Runways debate.
Slightly off-topic, but can anyone explain the 'dip' on Ringway Road which has appeared just west of the intersection with Shadowmoss Road? I've driven along there for about 25 years and it was fairly level.

Should be a nice line up at T2 on Saturdays next summer. If all goes to plan, could be a good photo opportunity, with plenty of variety.


Cathay B777
Saudi B777
Singapore B777
Virgin B747 x2 and A330
Delta B757
United B757 x2
Thomson B787 x2
PIA B777


Wide angle lens will get the Etihad and a TCX widebody too.


Not bad at all.


Air Austral had 2 B77W's at MAN today, not often you see them outside of Paris in Europe.

Can't all of the stands before the obvious kink in the roadway behind the tail fins take up to A346/B77W? Looks like 202-206 should be capable?

Monarch/T2
 

If the Monarch 2015 summer schedules stay as they are that be up to three spare stands next summer on T2???

The schedule seems to call for 8 at present most days but I realise this is not finalised - I believe there was up to 11 most days this summer.

I know with the thread closed the October figures weren't discussed much but Qatar showing double digit decreases now in the last two months and I assume the double daily will help fight the Etihad onslaught and of course as previously mentioned today's announcement is linked in with the building the Doha morning bank.

Some of the US figures were not brilliant either Atlanta -15%, Chicago -21, JFK -3% (EWR up 5%) but PHL recovered from decreases to flat but there again Charlotte ceased.

Pete

I stand to be corrected but I think QR were using more A333s last year. It seems to be mainly A332s now. Of course you could argue that they use the smaller a/c due to less demand, in which case why are they going back to 2 x daily?

Given the reduction in the MON fleet for next summer, it was almost inevitable that MAN would lose at least 2 based a/c, possibly more, depending on what they decided for the other bases. To some, it was surprising they've kept their small LBA base while pulling out of EMA. I take it from your comments on the BHX thread that BHX have fared rather better, which is perhaps to be expected in the light of the EMA decision.

Monarch
 

MANFOD[B]

BHX is a bit like Manchester with the Monarch schedules, it appears to be a loss but probably only one unit at most.

Big differences with the competition at BHX or should I say lack of and even the loss of one aircraft would be a disappointment (realise it could have been worse), as thus far Ryanair have reduced the base and flybe don't have any Sun routes on sale.

Manchester is sitting pretty on both short and long haul but BHX is more the latter, which is good to a certain extent but vulnerable on short-haul with the Monarch the major player to the Med. I know some Manchester supporters will always want more but from here in the Midlands it seems they have all bases covered.

I wonder if today's Qatar announcement will provoke Emirates into action.

Pete

Ryanair increase Shannon to 10 weekly from April. Extra flights on Mon/Wed/Fri.

How do I go about asking a question in the forum?

Yes thousands of jobs will be lost just like happened in NI after ROI scrapped it.;)

Honestly get fed up hearing the same old rubbish!

Which post are you referring to?

Is being deleted by the poster or the mods.

There are rumours about a new daily Manchester-Cologne with Ryanair starting in April.
Any news about that?

Cannot currently get the link but the ACL Summer slot capacity report is out.

Main difference is 23L/5R is now open from 1200-1900 for 15, rather than the 1500-1900 in S14.


That raises capacity from 46 to 57 per hour between 1200-1500.


It seems that yet by year, the opening for 23L/5R keeps getting extended, between 0530-1900, the runway is only closed for 2 hours. One would assume its only a matter of time before that 2 hour window is plugged too.

That's what happened S14 as well though, I don't think it was officially written down but the standard ops hours was 0630-1030 and 1300-2000 dual ops, weekends slightly less hours with Sat 0630-1030 and 1300-1600 and Sun 1600-2000. All times above local, but that means they match your times presuming they are in zulu?