The airports will argue the fees they get from landing, handling and passenger charges have been cut to the bone to keep the likes of MOL happy, hence why terminals are now shopping centers and car parks have become an essential source of income for them. It is a circular argument that certainly can't be won by the likes of us!

Seems like the consensus is Manchester Airport is a car park.with a runway attached.
Fleecing passengers who arrive and are collected by car has been the policy,rather than charge the airlines the appropriate landing charges to make the airport profitable.
Charging a captive market was opportunistic,now that market has evaporated,some reassessment about funding has to be implemented.
If and when air travel starts to increase,I will be very selective which airports i give my custom to.
As stated in previous posts,it's not the £3 here and there,it makes no difference,it's the principle and the feeling that I am being ripped off.

As a rule, most airlines - particularly locos - won't pay "appropriate landing charges" at an airport if they have an alternative that they can threaten/will move their flights to. e.g. LPL, LBA,DSA,BHX in the case of MAN and say they would be charged less there (whether that's an idle threat or not). They want to pay nothing, or be paid to fly at airports that don't have the draw of a capital city.
Any airline who does agree to pay "appropriate" landing charges at MAN or another airport will be passing those charges onto the passengers anyway via their ticket cost, I would argue.

Didn't MAN, at the time of the drop off charging going in, suggest that some/all of the excess was going towards a local transport fund? Or am I dreaming?

It wasn’t a dream- it was all trumpeted with much fanfare, then quietly deferred further further into the long grass. Given what’s happened now, you might as well have dreamt it.
Of more concern, my trip thru T3 Security was anything but Socially distant. No evidence whatsoever & how do you do it anyway with an S snake queue?. I might be standing 2m back( nobody else is) but I’m still stood face to face with a guy coming the other way.
i will be thru there again next week, if it’s the same then it’ll be my last trip thru MAN, as it’ll be evident that adequate precautions are not being taken.

It's an airport with people and a finite space, what do you expect ?? If you're a Choronaphobe living in fear, than stay home where it's nice and safe.

Thanks for that perfect display of attitude which shows exactly what's wrong with MAN!

What would I expect? Well, use of the available space to achieve social distancing wherever possible. They're not exactly overrun with passengers right now, so using alternating lanes in T3 security tensa-barrier-land instead of every lane would be a start. Some more hand sanitiser stations perhaps. Not revolutionary stuff, but if you're happy with the way it is, we can pick up the debate in a few months' time when any last vestiges of domestic travel on journeys where people have a choice have evaporated from MAN.

Not sure of the original poster's experience, but that's certainly mine from a recent trip through MAN. I'd say I'd continue to avoid T3 like the plague, but that might be misconstrued about the status of Covid-19.

More lanes require more staff - you may not be aware that due to significantly reduced demand, there are lots of staff that are either on furlough or at the end of the job queue, it's simply not financialy feasable to do what you ask.

I wasn't talking about the number of security screening machines open. I was talking about a re-arrangement of the tensa-barrier lanes leading to whichever machines happen to be open, as I think the original poster was also suggesting.

What a load of tosh. There are requirements and they are not being adhered to IMHO.
There is tons of space and you don't need multiples lanes / staff. Loads of space was wasted. No extra screening just a little thought on the layout. They have made zero changes.
The airport have produced a video on how safe and secure their procedures are...(Really?)
Lets see what DfT & PHE say when they visit.
Typical response, sounds like you don’t actually want any passengers?

Tbf, I’ve been through several airports recently and none seem to be particularly socially distant experience, including the brand spanking new IST. That said, I didn’t feel any different to what I do in my local Tesco if I’m honest.

easyflyer83
Totally agree with you. I have been through Munich on a regular basis almost weekly, Tegel, Frankfurt , Doha, Milan, Madrid, Copenhagen , Dublin, DXB, Amsterdam on a less regular basis since March (I am classed as essential worker). Also your comment re Tesco mirrors my own view 100%. Also I have noticed flights are now filling up more and terminals are definitely getting busier with more frequency creeping back in.
Cheers
Mr Mac

I had a mixed experience travelling through T1 at the start of September. Security was definitely the pinch point in terms of social distancing. This wasn’t helped by the fact all passengers were using the Jet2 security area (a first and hopefully last for me) which was cramped and reminiscent of a basement car park.

Much better in the main body of the terminal with proper management of queuing at the food outlets.

Departure gate (11) was dreadful with no attempts to manage the boarding process in an orderly way.

Return the following week was also the worst experience in a while. An hour from landing to collecting bags, mainly due to a ten minute wait for an air bridge and a big queue for border control.

Last point on social distancing. Masks were worn by pretty much everyone (though not always correctly) which does mitigate some of the social distancing issues. Plenty of hand sanitizer stations too, though disappointing number of people not bothering to use them!

I travelled through terminal one a few weeks ago and the security experience was not good from a social distancing point of view, I couldn't wait to get away from the area tbh. Only one belt open with too many people waiting around. The airport has a duty of care and this was not evident, if they want passenger back, people must feel safe.

This notion that people are not traveling because they 'Don't feel safe' is a view that only exist with a minority of opinions, although you wouldn't think it on this forum due to the dominance of Chronaphobes. People are not traveling mainly due to extreme travel restriction placed upon them or due to being encouraged to work from home. MOST people are accepting of the risks of life and are happy to take them - if allowed.

In essence, if YOU feel unsafe, then it should be YOU who should choose to stay at home and don't seek to blame others for your own percieved feelings of being unsafe.

I'm a minority then.
As a retired 'Exec' (lol) I am seriously worried that Covid IS out of control and the prevailing attutude of the 'dont tell me what to do' majority is not 'freedom' as Bojo expresses it.
Until aircraft and airports mandate and meet the same Covid mask up requirements as buses and trains, and that they are observed, my overseas plans ( usually twice a year) are on hold.
Its not as if there's anywhere to go.

All airlines that I know of have mandated mask compliance and from my own observation, is adhered to at near 100%. Most buses that go past my house have at best 50% complance.

Near enough is not good enough. I dont want to sit next to someone who wont comply..Penny to a pinch, the CC won't force the issue, not at 34000ft and 150 pairs of eyes staring, smartphones recording the confrontation for their Twit or Klip Klop post.
Difference between bus and aircraft - on the bus I can ring the bell and get off.
And dont get me started on 'its OK for under 2s not to wear a mask.' Can they not carry Covid like everyone else? They can be just as asymptomatic and infect just like anyone OVER 2.
Suggestion - ban under 2s from flying? (That's a joke by the way)

The96er

You do realise that when you use words like 'Chronaphobes' (sic) it makes the rest of us think you're a bit stupid.

You're opinion, I'm more of a realist - but to reiterate once more for the obviously more intelligent people such as yourself - If you're scared - STAY HOME !

Sorry you're missing the point..i am happy to take the risk to travel and I take the necessary precautions to do so, I also expect modes of transport and establishments, such as airports to do their best too, and on this occasion Manchester Terminal 1 was not very good. There are certainly many people who are not travelling because they don't feel safe right now.