boredintheairport

Add to the chopping list Bologna, Gdansk, Lisbon, Riga and Rzeszow

Ryanair haven't put the full S21 schedule on sale for MAN yet, I expect these routes will be added when that happens.

Interesting comments from the Skipmiester, essentially I "think" suggesting that market forces should flourish not artificially be directing demand for one airport to another ?

MAG may well currently suggest EMA is the airport of choice.....

......if they were to jettison EMA to shore up the balance sheet one wonders what the view on cargo would be then?

Wasn't the policy of Scottish Airports due to government policy, or at the very least a hangover from govt policy?

Yes but the spending decisions were taken on a commercial basis from the mid 80s as privatisation loomed. I think the balance between op-cos in a group is a tricky one. Think Air France / KLM or even BA / Iberia or BA /Aer Lingus. At some point you start skewing the market when you co-operate, you become dominant in some ways. Like LHR-DUB/MAD. It's a balancing act as there are good pros for connections and alliances. With MAG, the ability to dictate specialisms within each op-co may bring dividends in the long run, with the occasional lost ad-hoc main deck freight charter a price worth paying, but you'd need to be closer to the financials to know.

Problem is that everytime MAG try and divert airlines and "revenue" opportunities to EMA it backfires. Yesterday saw two ETIHAD cargo freighters in Doncaster at the sametime.

With SAS moving daily flights into Birmingham, Manchester is now surrounded by airports that can seemingly all make money and provide employment opportunities from freight whilst Manchester's own employees are furloughed or worse have been made redundant.

It seems incomprehensible that the airport that has a World Freight Terminal and trumpets itself as having 22 million customers within 2 hours is now actually surrounded by airports which are grasping these opportunities with aplomb.

Manchester is not even the gateway for Wythenshawe anymore let alone the international Gateway For The North Of England !

DSA and BHX is hardly surrounded, and what do they have that MAN doesn't?

At present parking space

And the right equipment and staffing presumably!

Navpi

Apart from keeping spotters happy, why would the SAS flights supplying car parts to factories local to Birmingham possibly want to go to MAN?

I didn't suggest the SAS flights would come to Manchester.
The forwarder is using the most convenient airport for that particular type of shipment.

I was simply making the point that there are no issues re equipment, staffing, or resources, at Birmingham, East Midlands , Doncaster or Liverpool.

Not sure what "spotting" has to do with it ?

Why do we have to keep revisiting this same subject. The forum is becoming a one issue forum. The reasons have been given - several times. Time to move on.

There is so much comment on these Manchester threads about how MAG are only interested in the bottom line. If their strategy regarding freight in recent years is costing them a significant volume of profit as you suggest, you'd think an organisation with such a focus on the bottom line would do something about it, wouldn't you?

November Pax
 

166,002 down 90.91%

But second only to Heathrow with 746;954

Luton - 106,894
Gatwick - 101,945

CAA Stats - Stansted not included

SWBKCB

A viable covered maintenance facility. IE a hangar.

December 2020 Pax

Manchester – 248,451 down 87.4%

Stansted – 198,291 down 90.1%

East Midlands – 15,065 down 92.7%

2020

Stansted – 7,543,779 down 73.2%

Manchester – 7,037,036 down 76.0%

East Midlands – 899,756 down 80.8%

Cargo

East Midlands – 46,320 up 43.5%

Stansted – 23,136 up 18.8%

Manchester – 4,693 down 46.6%

MAG must be pleased with those cargo figures. It appears the group strategy is working.

I don't know about a "strategy" to push cargo to EMA and STN, which is I think what you are driving at.

Most of the additional tonnage through EMA appears to be on the DHL network, along with the other integrators that use EMA as a hub. When it comes to ad hoc additional movements, by the look of it they are going to non-MAG facilities such as DSA, LPL, BHX and the like. Because of the MAG business model at Manchester I really can't see them ever having wanted to attract DHL, UPS or Fedex/TNT to build a major hub their, such as exists at EMA and to a lesser extent, Stansted, as it could seriously impinge on capacity for the core business at Manchester - passenger traffic which will build back over time.

ATNotts how very true, there were no parking spaces at all the other day due several reasons so where Mayfield expects all those cargo 747s to park

Those cargo figures for Manchester are dire, the limited mainline carriers left who carry underbelly capacity are QATAR, ETIHAD and EMIRATES, given they are losing corridor status means any cutbacks could result in zero uplift from anywhere.

Cargo connectivity will have totally evaporated.

It doesnt exactly chime with the platitudes on the MAG world Freight Terminal Page. I appreciate these are dated but even so.

Let's hope those carriers KEEP providing uplift even with no passengers or Manchester will have no freight throughput at all. That would be nothing short of scandalous for the airport which by it's own admission describes itself as a "global gateway".

Surely manufacturing, distribution , NHS, etc need some capacity in the middle of a pandemic ?

Navpi

Please join the real world.

The growth in air cargo is primarily in the express parcel / integrator sector. They don't need flights into every airport, as they use hubs and their network of local depots served road trunkers. Aside of a few direct services from the like of MAN, BHX, LTN & LHR they tend to use primarily EMA and STN in England with the former serving Scotland and NI with domestic feeders.

Much of the traditional air freight through airports such as MAN is trucked to major hubs, LHR in UK, but also CDG, AMS, LUX and FRA. How the latter changes as a consequence of Brexit remains to be seen. Investing money in capacity to handle pure freight operations at MAN, BHX etc isn't going to be a business priority, rescuing PAX business most certainly will be.

Any evidence that there is any shortage of capacity anywhere?

THG (The Hut Group) said there was. But they've gone very quiet lately.

Lots of rumours around that MAN is closing overnight again from 5pm tomorrow. Anyone seen anything official?

Rumours of closing completely overnight, or inline with the below NOTAMs?

A0208/21 - SCHEDULING OF DEPARTING PASSENGER FLIGHTS WILL ONLY BE PERMITTED
BTN 0700-1700 DUE TERMINAL SECURITY OPERATING HOURS. SCHEDULED
INBOUND PAX PERMITTED BTN 0401-2200. THIS RESTRICTION DOES NOT
AFFECT THE FOLLOWING:
1. ACFT IN STATE OF EMERGENCY
2. CARGO FLIGHTS
3. TECHNICAL LANDING
4. PRIVATE FLIGHTS
5. FERRY FLIGHTS.
EXCEPT ACFT IN EMERGENCY THE EXEMPTED FLIGHTS ARE TO SEEK
PRE-AUTHOURISATION (PPR) FROM THE AD OPERATOR TEL+44 (0) 161 489
3331. AIR OPERATORS MUST ENSURE GROUND HANDLING SUPPORT IS AVBL AT
ALL TIMES. 20 JAN 00:01 2021 UNTIL 15 FEB 23:59 2021. CREATED: 15 JAN 16:37
2021

A0207/21 - SCHEDULING OF DEPARTING PASSENGER FLIGHTS WILL ONLY BE PERMITTED BTN 0530-2300 DUE TERMINAL SECURITY OPERATING HOURS. SCHEDULED
INBOUND PAX H24. THIS RESTRICTION DOES NOT AFFECT THE FOLLOWING:
1. ACFT IN STATE OF EMERGENCY
2. CARGO FLIGHTS
3. TECHNICAL LANDING
4. PRIVATE FLIGHTS
5. FERRY FLIGHTS.
EXCEPT ACFT IN EMERGENCY THE EXEMPTED FLIGHTS ARE TO SEEK
PRE-AUTHOURISATION (PPR) FROM THE AD OPERATOR TEL+44 (0) 161 489
3331. AIR OPERATORS MUST ENSURE GROUND HANDLING SUPPORT IS AVBL AT
ALL TIMES. FUEL AVBL 0400-2200. 15 JAN 16:31 2021 UNTIL 19 JAN 23:59 2021. CREATED:
15 JAN 16:34 2021

Also Terminals 2 & 3 to be closed.

Terminals 2 and 3 have been closed for some time now.

The NOTAM has been updated:

Q) EGTT/QFALT/IV/NBO/A/000/999/5321N00217W005
B) FROM: 21/01/15 16:31C) TO: 21/01/19 23:59E) SCHEDULING OF DEPARTING PASSENGER FLIGHTS WILL ONLY BE PERMITTED
BTN 0530-2300 DUE TERMINAL SECURITY OPERATING HOURS. SCHEDULED
INBOUND PAX H24. THIS RESTRICTION DOES NOT AFFECT THE FOLLOWING:
1. ACFT IN STATE OF EMERGENCY
2. CARGO FLIGHTS
3. TECHNICAL LANDING
4. PRIVATE FLIGHTS
5. FERRY FLIGHTS.
EXCEPT ACFT IN EMERGENCY THE EXEMPTED FLIGHTS ARE TO SEEK
PRE-AUTHOURISATION (PPR) FROM THE AD OPERATOR TEL+44 (0) 161 489
3331. AIR OPERATORS MUST ENSURE GROUND HANDLING SUPPORT IS AVBL AT
ALL TIMES. FUEL AVBL 0400-2200

It is a bit surprising to see both EK and EY operating in and out of MAN today, when all direct flights to the UAE were supposed to cease at 1300L on Friday 29/01/21. Any thoughts?

Freight only inbound but I think pax ok outbound too.

Makes sense.

Qatar reducing services too. A350 back in place of the B787 for the rest of the week.

As I understand it the B788 has 253 seats whilst the A359 offers 283. On that basis, assuming the frequency stays the same - which i don't know the answer to - then there is no reduction.

New airlines
 

SkyUp to Kiev supposedly from June.

Serious question: is MAN turning into a Covid super-spreader? T1 is now so rammed with incoming and departing pax that many people are having to queue outside in the freezing weather. Crowds are known to be a major risk-factor for infection.

Meanwhile the staff on the front-line are not being given priority vaccinations for protection. This is not a rumour, it is a serious issue that needs addressing.

Sioltach Dubh Glas

The frequency hasn't stayed the same. Some of the QR21/24 and QR22/23 flights have been removed/cancelled. Not sure how long for.

The order in which UK citizens are to be vaccinated has been placed at the discretion of a committee of medical / epidemiological experts, remote from direct interference by political interests. Their brief is to enable the maximum possible preservation of life. This is exactly the way things should be done. The most vulnerable will be inoculated first, regardless of profession. So a clinically vulnerable airport worker / bus driver / supermarket worker will be vaccinated as a priority anyway, but a fit 20yo will not. And there are plenty of "invisible" professions which are exposed to elevated risk too: how often do we pause to think about those keeping our sewers functioning or emptying our bins? We could spend months debating who should be front of the queue for the jab.

Keep in mind that the NHS holds records of our date of birth and comprehensive medical history. Under the current system, that is the data they need to organise a successful super-efficient vaccination programme. And that is what we're seeing ... getting on for 500K inoculated each day. But start complicating this with demands by fringe interest groups that particular sets of workers should be prioritised, and suddenly the NHS has to collect employment data and disrupt everything to a massive degree ... all to accommodate early jabs for fit and healthy young adults ahead of those at far greater risk. The current system is absolutely spot-on. Keep virtue-signalling politicians and agenda-led pressure groups well away from this.

If this is so then it is a valid concern and you are right to highlight it. There is nothing sensible about forcing people to queue outside in freezing wet February weather on the pretext of 'protecting their health'. If we want to fill our hospitals with flu and pneumonia cases (never mind C-19) this is the perfect way to go about it. Never forget that this is peak season for colds and more serious respiratory viruses generally. We must be careful not to blindly subject the traveling public to a substantial known risk in the name of protecting them from a less-likely new one. Vulnerable people die from pneumonia too. MAG should attend to accommodating passengers in a warm, dry space in the depths of Winter.

RoyHudd

Is this really the case? Looking at FR24 Manchester has had eight arrivals so far today (up to 15:15). I can’t see a circumstance where that level of arrivals would result in people queuing up outside (apart from ground staff going awol and not opening doors in time).

also all arrivals now have to have a negative PCR test to travel so not sure how that turns into a super spreader event?

Queues outside the terminal?

My first question would be: are they all passengers or are some them seeing people off/meeting arriving passengers? Many airports are currently requesting that non-travellers remain out of their terminals.

My second question would be: how many of these people are there for essential reasons anyway, be they passengers or friends & family? How efficiently are people's reasons for being at UK airports being checked?

People, just see for yourself. It really is a problem.