I find it rather strange that the Manchester Airport thread was one of the most active one's here on pprune but know one has posted anything since the 20 March 2020 except for my post on the 23 March 2020 regarding terminal closures at Manchester Airport which no one has responded to.

Considering that the majority of the population of the United Kingdom have been advised to stay at home due to the current situation I'm rather puzzled that it's gone completely quiet on the Manchester Airport thread especially considering how the others are still very much active during this awful period.

There's a Northern expression - when you have nothing to say, say nothing

Sotonsean
Came back through there after a round about route from Germany, as I decided to stay with my wife in UK to ride this out, partly due to the fact that she could not enter Germany as no resident permit, but also she has her own company to look after here, where as with mine remote working is something that we do most of the time. Anyway in Yorkshire (for the foreseeable future) so miles flown will drop this year, along with money earned. Luckily we will remain at full pay through at least 20 weeks, by which time we hope to be coming out of this slowly. It is quite odd wondering through these terminals when hardly anybody on the flight and or terminal. Must say rudimentary inspection at immigration with just officer wearing gloves, no temp scanning appeared to being done. Does make for a quick trip from plane home though, from unbuckling seat to walking through door at home 1hr 10min and it is a good 50min drive !😊
Stay safe
Kind regards
Mr Mac

Sotonsean

Whilst I monitor this thread I have refrain from posting on here of recent due to the attitude of the moderator.

I may return at sometime - although after this post I'll probably be banned!! - in the future, but for now I'll stay on the side lines.

I'm not sure what you want people to say? Virtually everything is grounded. A complete closure of MAN (& others) cannot be ruled out. This is a reset button, don't expect resumption of any of the old schedules even when restrictions get lifted. In the meantime there is nothing to say.

I miss your updates on the terminal 2 redevelopment. I trust that the work is still continuing on schedule

Well, as you had only repeated what had been posted some days earlier, I suppose it was old news.

With Etihad and Emirates stopping and Qatar down to one a day its only a matter of time before there's a complete closure, unless the cargo side can keep it going.

Well at least I got the thread active again albeit briefly.

Not sure why some feel as if there is nothing to say as ALL of the other threads continue to show some form of activity 🤔

I'm curious as to how many aircraft are parked up at MAN, if anyone can shed any light? Is the airport clogged with parked aircraft?

You can still get updates from Scotty on SkyScraperCity - drill down into Manchester Transport, and there is an airport thread.

However, they seem to be having a few issues over the last few days (maybe under a DDoS attack???).

They have been updating the site, the issues are related to that, just need to be a little patient till they are sorted.

Thanks for that and I'll be doing updates on there either later today or tomorrow at the latest.

Could it just be that the regulars on here have rather more important things on their mind than answering questions from someone from Southampton?

Cant comment on that but SWMBO arrived back from Puerto Vallarta this morning. She said they stood on a taxiway for approx. half an hour having been told this was because there was no stand available.

It also might have been due to the following that was introduced yesterday.:OAN 36/2020 – PASSENGER DISTANCING

OAN REF:- 36/2020 DATE OF ISSUE:- 25/03/20 EFFECTIVE DATE:- 25/03/20 EXPIRY DATE:- UFN

1.0 SUMMARY

1.1 Due to the outbreak of COVID-19 and subsequent social distancing protocol, it is extremely important we provide our guests with the greatest opportunity to the follow distancing protocol.

2.0 ENABLING DISTANCING FOR ARRIVING PASSENGERS

2.1 With immediate effect all arriving flights will be spaced at 20 nautical miles or greater.

2.2 Airfield control will aim to allocate aircraft parking stands to enable the greatest opportunity for social distancing during simultaneous or bunched arrivals.

2.3 Flow control will allocate baggage arrival carrousels to enable greatest opportunity for social distancing including multiple belts per individual flight.

2.4 The Customer Service Agent in the immigration hall is to confirm to Airfield Operations once the immigration hall is appropriately clear of the previous inbound flight.

2.5 Passengers will remain on board until the respective ground handlers receives positive confirmation from Airfield Operations to disembark.

3.0 PASSENGER ANNOUNCEMENTS

3.1 Passenger announcements will take place to ensure segregation of UKBF desks and e-Gates as well as Customer service Agents providing verbal advice in immigration and the baggage reclaim hall.

4.0 ENFORCEMENT OF THE SOCIAL DISTANCING PROTOCOL

4.1 Greater Manchester Police will increase presence in the immigration and baggage reclaim hall to provide additional guidance and to disperse groups of 3 and over.

5.0 LANDSIDE AREAS

5.1 Social distancing protocol will also be monitored for compliance throughout the landside campus including queueing at meet and greet, car park pay machines, private hire and hackney carriages.

Probably a reaction to this.

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co...minal-17969642

The airport's efforts re social distancing are to be welcomed. However given the small number of arrivals and departures it is difficult to understand the shortage of stands, especially when the aircraft is sitting on the taxiway with engines running. If they'd told the passengers why they were being held they might have earned some credit for it.

Point 2.5 in the quoted notam suggests perhaps shortage of stands wasn’t the actual reason for the delay in disembarking.

From April 1st, operating hours 0600-1600 from T1, airfield to remain open.

zfw

Just to clarify, that means runway 05L/23R will remain open H24

Well here we are on April fools day and there's no sign of that. BA have a flight at 2010.

Have the clocks gone forward again?

"31 days hath March"

Airport Operating Hours



Charlie mentioned that demand had dramatically decreased at all of our airports, with the exception of East Midlands where its cargo operation is busier than normal. Over the weekend, Manchester saw a total of 57 arrivals and departures and 2,763 guests. To put that into context, normally at this time of year we would be seeing 35,000 guests per day.



Further to this, today easyJet and Ethiopia Airlines announced they would be grounding flights and Ryanair has reduced its operations even further.



In line with this limited demand, with effect from Wednesday 1 April, our operational hours for Terminal 1 will be 06:00-16:00. We will however maintain 24/7 airfield operational capability.

I understood that it was to be:

MAN will remain 24/7 but terminals arrs 0600-1600 and deps 0800-1600 from Weds 01Apr, initially to 30Apr, But at present no OAN has been issued.

Latest NOTAM for MAN:A1264/20 NOTAMN

Q)EGTT/QFALT/IV/NBO/A/000/999/5321N00217W005

A) EGCC

B) 2004010500 C) 2005010500

E) COVID 19 INFORMATION:

AD CLSD TO SCHEDULED INBOUND FLIGHTS BTN 0500-1500 DAILY AND SCHEDULED DEPARTING FLIGHTS BTN 0700-1500 DAILY. THIS RESTRICTION DOES NOT AFFECT THE FOLLOWING FLIGHTS:

1. ACFT IN STATE OF EMERGENCY

2. CARGO FLIGHTS

3. TECHNICAL LANDING

4. SPECIAL FLIGHTS/REPATRIATION/HUMANITARIAN 5. PRIVATE FLIGHTS EXCEPT ACFT IN EMERGENCY THE EXEMPTED FLIGHTS ARE TO SEEK PRE-AUTHORISATION (PPR) FROM THE AD OPERATOR TEL +44 (0)161 489 3331. AIR OPERATORS ARE ABLE TO FILE EGCC AS AN ALTERNATE AERODROME.

AIR OPERATORS MUST ENSURE GROUND HANDLING SUPPORT IS AVBL AT ALL TIMES. RFFS CAT10 H24.

That reads rather oddly - closed between those times? Previous advise seemed to give open between.

Let's see if there's an update?

Update now issued:
Q) EGTT/QFALT/IV/NBO/A/000/999/5321N00217W005
B) FROM: 20/04/01 05:00C) TO: 20/05/01 05:00E) COVID 19 INFORMATION: MANCHESTER WILL ONLY BE OPERATIONAL FOR
SCHEDULED INBOUND FLIGHTS BTN 0500-1500 DAILY AND SCHEDULED
DEPARTING FLIGHTS BTN 0700-1500 DAILY. THIS RESTRICTION DOES NOT
AFFECT THE FOLLOWING FLIGHTS:
1. ACFT IN STATE OF EMERGENCY
2. CARGO FLIGHTS
3. TECHNICAL LANDING
4. SPECIAL FLIGHTS/REPATRIATION/HUMANITARIAN 5. PRIVATE FLIGHTS
5. PRIVATE FLIGHTS
EXCEPT ACFT IN EMERGENCY THE EXEMPTED FLIGHTS ARE TO SEEK
PRE-AUTHORISATION (PPR) FROM THE AD OPERATOR TEL +44 (0)161 489
3331. AIR OPERATORS ARE ABLE TO FILE EGCC AS AN ALTERNATE AERODROME.
AIR OPERATORS MUST ENSURE GROUND HANDLING SUPPORT IS AVBL AT ALL
TIMES. RFFS CAT10 H24.

Well here we are in a crisis but in a boom time for Airfreight it would seem. You'd expect that Man with it's Worldwide reputation as being Britains Number 3 airport, to be participating in this bonanza and a least generating some revenue and employment for it's beleagured workforce and the agencies on the airport. So let's see, what has been the result so far?

Absolutely ZERO. What a fantastic result No.3 ! :ugh:

We are always hearing that we don't get freight traffic because we have so much underbelly capacity. Well, now we have zero, so where is all the freight going ?

Oh yes, we don't have the handling capacity anymore as we have no Hi-Lo's available at this International Giant jet port!

What a shamefull reflection it is on it's ability to get freight quickly to areas of the North West of England, especially if it's of the Medical variety. It is doing the NW a great dis-service by the apparent inability to attract or un-willingness
to have adecent freight operation. Oh yes, lets pack out the MAG groups other facilities at EMA and Standstill and then we can let the stuff be trucked up to the NW.

All the eggs have been placed in one basket ( Pax) and the bottom has fallen out of that Carrier bag and will take a long long time to recover, IF IT EVER DOES ?


May as well demolish the Freight sheds at Man and turn them into a car Park ready for the return of Passengers which is their Meat and two Veg, meanwhile rent some cheap wharehousing in Trafford Park for the freight operation.

I'm dumbfounded by the lack of any initiative being shown at present. Are the management working from home on their Sinclair ZX Spectrums? T'wud appear so !

Adola.

There has been extra freight flights - all be it only a couple but Fed Ex have some nights had two B757’s in as well as the ATR. None of the other carriers have set up handling contracts or anything at MAN so it wouldn’t be just as easy as it sounds. Then you have the parking stand issue. There is very little space for an aircraft to sit on the ground not flying all day as none of the other airlines are flying either. There are still TCX A330’s taking up space as well as multiple BE aircraft. Aircraft are being stored in fairies apron as there isn’t the space.

With a fully equipped cargo orientated airport just down the road at EMA, and another significant cargo hub in STN, I'm sure the groups resources are being fully exploited. That's the modern way!

The NOTAM says the restrictions do not affect Cargo flights.

Not everything is going to EMA, ​​as DSA seems to be handling freight very well still.

Yes - but the discussion here is about the MAG group of airports.

Please accept my apologies, I had a senior moment coupled with a brain fart!

Anyway,,,onwards.

Staff South is now completly closed to ALL staff. It is being prepared for use as a Covid19 test facility. Or so i'm told.

https://mediacentre.eastmidlandsairp...edented-times/

MAG is a group and this is EMA's opportunity to shine. If EMA has the capability to do freight more cost effectively than MAN then why should that be a bad thing? In the long run I would suggest that anything which benefits the group, benefits MAN in the long run.

In "normal" times (who remembers those??) you wouldn't expect Virgin to start operating longhaul flights from EMA to somewhere like the west coast of America. That's what MAN can do well as it has the catchment area to support these longhaul routes.
There is a paragraph near the end which says " Positioned only a four-hour truck drive to 90% of the population of England and Wales, EMA’s central location means vital supplies flown into the UK can be with those who need them most urgently very soon after landing, wherever they are in the country."
I don't work there but in my view EMA are set up to do this, appear to be doing a decent job of it and will benefit the whole group.

The majority of staff at MAN have been laid off or furloughed, there's no staff left to handle flights even if MAG wanted to.

Additionally, there's no parking space for anything.

Of course, a large proportion of freight passing through the sheds in normal times is trucked in and out and never sees the inside of an aircraft at MAN. It gets consolidated and taken down south. There were even trucks going to near European airports some years ago - don't know whether that happens now?

Not strictly accurate.
There is about ten free narrow body stands on T2 and another couple on T3.
Quite a few engineers and such still about.

A fair amount of freight does leave Manchester in the belly of passenger aircraft (although not currently of course), you are right thought about consolidation of cargo down south.

There are trailer links to European airportd still, am currntly expecting a shipment from South Africa due on a KLM truck from Amsterdam.