Manchester-3

[Downwind_Left]

3Greens

Crew accommodation no doubt, despite MAN not being a designated “red” point of entry, there will be requirements for secure accommodation of aircrew and such for stopovers from such destinations.

[flyerguy]

Air crew are exempt from any isolation requirements when operating. Including from red list countries.

[Downwind_Left]

Only UK resident aircrew are exempt. Crews who are not UK-residents are not, and still need to isolate in suitable accommodation.

The Emirates crew arriving at MAN can't go on a shopping trip to the Trafford Centre! They are only permitted to leave the hotel to got back to the airport to fly home.

[Mr A Tis]

Unsurprisingly, with the travel ban from NW England to Scotland, easyJet withdraws new services to Aberdeen & Edinburgh.
https://www.business-live.co.uk/regional-development/easyjet-cancels-new-manchester-scotland-20883742

[CabinCrewe]

I suspect bookings were dire even before any announcement.. otherwise why can a route when travel ban in this scenario only likely to be temporary?

[Sioltach Dubh Glas]

The route was only announced on 16th June- just 1 week ago. That's hardly enough time for the airline to even start to promote the new routes?

[Albert Hall]

Perhaps they have taken a fresh look at the business rationale, and the travel ban has provided a convenient fig leaf of cover to retreat from something that looked like an incredibly bad idea to begin with. No such salvation from Nicola Sturgeon for the lunacy of the twice-weekly Liverpool-Bournemouth service though....

[ManchesterUK]

Hi there, are there any views on when Manchester may reopen its second runway? I completely understand that the current level of traffic doesn’t necessitate for it, but has there been any indication from the airport on what traffic level would lead them to reopen it?

Many thanks in advance :)

[BACsuperVC10]

Albert Hall

Not really this year flying to BOH may well be attractive for those not wishing to travel overseas. I think Easyjet have shown a bit of initiative .

[TURIN]

ManchesterUK

Don't know about the runway but heard a rumour that T2 is opening in mid July.

[Dct_Mopas]

Always a good sign is that the airport/ airline staff are slated to use Staff East again from 1st August. So moving out of mid-stay T1/T3 as passenger numbers increase again.

[LFC22]

Some outlets in the new T2 have been hiring and Escape Lounge in T1 is also opening next week. Slowly but surely we will return to normality

[DomyDom]

That is great news. Let's hope things continue in the right direction.

[Navpi]

Great to see the airport coming back to life.

New AirBaltic launched today as well to Latvia in a blaze of publicity.

[CabinCrewe]

Think it was single figures on one of the EDI launch legs.
Anyways, theres always MAN-ABZ again on rereleased EZY!

[Dct_Mopas]

Just had a look on the EZY website, MAN-ABZ 4x weekly starting 6th August. Great news.

[OzzyOzBorn]

Well I've rebooked the ABZ using the voucher they issued to me after cancelling last week. I've got £14 change left too. Fingers crossed for the EDI service. I'll rebook that as well if it does appear. Not hopeful though.

[Stockportcounty]

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/lifestyle/travel/manchester-airport-reports-worst-results-in-its-history/ar-AALUgL6?ocid=st

[DomyDom]

Jet2 just announced that they will be restarting flights to over 40 destinations from 19th July. Great news! 🙂

[LFC22]

T2 also opening on July 14th as Jet2 are moving all flights over on that date

[spacedog]

Virgin to restart MAN BGI 3 X weekly from 7th August

[tokyostich]

LFC22

I heard the same but still not sure if all the T2 airlines are moving back to T2 on that date too? I keep on hearing that T3 will not be reopening ever again, FR will move to T1 with Easyjet, and everyone else is going to T2 while it is not that busy. Is there any truth to this? If so, then when will the likes of LH, EI, BA, KLM/AF... be moving to T2? Also isn't T1 going to be a little bit too big for just Ryanair and Easyjet throughout the day? However for the morning rush, T1 has 14 gates with no airbridges that FR and EZY can use, and Easyjet now and again uses gates 23, 25 and 27, but that still won't be enough for the morning wave. If I remember correctly, in 2019 EZY had 18-20 morning flights, all but one (BFS) of them based here overnight, while FR had 9 based here and a handful of unbound hot spins in the morning. So how will this work for example with them both ramping up operations now?

[Dct_Mopas]

Terminal 3 stands 16 - 18 are now accessible from Terminal 1 as a passenger (maybe even more but haven’t been that far down as yet). They seem to have been permanently switched to become Terminal 1 stands.

In addition, in past years, EZY would tow aircraft from remote stands to the terminal once the earlier departures had pushed back. That with bussing passengers to remote stands then I’m sure EZY & RYR could fit at Terminal 1.

[Sioltach Dubh Glas]

Jet2 move all ops to T2 on 14th July. TUI follow on 15th and Singapore on 17th.

Hope that helps.

[Mr A Tis]

Domestic flights depart using Gates 16-18, accessed via T1, but arrival pax are routed into T3 for baggage claim & exit. This comes as a surprise to many who expect to arrive into T1.
In the new T2 are there facilities for Domestic arrivals?

[Sioltach Dubh Glas]

As far as I'm aware T2 does not have any domestic facility. That is (was) in the long-term plans.

[The96er]

I believe the 3rd or 4th pier to be built (depending on what plans they were working on) was to have a domestic arrival facility. Any further delevopment is highly likely to be delayed now until the current situation improves. EI Atlantic is to be T2 based and there is talk of co-locating all IAG airlines together (BA domestic), so there may be some solution being worked on.

[brian_dromey]

A bus like other EI CTA arrivals?
Something could be in the offing as the BA lounge has been entirely stripped out.

[The96er]

The Escape lounge in T1 has now been made available to BA status card holders although it's not as good as the old BA lounge and is a fair walking distance from the gate.

I would expect in time, there'll be a joint IAG/Oneworld co-habiting lounge in T2 as that seems to be the plan in other countries.

[brian_dromey]

At lease some lounge provision has been made, many European stations have noting, even when lounges are available to other airlines. T1 Escape to T3 is quite a hike - I can’t remember how get to T3 from T1, is it by turning left just before the walk-through duty free shop? The airside route has been closed for years, since Security at T1 was moved.

I imagine there will be some sort of branded lounge situation at T2, as you say. It could be BA branded and operated by a third party, which happens or might have one world/EI branding. EI are in an unusual situation, they are part of the one world JV, but not the alliance. Talk about confusing for customers.

[businessair75]

Isn’t the Trans Atlantic Joint Venture more of a back office thing rather than something that is meant to be explicitly promoted to the customer?

As for terminal changes, things have probably changed after the last 18 months but the plan was that easyJet were to move to T2 in 2022.

[MKY661]

I thought EasyJet liked it over at Pier B of T1? Unless there's been some plan that will mean T1 will now close earlier than planned? (I am aware Piers B and C are staying)

[LFC22]

Thought the airport would've announced the opening of T2 themselves and there would be a bit more fanfare like there was for Pier 1

[Sioltach Dubh Glas]

Hopefully we will see some good publicity on 14th July - the opening date - but there again we are talking about Manchester Airport, aren't we?

[businessair75]

EasyJet like pier B for its ramp side efficiency, no more, no less. It is happy to use Pier C overnight but ideally not during the day given the inefficiency of airbridge but no opportunity to use rear doors too.

B pier was meant to remain in footprint only…I.e being rebuilt. One would assume that along with much of T1, B pier as it stands is approaching life expired.

[Sioltach Dubh Glas]

Proudly introducing #YourNewT2 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/YourNewT2?src=hashtag_click) After 83 years of being the UK's global gateway in the North, we can't wait to welcome the first passengers to our new T2 from July 14th! Follow this thread for advice on travelling through T2 or head this way >> https://bit.ly/2TXOo6I (https://t.co/KrQdLB63YE?amp=1)

[Suzeman]

MEN article here

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/exclusive-manchester-airport-finally-reveals-21021011

[Buster the Bear]

Condor, https://travelweekly.co.uk/news/air/start-up-biblio-travel-aims-for-95000-summer-cyprus-carryings

[SWBKCB]

T2 developmentsIt finally opened on Wednesday with flights run by Tui and Jet2 to Menorca, Ibiza and Mallorca. Singapore Airlines also began flights from the terminal on Saturday.

On Monday M&S also opened a new store there, while an Accessorize branch is also due to open on Thursday.

Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways and Brussels Airlines first flights will depart tomorrow (Tuesday, July 20), followed by airBaltic on Wednesday and Ethiopian Airlines on Thursday.

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/more-airlines-flying-manchester-airports-21088372

[Robin757]

Can anyone explain to me, please, what is now going to happen to Terminal 1? As a (normally) regular flier with Swiss, I am always shocked at their behind the main check in “cupboard” they have as a check in area!

[Dct_Mopas]

easyJet commence 2 new routes 1st November 2021.

A daily (sometimes twice daily) Isle of Man. Also, Fuerteventura twice a week.

[DomyDom]

Good news! Always great to see some new EZY routes.

[DP.]

Robin757

T1 was to be demolished under the original masterplan, but I don't think it's clear that that remains the case now.

I'd imagine Swiss will move over to T2 whenever Lufthansa do. Brussels moved over yesterday, and Eurowings had already moved over there prior to the pandemic, so will probably be going back over fairly soon too.

[SWBKCB]

Ryanair director of commercial, Jason McGuinness, said the firm will "deliver recovery and growth" to Manchester despite the challenges posed by the pandemic. He added that the airline is "restoring connectivity for Manchester - and recovering UK traffic" as vaccination rollouts continue across Europe.

He said: "Following the successful vaccination programmes, UK air traffic led by Ryanair, is set to recover strongly in Summer 2021 and we are pleased to announce our recovery schedule for Manchester, which will deliver 5.1m passengers per year across 67 routes including new summer and winter routes to exciting destinations"

the new summer routes will see two weekly flights to Santorini in Greece, Knock in Ireland and Verona in Italy - plus three to Bucharest in Romania. Its winter 2021 schedule will see twice weekly flights to Kaunas, Paphos in Cyprus, Poznan in Poland, Suceava in Romania, Zagreb in Croatia - and one weekly flight to Salzburg in Austria.
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/ryanair-announces-ten-new-routes-21104965

[DomyDom]

SWBKCB

Great news! Great to see confidence coming back. 😀

[TURIN]

Does anyone know why a Virgin 350 operated to Orlando today?

[DomyDom]

Everton Football Club charter I believe.

[pabely]

With Arsenal & Inter Milan cancelling their trips to this Florida Cup event, Everton won't be playing much football!

[TURIN]

DomyDom

Ah thanks.

[Navpi]

Looks like HS2 is fast running out of cash according to The Sunday Times. If It ever gets up North (and even that is a mute point ) there is no connectivity improvement for Piccadilly and no link to Manchester Airport.

Leveling up going spectacularly well.....

[TURIN]

A mute point? Have they been silenced or just swanning around? 😁

[TURIN]

Looks like the THG option for the hangar has died a death. Nice move by MAG. They had a buyer and a genuine offer from an MRO and turned it down. Now they have huge building which can't be used until someone starts operating it again. Genius work. 🙄

[Sioltach Dubh Glas]

Having not been to MAN for nearly 18 months can anybody confirm whether the Air Livery hangar still stands? There was an OAN issued on 25th September 2020 stating a circa 16 week programme to deconstruct the hangar - OAN 085/2020 refers.

[Navpi]

TURIN
👍 very good

[Navpi]

What was the story with the TCX hangar?

Current management seem to be stumbling from one calamity to another.

Can someone get a grip ?

[TURIN]

Rumour was that THG had a tie up with Amazon and were going to use the hangar as a 'drive through' load/unload area. They have apparently got 4 A330 in conversion works somewhere.
The Air Livery/BA hangar is going to be demolished and a new building erected for THG.

At the moment Jet2 have the only viable hangar at what is supposed to be Britain's 2nd (3rd) city!

Complete joke.

[SWBKCB]

Bit baffled to the relevance of hangar availability and city status? For example, nothing at Edinburgh or Belfast, and Cardiff has massive hangars but no flights?

(and before anybody quibles, I mean hangars suitable for airline customers/MRO's)

[easyflyer83]

I must admit, I was a bit perplexed at that. To the wider city it has little relevance in terms of status or prestige.

That said, having an hangar facility and the associated jobs is good for the airport. The problem is, for the size (and success) of the airport, MAN is in the rather unusual position that it doesn't actually have a based airline. By based I mean headquartered which often leads to a company hangar. Perhaps going forward, perhaps easy might consider a facility if it were to ever bring MAN's engineering in-house.

[Flyboy543]

Easy have just announced plans for a 4 bay hangar in BER. With the recently extended LGW hangar and this new BER hangar, I think it unlikely easy will be interested in hangar 1.

[TURIN]

SWBKCB

Airport status, not City status. I mean this thread is about Manchester Airport right? Not the city.
MAN advertises itself as a world class facility for international travel. It has been courting airlines from various parts of the world for years.
Its a bit grim knowing that if your aircraft goes tech, the job, no matter how large will have to be done outside in all weather.

[businessair75]

Grim? Why? Do passengers fix the aircraft themselves these days? ;-)

Personally, having hangar facilities is neither here nor there to me. It’s nice to have for sure but I’d be keen to see further terminal developments.

[TURIN]

So, you're quite happy getting your aircraft fixed in the open air, window perhaps removed, rain and snow flooding in ruining the decor and fusing the electronics, not to mention the mechanics, perhaps, taking longer to do the job, so you don't get to use the aircraft for a longer period costing you more in lost revenue and ruining your reputation not to mention irate passengers losing holiday time.

[Downwind_Left]

Airlines don’t routinely use hangars for line maintenance of any description, including window changes. Engine changes and the like all happen outside. Hangars, including ones you own, are usually booked up months in advance for heavy checks so there is usually little capacity for causality maintenance. Notable example being the likes of BA at LHR that have a casualty hangar.

If an airline is having to put an aircraft in the hangar, it’s going to be quicker to tow over an alternative aircraft or even fly in a standby from elsewhere. I’m sorry but your scenario is totally unrealistic. I spent many years working in an operational role for a Manchester based airline. It was our head office. Second biggest base after Gatwick, 30+ Airbus and Boeing aircraft. We didn’t have a hangar. Anywhere. Did all our own line maintenance. Most overnight checks were done in the Monarch hangar on a planned basis. Occasionally some were done at Luton. Major checks were sometimes done at the same, but contracted out in places like GAMCO Abu Dhabi for the most part. And this was a Manchester based airline.

Nobody is going to build a hangar to keep the engineers dry doing a wheel change or replacing a windscreen, sadly.

The lack of hangars isn’t a commercial disadvantage to the airport, or any airline operating there. Given that the ones MAN already has are in their current status is proof of if they were needed, that they are not a deal breaker if not available.

Major changes have been made at increasing intervals between scheduled hangar maintenance, even for existing types. Aircraft hangars are now much less essential than they were previously in decades gone by. Case in point. Ryanair. 458 aircraft. Biggest airline in Europe. About 5 hangars… STN, DUB, WRO, PIK, BGY… or BA’s huge CWL wide body hangar. They’re not doing AOG work there, because they don’t fly there.

Im sure MAG would in no way mind if someone planned and built a new hangar at Manchester, but partly as a result of how busy the airport is in normal times, it’s not an ideal place for aircraft maintenance unless a particular airline has a huge base there. And I mean huge. Which is why the likes of BA have Cardiff, AA have Tulsa and Lufthansa have Malta among others. It’s easier to have it at a quiet airport you can easily get slots at. Casualty maintenance is a red herring with technical reliability rates above 99.8%.

[TURIN]

I am not talking about line maintenance. Neither am I talking about based aircraft with a fleet of replacement aircraft on hand. I'm talking about casualty aircraft that may only fly in a one or two times per day from thousands of miles away not a 737 hopping across the channel.
I think I've seen one engine change at MAN outside. The rest were all in either the BA or FLS/TC hangar. With good reason. If you are involved in aircraft maintenance you will know why.
Why you want to belittle the job by suggesting its just to keep the engineers dry during a wheel change beats me.
High winds, freezing temperatures, heavy rain can cause real problems.
World class airlines want world class facilities at their chosen destinations. There is no reason why maintenance should be any different. If you think its expensive, try having an accident.

[Navpi]

Must confess i'm not an engineer but fixing a casualty aircraft in the open seems fraught with issues ?

Pity about THG, a missed opportunity by all accounts.

It will be interesting to see what the losses are, given the perilous position at LHR.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/jul/26/heathrow-wants-travel-opened-up-for-vaccinated-as-covid-losses-near-3bn

With money to find for that new £1bn terminal and no prospect of increased revenue in the short to medium term given the shambolic government policy on travel would MAG seek to offload EMA to raise funds ?

[SWBKCB]

Obviuosly fooled by your use of the word "city" ! :ok:

Like many I've not visited for ages. What hangars are left standing? Is the Thomas Cook hangar not stood empty so could still be used in an emergency as described above?

[TURIN]

OK, I admit using City may have confused some people.
As for hangar availability. Both, Air Livery/BA and the FLS/Thomas Cook hangars are currently unfit. Deluge systems not maintained etc. As a consequence, even though they are sitting there empty, they can't be used. The old Dan Air hangar is a ground service maintenance facility leaving the ex Monarch hangar, now used by Jet2 as the only one on site. Jet2 seem to be using it constantly or are refusing to rent out space.

[OzzyOzBorn]

Navpi

I would urge some nuance on comments of this nature. Frustration is understandable, but many departments within MAG (and specifically at MAN) have been doing an admirable job under unprecedented constraints.

The Transformation Plan team has done an outstanding job. To more than double the operational size of T2 whilst keeping the legacy operation running smoothly throughout the construction programme was an immense and under-appreciated achievement. Yes, we can argue about budget constraints, but the team on the spot did a stunning job with the resources allocated to them. The new section of T2 is a valuable asset helping to secure MAN's long-term future, and no passengers were disrupted by its delivery. (Though afew more respite seats along the lengthy transit routes / queueing areas would be appreciated!). The remodelling of the airport's airside layout is another unrecognised achievement. Great work by the team delivering that. Security at MAN has faced a lot of criticism in the past, but huge positive strides had been made long before Covid decimated the crowds. And MAN's retail and catering offering (loved by some, loathed by others!) is up there with the best in the business. The routes team did an outstanding job too. Management of the day-to-day operation has generally been positive across the board.

So let's deliver due criticism with precision rather than taking a generic "Manchester Airport management is rubbish" approach. There are two underperforming areas of the business at MAN (Covid excepted). Firstly, the agency responsible for hangar lettings has been an abject disaster. The loss of Air Livery (effectively forced out, some suggest?) was a monumental blunder, resulting in many quality jobs being avoidably lost to the region. And the debacle concerning a large established aircraft maintenance provider allegedly seeing a hangar tenancy gazzumped from under them, even as they were recruiting highly-skilled engineering jobs, ranks with the largest blunders in the entire history of Manchester Airport in my view. Just what has the new "preferred" tenant delivered in their place? Did they renege? Are those responsible for this abject decision still in post? What is being done to recover something from the ruins? If an outside agency was responsible, has legal action for damages been taken against them? How many hundreds of highly-skilled jobs has this cost the airport campus?

The other area of persistent failure at MAN is FLOWN-CARGO, specifically support for dedicated freighter aircraft. The arguments have all been discussed in depth on here, so nothing to be gained by re-running that debate. But, to my knowledge, there is still not even one hi-lo on site. Cornish continues to "fiddle whilst Rome burns", seemingly content to allow MAN to continue descent into irrelevance in the global flown-cargo stakes. I fear that responsibility for this open wound goes right to the top of MAG group level here. Cornish appears to believe that that the status quo on cargo is acceptable. In terms of MAG's corporate balance sheet he may be able to argue that, but an airport is a utility serving it's region, and an equitable balance must be struck between feeding MAG's bottom line and providing the level of service the North's primary gateway deserves. Total failure on this. And one can't blame the cargo "switch-sell" team at East Midlands and Stansted: they're doing what they're instructed to do. MAG needs to re-assess this at the highest level, or Mr Cornish's legacy will be remembered as a very patchy one.

The buck stops at the summit of MAG. Mr Cornish: please consider allocating some management time to sorting out MAN's two disaster zones. The terrible impression which their abject performance leaves results in comments such as that quoted above: generic condemnation of MAN's management en masse. That is soul-destroying for those comprising the many departments which have pulled out all the stops to deliver a great job. They merit positive recognition. From a management perspective, you have two not-fit-for-purpose departments in the MAN operation which require a root-and-branch reorganisation. Perhaps the recent 'hangar to let' advertisement is an early indication that something is finally being done to recover the situation. I guess it is too much to hope that the previously gazzumped tenant might be attracted back ... if they've vowed never to work with MAG again one could scarcely blame them, given what was alleged to have happened. And the early impression is that MAG backed a duffer with their preferred replacement hangar tenant.

[CabinCrewe]

What’s the latest with the new UK Air Baltic routes?

[Rutan16]

Probably performing exceptionally poorly just like the last time - Manchester already seen cancelations

[Curious Pax]

Can’t tell you the loads, but they have cancelled just 1 out of 10 flights since the service commenced, and flights look to be bookable twice a week into the winter. Latvia moving to the green list should help too, so not sure what your issue with them is!

[Navpi]

"The other area of persistent failure at MAN is FLOWN-CARGO, specifically support for dedicated freighter aircraft. The arguments have all been discussed in depth on here"

Maybe there is, i've seen a number of comments that the flights into LHR are essentially carrying freight and that this value does actually cover costs.

Well so much for the "no money in freight argument"
It would explain the large volumes and indeed duplication of routes and services. The market seens to be growing daily.

There are now 25 US flights into LHR beteeen 0600 and 1100 daily. 5 a day from JFK alone.

There is a sense that as we try and emerge from this hell hole , ALL UK long haul demand is effectively but understandably being artificially sucked into a growing "one country, one airport" syndrome.

The MAN management will do well to get back to anywhere near a semblance of a long haul network, EI and SIA is a start, but I hope they are noting what's happening down South and maybe going after a few crumbs.

If that market really is lost maybe court RYR, as another poster suggested , they seem to be the only show in town by some distance.

[UnderASouthernSky]

Don't forget that a good proportion of the BA (and some VS) cargo flying on dedicated flights is not being offloaded at LHR. It is transiting before continuing on E/B or W/B. Sometimes just a crew or flight number swap.
And don't forget that cargo is flying in & out of MAN on empty & light pax legs too.

[Rutan16]

My beef is they are and have been an unreliable carrier in the best of times and with freedom of movement , pretty liveries , competitive fares and competition with Ryanair Sun (Buzz) not a chance to be honest

[Skipness One Foxtrot]

Navpi

What evidence do you have? Top 3 measures that support this?
What matters more and is a less stressed out guide is plans for next summer. Looking at LHR arrivals and freaking out is only torturing yourself. This summer is a write off due to uncertainty, winter is a seasonal trough anyway so please look and see what's placeholdered for our first realistic chance at a post COVID or living with COVID season.
It's crucial not to conflate short term survival tactics with mediun term aims and strategy. Specifically MAN's long haul, and we always seem to come back to that, has good options with Virgin to rebuild. Aer Lingus can certainly be wooed if the deal is right to commit to MAN long haul. With Thomas Cook gone there's real scope for Norse Atlantic, I'm sure MAG are already having conversations. But you'll go nuts if you keep comparing MAN to LHR.
And Cargo rates have been vastly inflated and will collapse as passenger flights ramp up and charges fall due to supply and demand.

[CabinCrewe]

Norse Atlantic? I don’t see that at all.

[Navpi]

Skipness One Foxtrot

It was a very balanced opinion.
As usual the only person "freaking out" is your goodself !
And be reassured I'm having a large glass of Shiraz with some French cheese, no chance of going nuts here.

[mattd938]

Are jet2 still using a mix of T1 and T2? I thought I had read somewhere they were completely moving to T2 by now or very soon.

[Mr A Tis]

All Jet2 flights depart from T2, all arrivals into T2 except Jersey where pax are bussed to T1.

I know the airport is strapped for cash, but could they not turn on the Skylink travelators? It's a heck of a trek from the Station to the new T2 check in.

[GrahamK]

Those travelators havent worked for about 5 years!

[MANFOD]

Actually that's not correct if you are implying they haven't worked at all. Between the station and the old T2, there are 7 sections in each direction, 14 in total. I would say that based on my fairly regular visits to T2 in the summers of 2018 & 2019, on average 10 sections were switched on. On a couple of rare occasions, all 14 were. Sometimes 1 or 2 were evidently down for maintenance awaiting those ever elusive parts; others were just switched off, or perhaps not switched back on if they were shut down at night.

To Mr A Tis's point, I agree it's a long trek to the new T2 departures hall, and no seats airside when you get there as I found on 2 recent visits. That said, the skylink between T2 and the station has been fairly quiet, even with several TUI and Jet 2 flights checking in in the old T2 (check-in areas were busy). The skylink from the station to T1 was far busier but the travelators switched off.

I very much hope that as traffic levels continue to pick up, MAN will reactivate the travelators. Doesn't do any good for passengers' impressions if they have a long trek with luggage, especially those of us for whom walking is now seen as hard work rather than useful exercise.

[Sioltach Dubh Glas]

I believe that MANFOD meant to say "no seating" prior to going airside. I'm sure he'll confirm this later.

[Johnny F@rt Pants]

There are a few seats in the check in hall, but not many at all. Once through security there is plenty of seating.

[MANFOD]

Quite right of course. I meant no seats landside.
The only seats I saw in the check-in area of the new T2 were for special assistance passengers - about 40 of them.
Strangely enough, I did find a few seats still in T1 landside, especially downstairs in the Ryanair check-in area.

[DomyDom]

Virgin Atlantic to start Manchester - Montego Bay three times a week from 6th November 🙂
https://ukaviation.news/virgin-announces-new-flight-from-manchester-to-jamaica/

[VickersVicount]

Ambitious….

[DomyDom]

Well VS have been operating flights from MAN and other airports to the Caribbean and elsewhere for a few years now. I think they know what they are doing. 🙂

[VickersVicount]

Short lead time, three times per week, COVID… we’ll see.

[tictack67]

I disagree, the travelling public are more dynamic now, they don't go to Lunn Poly to book next year's holiday a year in advance.

People don't go for the traditional two week holiday, often opting for 10 day. Or 5 day holidays.
​​​​​

[spannersatcx]

CX returning tomorrow, then daily in September, then a few a week October and November.

[HKGBOY]

Great news on CX, can't wait to get back- but with our Covid rates I can't see them letting me in anytime soon. Three weeks in a "safer" transit country & 2-3 weeks in a hotel quarantine just isn't viable. :-(
I presume the daily September might be student related?

[AirportPlanner1]

VickersVicount

Particularly ambitious as Jamaica is set for the red list according to reports

[DomyDom]

Various countries will move between the red, amber and green list until the vaccination prorammes have been rolled out worlwide. This service doesn't start until November and the traffic light list is reviewed every 3 weeks so even if it does move to red there is plenty of time to move back to amber or even green if things go in the right direction. Likewise several weeks ago newspapers told us France was going to be on the red list but that didn't happen. I remember in February media 'reports' were telling us that all foreign holidays from the UK would be banned for the entire 2021 summer season which didn't happen. Lets see what the official announcement says and accept that given the nature of covid that the situation can change.

[BristolexFlyer]

Hello! Apologies if this isn’t the correct forum. But i’m heading to Manchester, has the second runway been in use this last week, or is it single runway ops in light of the reduced traffic?

Thanks so much!

[techair]

Single runway operation for the foreseeable future. 23R/05L.

[Shamrock350]

Aer Lingus delays US launch again.

JFK and MCO were due to start on September 30 but have been pushed to December 1 and 11 respectively.

BGI is still planned to launch on October 20.

https://mediacentre.aerlingus.com/news/25082021/usa-travel-restrictions-lead-to-amended-timetable-for-some-aer-lingus-services-from-manchester-airport?ref=Home

Unfortunately Aer Lingus still doesn’t seem able to sell flights to US originating passengers despite supposedly receiving permission to do so weeks ago. No sign of BA codeshare either.

[cumbrianboy]

Sensible decision if you ask me, with the US border still closed and likely to remain so until Thanksgiving it's in no one's interest to fly empty aeroplanes around ...

[VickersVicount]

theres going go be some very cheap fares and empty cabins if these launch dates stick…

[Mr Mac]

Well Mrs Mac came through the new T2 to meet me in Madeira flying Jet 2. I came via LH yesterday. However she and indeed I had / have not been through T2 as our carriers use T1. Apart from curved wooden seats she was not impressed. Retail and food beverage poor and strikingly short of toilets and urinals according to the gentleman next to her She was in Munich recently and could not understand how T2 could be so poor. A bit like Liverpool with a new decor apparently.

[BA318]

Its so depressing looking at the pictures of the new terminal. Not a window in sight. It looks like Gatwick.

[SWBKCB]

Thought the whole wall of the departure hall overlooking the apron was glass?

[BA318]

the pictures I’ve seen seem to show a path through duty free coming out in a dark area with escalators surrounded by high street shops. Great if there is natural light and views of the airport.

[Mr Mac]

She said there are Windows to look out of but the gate she used was in old 2 so quite a few stairs. As I say I came out with Lufthansa yesterday and she had stayed with me in Munich a few weeks ago and commented on the difference in approach and style between them. She knows quite a bit about airports as one of her previous companies managed quite a few around the world and in the UK though they have now left.

[ImPlaneCrazy]

Anyone know what the Ethiopian 787 was doing at MAN last night? It originated from the Middle East so I’m assuming it was something to do with the Afghanistan evac…

[chaps1954]

There were two Ethiopian aircraft,787 on schedule and A350 on DWC flights

[UnderASouthernSky]

I didn't think it was too bad when I used it recently - certainly compared to T1.
I found a member of airline staff having a coffee and quizzed them on T2. Apparently some of the upstairs (premium?) food outlets won't open until the terminal gets busier. The old gates (which I also used) are only reached by stairs and rear of security path until a second phase of T2 refurb starts up.
I thought the views onto the airfield were really good and apparently - not that I used it - the premium lounge is really good.
Not comparable to MUC, but I'm not sure it's fair to expect it to be.

[Downwind_Left]

Sorry but you can’t compare Manchester T2 with Munich.

Why?

Munich has 2 terminals. Terminal 1 at Munich is horrific. No windows landside. Long and narrow. Awful security queues. Crowded. No redeeming features. T1 at Munich is everyone but Lufthansa. T2 Munich is better. But not amazing.

But the short story is your experience of MUC is very dependant on If you’re using T1 or T2 there.

T2 at Manchester is far better than T1. But things aren’t back to normal yet. I am in no way defending Manchester airport, but you have to compare terminal to terminal. I’ve had some of my worst airport experiences at Munich when flying any non Lufthansa airline.

[Mr Mac]

I / we only use T2 at MUC as LH is the carrier we use from there. I do think that you should be able to compare with Manchester as they are similar regional area. I just think T2 looks uninspiring as I had a look around while under construction. Could do better would be my judgment, and I do not mind T1 apart from a lot of poor infrastructure maintenance, and that long walk to the EK stand, but their lounge has some of the best view of an apron and runway.

[PinOnTheRight]

Very different passenger numbers though in 2019:
MAN - 29 million
MUC - 47.9 million

[OzzyOzBorn]

With an optimal location in the heartland of Europe and a supportive based carrier in Lufthansa, MUC operates as a primary interline hub as well as serving its own region. They have lucrative destinations to offer from all directions of the compass rose. MAN has to rely on its core indigenous regional market stretching from the English Midlands and North Wales upto the Scottish border. That is a great hinterland catchment but MAN is simply not advantageously placed geographically to serve as anything other than a hub for certain niche markets. In normal times (non-covid), MAN can look to destinations such as IOM, BFS and ABZ to feed its onward flights. MAN does also have Eire to the West, though DUB offers a very similar slate of destinations to those available via MAN. But MUC is ideally placed geographically to serve as a true short-haul (and long-haul) crossroads for an entire continent. It is a whole different ballgame for them.

MAN will pick up some interline traffic on routes such as those to the USA and Caribbean, but these passengers are generally price-led and represent a very modest percentage of total boardings. And the heyday of this trade was when the Thomas Cook Transatlantic services were at their peak offering very generous fare deals. Who can say whether Virgin and Aer Lingus will make serious inroads into this market going forward?

So MAN will continue to enjoy a modest top-up from interline traffic (which is always welcome). But interline is absolutely fundamental to the business model at MUC. Geographical location provides that option for MUC; MAN at the Western periphery of Europe simply isn't central enough to pitch for that role. MAN cannot entertain pretentions of competing on the scale of a centrally-located European hub for interline volume - it can't happen. Of course, MAG is well aware of the strengths and weaknesses of its market reach, so they aren't trying to emulate MUC's primary hub model. However, every so often, outsiders pop up on a forum such as this to query why they don't.

[Ivan aromer]

Are the Escape/Aspire lounges in T2 open or are they still COVIDCLO?

[UnderASouthernSky]

When I was there almost 3 weeks ago, Escape was open but Aspire was closed and looked to be unfinished with windows covered over.

[HKGBOY]

Passed through T2 earlier this week.
A fair few flights, QR,CX,EY & several J2s & Tui’s. Standard Manch - only one security lane open & shared with fast track. A bit gloomy with many outlets closed. Escape lounge queue about 8 people, went to WC came back and the same people were still queuing to get in, so swerved that & settle for a Pret. Aspire lounge not due to open until Autumn.
The wooden benches are bloody uncomfortable.
Gate 203 is a heck of a trek but I guess it will improve (maybe) when, or if,the old T2 is is knocked through.
It was obviously better than T1 but I wasn’t blown away.
combined with the walk from The station along the turned off travelators, the trek through the terminal & to gate 203- reckon 10,000 steps in one go- saves on gym fees.

[Ivan aromer]

Thanks, what day and time did you travel?

[HKGBOY]

Thursday- midday- ish for 2pm departure

[Mr Mac]

HKGBoy
Sounds like you came off the same gate as my wife.
She said they were routed back through security but separated from the area by line of chairs which when she initially walked in she was worried was yet more checking. As for T1 she said she still preferred it to new T2 though why do they not maintain anything there is beyond me.It is a poor advertisement, like welcome to broken Britain !

[DP.]

T2 is now Escape or 1903. Escape is definitely open but I'm not sure whether they've opened 1903 yet. Possibly not given passenger numbers.

[SealinkBF]

It's open for VS departures at the moment. Opening for other airlines soon.

https://www.headforpoints.com/2021/08/31/review-1903-lounge-manchester-terminal-2-extension/

[Ivan aromer]

Are the T1 Aspire/escape lounges open or still COVIDCLO?

[eggc]

The auction for the sale of the old Thomas Cook hanger has been announced as cancelled and Thomas Cook UK tweeting "don't miss out on the big announcement, you're going to love it..." Anyone any ideas ?

[davidjohnson6]

Easyjet to start 2x weekly winter seasonal route to Aqaba from 06 Dec

[TURIN]

Thomas Cook UK? Are they still a thing?

Anyway, my guess is Jet2 or Aer Lingus UK... Or Tui... EasyJet? No. No. Its Ryanair isn't it?

[techair]

Possibly THG resurfacing?

[Navpi]

Well if Thomas Cook UK are tweeting it, is it not a possibility its about them and their new owners Holmes ?

I can't see why they would be excitable about RYR TUI, or EI buying it ?

[eggc]

Yes, very active on social media and they have a website selling package holidays.

[RedDragonFlyer]

The Chinese coglomerate Fosun bought the Thomas Cook name and brand for £11 million after they went bankrupt.

[Ivan aromer]

T1 Aspire closed Escape open.

[Mr A Tis]

Considering that our airports are still operating at a fraction of normal capacity- what is going on?
https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/massive-queues-luggage-piling-up-21486574?fbclid=IwAR0YiRRtxkvw44cNC3KUTZMoRTXVycGau_od2rxHg6 bDwU4x1uwgXOKSdlc

[eggc]

Exactly the same at LHR last week with 5 hour waits reported and people passing out in the queues. A lot a arrivals in last week or so as summer holidays end and kids go back to school, you would think airports / border force would react accordingly. That said traffic is still some 30% of what it was pre-covid, so staffing levels seem to match that....and got caught out by this spike. On border force specifically I dont know why egates are not employed. Everyone when we arrived home last week was directed to a human with no egates in operation, where as when we arrived in Palma prior to that there must have been 30 egates open and zero queue in a busier airport.

[Rutan16]

Suggest a letter or two to Pritti and Chaps mate

Between them the " taking back control of our borders" and late to the game COVID19 entry requirements (ever changing !) has resulted in the worst frontier experience in the developed world !

Blame Border Force if you like however they just don't have the manpower (nothing to do with years of funding and recruitment cuts !)

The use of e-gates is also difficult to manage with COVID19 regulations and paper work one would imagine as well.

[Robin757]

They need to sort this out properly. This puts people off and just adds to the total unpleasant experience airports are.

[Rutan16]

That would involve talking with our neighbours and the man in the Whitehouse - not happening Global Britain my a***.
The current administration can't even talk to the opposition on major matters, they are insular power grabbing nutters yet people still elect them why ?

[OzzyOzBorn]

Because the opposition consistently advocate even tougher and longer-lasting restrictions than the incumbents at every opportunity?

[Mr Mac]

Mrs Mac said that return trough T2 involved long walk from next to last gate to the East, with none working travelators. Border Force were present in reasonable numbers and no delay encountered with 45 min transit from A/C seat to car in East car park. However exit from Madeira involved a long wait at passport control of 45 min due to only two officers for 4 A/C departing for UK. I transited later in the day in 5 min bound for Frankfurt using e gates. Brexit bonus ?

[Navpi]

OzzyOzBorn

Agreed its like jumping from the 12th floor with Boris or
the 14th with KS. Nobody seems to be in charge.

The EU is back to 60% pre covid levels despite being last in the vaccine race. We have totally wasted the dividend we had.

Not sure you can blame front line border force either, a number were offered a premium to temporary relocate to assist in "processing" our friends in dinghies swarming across the Channel.

They can't be in two places at once and its probably a dam sight easier waving them through as there is no real paperwork, than checking all the legitimate documentation of a holidaymaker. You couldnt make it up.

The holiday industry, business travel and the aviation industry as a whole is being SYSTEMATICALLY screwed.

[eye2eye5]

I haven’t seen anyone ask the basic questions:

- how many Border Force officers are you authorised to have?
- how many Border Force officers have you actually got?
- has the average time to handle a passenger changed post Covid regulations?
- if so, by how much and how is that reflected in question 1?

[MANFOD]

Good points but I think you can add a more detailed question.
- how much flexibility is there within the rosters so that additional staff can be brought to desks at busy times? I appreciate flights can be delayed but Border Control surely have a list of flights and their estimated arrival times. There is of course the argument that it's difficult to provide enough staff for the busiest periods if it means too many officers are idle at quieter times.

[eye2eye5]

I fully agree, MANFOD, but if the basic staff numbers aren’t up to establishment, then you are always going to be behind the curve.

[eggc]

Easyjet new route : Aqaba, Jordan . Twice weekly from December.

[Navpi]

Hopefully Man Aiport capitalise on this.

https://www.timeout.com/things-to-do/best-cities-in-the-world

[MANFOD]

Thanks for the link. I certainly hope it does too Navpi.

The emphasis here is of course on nightlife, festivals, community spirit which is fair enough. However, Manchester (and the Airport) must also continue to sell itself as an international centre for Business and Investment which are other key ingredients from the aviation perspective.

[SWBKCB]

I know it's not what you meant, but Timeout isn't well known for it's business output.:ok:

As a total aside, a friend dropped her daughter off at the weekend in her trendy Ancoats flat for her first post-university job. She is over the moon (other hip young peoples phrases are available) to be living in the middle of the UK's most exciting, happening city. She's even commuting out to the airport from the city centre (!). :eek:

Our collective minds were boggled - kids, eh?

[DomyDom]

Aqaba is great news. Fascinating culture, history and some great beaches. This Red Sea resort is a gateway to Petra, said to be one of the 7 wonders of the world, and offers some great reefs for diving as well. A great addition to MAN's winter sun portfolio as temperatures rarely fall below 20C in mid-winter. Nice to see this exiting new route from EZY and confidence steadily returning to MAN 😀.

[Mr Mac]

OzzyOzBorn
I have to take issue with you on some of this post. MUC is more central within Europe obviously, but the surrounding countries all have good connections be it Austria / Switzerland / Poland / Czech / Slovak, though I agree the latter two to a lesser degree. Also you have Frankfurt and Stuttgart in close proximity, the former having obviously first class connections to every part of the globe as do Amsterdam / Paris / LHR in that respect. Given greater population density in the UK MAN catchment is considerable in that respect. I agree with you that LH does a far better job in supporting the regions within Germany than BA does in the UK, but that is not my point, and should be discussed on BA thread more.
My point is MAN dos not seem to be that well managed, in that they never seem to repair basic infrastructure with all the tales of broken lifts and travellator's, broken lights, leaking toilets etc, never mind large capital projects. Then when they do invest, you end up with the some what dogs dinner of the new T2, though I am going from Mrs Mac comments, as I have yet to use this part of the airport, given the carriers I use currently go from T1. MUC is not a primary hub for LH, that will always be Frankfurt it acts as a very good regional airport within Germany, and to a lesser degree a portion of some of the surrounding countries. I am not having a go at MAN as in the individuals working there but it is the way these people are managed and the infrastructure is maintained and indeed planned. Given the propensity for certain individuals to consume beer at very odd hours in the early hours while heading on holiday you would think ensuring that your new terminal has sufficient toilet facilities would be a basic requirement and would be have been discussed at design stage along with various other items. As I have actually been involved in building a number of airports around the globe, I am quite versed in the discussions that are undertaken in the planning and execution of the build. Judging from the limited comments from those who have used the new T2 facilities the management do not seem to have been that involved, or they were too busy eating the sandwiches :)

[Asturias56]

"MAN dos not seem to be that well managed, in that they never seem to repair basic infrastructure with all the tales of broken lifts and travellator's, broken lights, leaking toilets etc, never mind large capital projects."

Regretfully you can say the same about most UK Airports

[OzzyOzBorn]

Thanks for your feedback, Mr Mac. Firstly, whilst taking on board your comments about infrastructure and maintenance issues at MAN, I suggest that observations of this sort are part of a different conversation entirely. The quote from me relates purely to the respective roles of MAN and MUC in their respective markets, as some observers believe the two to share very similar catchment characteristics. As I explained, in terms of attractiveness to interline business, they do not. Of course, I have never suggested that MUC is Lufthansa's first-choice hub - that is FRA. But it is undeniable that the group has put considerable effort into developing a complementary hub role for MUC with a wealth of connecting opportunities offered on all the main flight booking sites. And it has to be acknowledged that the geography helps. But I don't think of STR as a hub player at all.

Short-term covid considerations aside, MUC enjoys a far greater traffic boost from interline than MAN could ever realistically pitch for. MAN must overwhelmingly rely on P2P business, with a welcome niche interline top-up courtesy of destinations such as IOM, plus a gentle sprinkling of price-led long-haul connecting business.

[Skipness One Foxtrot]

Munich has the German national carrier (yes, that one, not a state owned flag carrier but you all know the market dominance that brings) with it's 2nd long haul hub. It plays FRA off against MUC, indeed the A380s being moved out of FRA were part of that game. Hence the airport is core to the strategy of a dominant airline. MAN by contrast is a spoke on everyone else's routemap, even Virgin with it's based aircraft doesn't constitute any form of real hub.
Locos like FR and EZY do well but on point to point playing to their strengths.
And given our own equivalent of Lufthansa isn't going to change any of that, muddling through as before is all we can realistically expect.

[Mr Mac]

OzzyOzBorn
When London Airways served Manchester, indeed any of the area outside of the M25 without just putting you on AC to LHR, then regional airports worked for those who used them for business, rather than the yearly trip or indeed more to the Costas. If London Airways made money on these regional services I do not know, but I was a regular on the JFK flight for a while back in late 90;s and on BMI service to Chicago in early 2000 and both services were well patronized. I now use the LH service to MUC, and indeed other LH services into Germany, along with EK and SQ but will not ever be returning to BA, as this concentration on LHR really does not work, if you are not in the Home Counties. The rest of us will just use, to be honest the better alternatives, going to other points supplied by the likes of LH/KLM/SAS/ Finnair along with the longer haul services who serve MAN well, indeed pre COVID better than LHR BA service.

[Mr A Tis]

If you wanted to compare MAN to any German airport, I would say Dusseldorf. Pre Covid both airports handled virtually the same number of flights.
DUS also underwent a new terminal revamp-remember the disastrous fire.. No national flag carrier based, as Lufthansa pulled out in 2018, but a substantial German/Euro wings operation, the huge one time LTU operation hasn't entirely been replaced. Three terminals - similar to Man, 2 runways like MAN, train station like MAN, similar pax numbers.
However, DUS was provided with large landslide bars, cafes, shops. Inter terminal monorail that serves all three terminals, car parks & train station. On demand (working) walkways & escalators etc.
The DUS passenger experience is far superior in so many ways.
The leaky skylink with the non moving walkways doesn't quiet cut it.

[Rutan16]

Spot on re Dusseldorf its long been a twin of Manchester with similar catchment and dynamics and cultural ties !

The regions even have a mainly cargo hub a few tens of miles away (Cologne/East Midlands) and a flexible fares airport robbing business (Dortmund/Liverpool)

[c52]

What's going on if a passenger being taken ill in a terminal closes the airport for an hour?

Flights divert due to Manchester airport closure as firefighters provide medical help (msn.com) (https://www.msn.com/en-gb/lifestyle/travel/manchester-airport-closed-for-an-hour-as-firefighters-provide-medical-help/ar-AAOnuXh?ocid=msedgntp)

[Rutan16]

I would be targeting your question at North West Ambulance Service at Sharston to be honest.

Over stretched under staffed and all.

[Mr Mac]

Mr A Tis / Rutan16
I have never used Dusseldorf yet, so could not comment, but I have googled the interior following your own recommendation's, and it does indeed look rather better than the posh bus shelter, masquerading as an international airport that is the new T2 experience as described by Mrs Mac at MAN.

[737aviator]

c52

No paramedics on shift in the evenings at the moment...only the airport fire service available which are seemingly on bare minimum staffing as well so as soon as a couple of guys get called into the terminal the remainder can no longer provide sufficient RFFS coverage. This is the second time in a few weeks the airport has had zero fire coverage for almost an hour due to a sick passenger in the terminal in the evening, resulting in several diversions on both occasions.

[SWBKCB]

Manchester Airport said it had made the decision to switch off travelators, but did not recognise reports that escalators were also not functioning.

A spokesman said: “We review our maintenance and investment programmes each year to prioritise our resources where they’re needed most. Due to the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic on our business - and the severely limited financial support airports have received from government - we have needed to focus our expenditure on protecting employment, maintaining critical infrastructure and Covid-related safety measures. This has meant we have needed to take the travelators linking Terminal One, the station and Terminal Two out of service after they reached the end of their life cycle, and due to the costs involved in bringing them back into operation. The situation will be reviewed regularly, with all suitable options considered as the aviation sector recovers and our operations continue to remobilise.”

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/manchester-airport-travelators-switched-off-21588190

[MAN2SIN2BKK2FRA]

A point to add re the German airport development; Frankfurt is building Terminal 3 on the old USAF facility; that building work did not stop during the covid crisis in fact it's accelerated. MAN missed a great opportunity to complete the Terminal 2 redevelopment while it was closed.

[Navpi]

No paramedics.
Bare minimum fire cover
No maintenance on travelators.

One can only assume finances are now threadbare.

[chaps1954]

You really love to kick Manchester don`t you, I saw the same thing happen at Heathrow a few years ago,
you only need to be one person short and you are not licenced and yes I bet they are short of cash.

[SWBKCB]

Navpi - maybe they agree with you that "The holiday industry, business travel and the aviation industry as a whole is being SYSTEMATICALLY screwed.", and so are taking a cautious approach with their cash while the outlook is so uncertain.

[DP.]

MAN2SIN2BKK2FRA

Firstly, there's no way that they could've done that logistically, given that the new build wasn't even complete when the pandemic/lockdown hit. That aside, I can't see how it'd have been in any way sensible for them to immediately press ahead with the future phases with the level of uncertainty that has persisted for the last 12m+ and facing a decrease in revenue of 80%.

As regards your comment of them accelerating the build of FRA T3 - the last information I saw was that they are now forecasting an opening date of 2026, from 2023.

[MANFAN]

Are there any further planned airline moves over to T2? With Turkey finally coming off the UK red list from 22nd Sep, I imagine we will see an influx of Turkish carriers to the UK soon? And if so, do we expect these airlines to be allocated T2?
I mainly fly Ryanair, Easyjet or Lufthansa, so I don't expect to use the new T2 until next summer at least...

[ian_h1]

AF & KLM Next to make the move on 28/9, I suspect TK will be in T2 soon, and cant imagine LH group will be too far behind.

[750XL]

There's only ever been 1 paramedic on shift at MAN at any one time for as long as I can remember, so I don't see how not having a paramedic makes any difference at all. You'll often see the response car parked near Olympic House.

If someone needs a paramedic then an ambulance will come, just like anywhere else.

[MKY661]

I saw that EasyJet moving in 2022 was a possibility but not sure how this would work if the closure of the Old T2 for refurbishment is still planned (not sure if it is) as there surely wouldn't be enough room at this moment in time, even with the old T2 gates still open.

Will say btw, flew out of T1 on 10th September with EasyJet but I don't understand why anyone who doesn't have fast track security is being sent downstairs into the smaller Departures B security area? Took us an hour to get through and the gate was called by the time we got into the main departure area. Surely it would make more sense to have two lanes in the larger Departures A security? I suppose it may be a short staffing issue (all staff were pleasant and helpful btw) but I've had this happen before well before the pandemic, so there must be a reason? Fortunately arrivals was much better with small queue at passport control and got bags straight away.

[mbga8mjb]

Are Ryanair using the old Check in B area that Jet2 used to use at Terminal 1? Have they migrated their bag drop off equipment from T3?

[Johnny F@rt Pants]

Yes they are using the ground level check in in T1.

[howard h]

Sorry if this has been mentioned before, I'm returning to Manchester T1 next week, is fast-track arrivals in operation? I'm asking because there have been reports of it being unavailable yet it is for sale on the website, thanks!

[24138]

The entrance was open but when you arrived at the dedicated x-ray machine it was closed and you were forced to join the normal queue, so in answer not really. This was on Sat 18th Sept at 08.30am.

[Mr A Tis]

Singapore
Good to see an Asian country allowing travel from the UK at last. UK to Singapore, with the set up of Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTL), where quarantine isn't required.
https://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/sg/travel-info/vaccinated-travel-lanes/

Outbound from SIN you can use any flight, but inbound to SIN is only allowed on selected flights.
It's disappointing that the MAN-SIN service isn't part of the VTL, only a LHR service.

[HKGBOY]

Cathay

We were looking at booking the direct service HKG-MAN in December, they were certainly bookable last week & now they have disappeared.
All enquiries are now routing to LHR only.
Perhaps Spanners can give an update as to why the limited service looks to have been pulled altogether.
Best routing now appears to be with SIA via SIN.(If you want to avoid LHR)

[inOban]

Can you not fly via Helsinki, which almost exactly follows the shortest great circle route?

[HKGBOY]

You could, but Finnair schedule is limited and they are only operating daytime departures, one way fares are more expensive than Singapore A/L

[MANFOD]

I'm still finding flights on their web site. Out from MAN on the 10th Dec, returning on the 20th. CX216 and CX219. Fares are there so they appear bookable.

[BA318]

It appears to be once weekly until 9th Dec. Then daily till 18th Dec then back to once weekly according to Googleflights. It then appears to go back to daily from 2nd Jan. At least those are the dates showing available for purchase.

[MANFOD]

Tried a few dates in November and it appears to be a Monday flight from HKG arriving MAN 06.30 Monday, but night-stopping to return on Tuesday. Presumably same crew over-nighting. It does seem to be daily in December but didn't check just before Christmas.

[HKGBOY]

Def not daily in December, either once, twice or thrice in December-depending which week you pick. Seems totally random. The one way fares are over £1K in economy. Certainly a week ago, it looked a daily service, but the schedule has been butchered and there is no easy way to look at a whole month. Singapore still appears the best option at the moment.

[BA318]

From 10th till 18th Cathay are selling tickets for a direct flight every day both on their own website and through google flights.

There are plenty of options available though Lufthansa, Qatar or even Lufthansa and Cathay through Frankfurt.

[HKGBOY]

Thanks for the clarification BA318- I'd guess the single week of daily flights are linked to students going home for Christmas, as were the daily service in September bringing in students.
Not really ideal.
Pre covid CX was always our first choice to MAN, Finnair second.
Given our dates etc, SQ still remains the best in terms of timings & prices.

[spannersatcx]

At this moment there are 3 flts a week in November, days 1,2,3 now whether there's pax out not sure as most are pax in cargo only out via FRA. There was a plan for December pretty much as someone said above, however this is subject to change as the rules for HKG keep changing, for the worst mostly, at the moment nothing is set and most likely won't be until November some time, doesn't really help but that's the way it is at the moment, set on a month by month basis. January although showing daily, this is just historical slots that have not been cancelled or updated as yet. Sorry can't be much more helpful, but as said it's normally done on a month by month basis at the moment.

[BHX5DME]

September 21 Pax (compared to Sept 19)

STN = 1,115,652 down 57.2%
MAN = 977,008 down 66.8%
EMA = 168,852 down 69.3%


12m ending 30.09.21

STN = 4,470,153 down 66.0%
MAN = 3,816,434 down 69.5%
EMA = 522,347 down 68.2%


September 21 Cargo

EMA = 38,494 down 5.3%
STN = 20,843 down 14.8%
MAN = 4,250 up 15.6%

[rkenyon]

Weird that you are now comparing to 2019... Oh yeah, if you did the usual 12 months, the figures would be up massively, but that doesn't suit your agenda. :)

MAN = 977,008 up 54.86%

[Sioltach Dubh Glas]

I believe its worthwhile comparing both years?

I've been absent from these forums for the last few months, however I hope to be more proactive from next week!!

[BHX5DME]

Well if you had have looked yourself MAG them selves quote based on 2019 nothing to do with 'my agenda' !

https://mediacentre.magairports.com/mag-september-2021-passenger-statistics/

[MANFOD]

To be fair, they quote both, so comparisons with both Sep. 2019 and 2020 are meaningful.

[Ivan aromer]

Has ATC changed the DESIG. departures of the Westerly RW? The traffic departing on that route seem to be turning much earlier than previously. Just checked the Jep SID plate, no changes so ATC are authorising early turns for DESIG. This needs to stop before it become SOP.

[HOVIS]

For the uninitiated such as myself, why?

[Dct_Mopas]

The navigation beacon (VOR) used for Manchester departures is out of use at the moment and is being fixed.

As such all flights are unable to follow the standard departure routes. Flights are climbing to 1500 feet before turning on track.

[Dct_Mopas]

Also, the NOTAM covering this outage states the VOR is unserviceable 14th - 18th October. So today is the last day.

edit to add: the NOTAM is extended until the 21st. Certainly the non-standard departures are more time and fuel efficient. Will be nice if the future proposed departure paths are designed as efficiently. Modern aircraft are far quieter and in a post Covid world the older/noisier aircraft types are no more.

[commit aviation]

I thought the CAA had a policy to remove departure and arrivals routes which had a VOR dependency by now so that the VOR network (or what remains of it) can be decommissioned?
Perhaps this is tied up with Manchester's CAP1616 submission somewhere? I seem to recall these things are linked?

[Ivan aromer]

The SONEX 1R and 1Y departures,
Being a bit pedantic I suppose you need the MCT VOR to maintain track to the 3.00 DME point then turn to track 344 to intercept the WAL 081 towards SONEX but as most it will be done in NAV mode, it’s a bit academic. Passing the western boundary of the airfield you are almost half way to the 3.0D point.

[Ivan aromer]

HOVIS

Because a lumbering 380 or 777 flying overhead is quite noisy!

[waffler]

I see that Aer Lingus UK operate their first flight to Barbados tomorrow at 1015.
Good to see a new operation at Manchester.

[chaps1954]

Yes just out on a jolly at present should be back in 30 mins or so

[DomyDom]

New FR route to Ukraine:
MAN - LWO (Lviv) announced twice weekly (Fri, Mon) year round.
Also,
MAN - KBP (Kyiv) returns twice weekly (Fri, Mon) from Nov year round.

[SCFC1EP]

United Airliners have confirmed that they will not resume EWR-MAN in S22
Along with no return of Delta or American Airlines, we have no American carriers in MAN S22
What routes have been confirmed MAN-USA for S22
We have Aer Lingus UK 2 x A330 plus poss 1 x A321 and Virgin A333 x ?
Also what Canadian airliners have confirmed for S22
Just seen EDI are getting 3x UA 757's plus AC & WS

[Skavenger]

Ei UK will have 2 A333 and 2 321N for S22.
Boston commences on another 321N in April apparently.

[inOban]

EDI also get Delta and AA...

[Una Due Tfc]

SCFC1EP

Quite surprised by this seeing as UA are sending the B752s back on the NAT next year. SNN, EDI and the second daily EWR-DUB rotation have been re-instated as a result. Staying away from Oneworld (EI-UK) and Skyteam (Virgin)? Seems unusual

IAG piled on Norwegian with Level across Europe and the densified BA 772s at LGW with great success, seems they're doing the same with Aer Lingus UK at MAN vs Virgin.

[Skipness One Foxtrot]

Edinburgh and Dublin seem to have a much more balanced UK/US originating point of sale, both are capitals and popular city breaks in their own rights. Manchester is much more UK point of sale centric with relatively weaker invound demand and the US carriers seem to have accepted that. Perhaps that's another reason Delta gifted MAN to Virgin.

[nef]

Skavenger

So I only see a daily MAN-MCO for S22, which presumably uses up one A333. Sorry if I'm missing something obvious, but what's the other A333 going to do?

[coyotes_uk]

I wonder if it will service BGI, once they load the schedules for S22.

[HOVIS]

If it's daily, surely they will need two aircraft.

[chaps1954]

The other US flights start over the winter so number of aircraft needed will increase

[Curious Pax]

Not necessarily- previously had about 2 1/2 hours at MAN between returning from Orlando and heading back out there again.

[SCFC1EP]

Ryanair, Europe’s and now Manchester’s No.1 airline, today (29th Oct) announced as part of its largest ever Winter schedule at Manchester, a new route from Manchester to Cork, operating twice daily from 15th December. This new route is part of Ryanair’s massive Winter 2021/22 schedule at Manchester, delivering over 650 weekly flights to over 72 destinations

[Sioltach Dubh Glas]

Indeed, at present, Ryanair has approximately a 26% share of movements at Manchester.

[eye2eye5]

Another potential Emerald Airlines route gone?

[CabinCrewe]

Why did EI BOS get dropped- was it ever open for booking or forward numbers dire?

[HOVIS]

Due next summer I think. May just be seasonal too.

[BA318]

CabinCrewe

They have said it is still planned for launch just not in 22. It remains a medium term plan apparently…

[Una Due Tfc]

The second 321LR originally due in MAN has been re-allocated to SNN. Currently 321s are scheduled on a few former A330 routes in DUB (YYZ, EWR, IAD for example). If demand warrants A330s on these routes again then that’ll free up the 321s for the likes of DUB-BDL and MAN-BOS again. No more LRs due, the XLRs start arriving in 2023.

https://mediacentre.aerlingus.com/pressrelease/details/108/13493

[JSCL]

Where's the slack then in a tech situation in Manchester? Having booked MAN-JFK for Jan, times have been changed several times already and I'm half expecting them to route me through Dublin nearer the time.

Yet to be convinced by this Manchester schedule and it's longevity now.

[Una Due Tfc]

They can lease in an EI reg airframe to cover tech issues if required, it would be EUK crew flying it until the G reg airframe could be returned to service.

Current schedules only show 1 A330 based in MAN for summer to operate daily MCO. Seeing as there's already 2 A333s on the G reg and both are based in MAN today that seems odd.

There's 15 A330s in the fleet and the current summer schedule only accounts for 10 of them so maybe there's more to come. All 321LRs are fully utilised in the current schedule.

[MANFAN]

Any word on when T3 will re-open? With Ryanair increasing flights and based aircraft, it’s inevitable that eventually there will be a justification to re-open again…

The Ryanair and easyJet domestic/CTA arrivals facility in T1 is not fit for purpose! I witnessed yesterday an Aer Lingus A320 from Dublin and Ryanair 737 from Knock arriving at the same time and some of the coaches full of passengers were waiting 10-15 mins opposite stands 22/24 due to not enough room for more than 1/2 coach at same time dropping off passengers at the domestic/CTA arrivals area

[Mark J Bowcock]

Hi how many more aircraft are Ryanair basing? I flew through Manchester the other week and it took me over an hour to get through security in T1. The queue was backing up into the check in hall.

[DomyDom]

Ryanair also announced three weekly from Manchester to Derry.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-foyle-west-58912017.amp

[MANFAN]

I believe this is due to a shortage of security staff. MAG let too many people leave/go in my opinion. Not enough staff available now…difficult to estimate for businesses when to bring back staff and how many, I appreciate this, but there really is a shortfall right now. I only hope it’s improved by next March when the summer schedules kick in!

[Mr A Tis]

When has MAN every adequately staffed their security? When I passed through T2 recently, there was only one lane open & that included Fast track despite plenty of pax.
I'm due soon to take a 45 min domestic flight out of T1, is it acceptable to queue an hour for security for a 45 minute flight? Just adds to the misery of flying these days. Keep up these experiences and more and more will say....why bother.

[MANFAN]

Yes I agree ref not adequately staffing security in the past in all three terminals.
It’s the sheer number of Ryanair and Easyjet flights departing very close together which doesn’t help, however, no excuses as MAG should ensure adequate security staff are available!

When T3 reopens, I hope more security personnel are hired for the increase in next year’s Ryanair flights…

[MKY661]

Could this maybe be the reason they have been sending Departures A passengers through Departures B security?

[MANFAN]

Good question!
I was flying to Santorini with Ryanair 3 weeks ago, so dropped my case off in Departures B, but the security area was closed and we were directed upstairs to Departures A security which was rammed with about 5/6 lanes open but through in 15-20 mins.
Only Ryanair use Departures B so in theory, this should be open for these passengers, can only assume there’s not enough security staff for both sets of departure areas…

[MKY661]

Yeah they seemed to only let Fast track Security users through the larger Departures A Security, and it did take us an hour to get through the Departures B one sadly. Only 2 lanes were open too. This btw was first thing in the morning on a Friday so usually one of the busier times.

[Skipness One Foxtrot]

So were trained security staff not furloughed then recalled? Did they really just let them go and so they have to re-hire?

[The96er]

I'm not sure of the numbers involved, but I'm told that a lot have just simply left of their own volition.

[daz211]

Yes staff were furloughed, the problem is whilst on furlough you were allowed to work another job, I guess the security in an airport security roll still isn’t that secure.

[DomyDom]

MANFAN

To be fare I'm sure MAN are trying to recruit but with labour shortages in the UK generally it isn't that easy. I remember many security staff being Eastern Europeans so that particular source of labour will now be off limits. It's the same in hospitality and others service sectors.

[Mr Mac]

DomyDom
If you pay more you, you will get people, but unfortunately that will lead to increased cost which will have to be passed on, much as other Brexit bonuses, sorry for thread drift there.

[Dorking]

Curious observation there Mr Mac..You seem to be saying that it was ok for an important aspect of airport work to be rather underpaid, as long as certain EU citizens were doing it and holidaymakers didn`t have to pay more ?

[DomyDom]

Fair point Mr Mac.

[Yeehaw22]

There were also considerable redundancies in the same roles at other airports (I'm not 100% sure at man) and so cannot recruit for 6 months I believe? Unless they re-employ the same person.

As has been said I know of several security staff who went and got other jobs, often better paid, better shift patterns and less hassle at work. Why would they go back?

[HOVIS]

Dorking

Holidaymakers don't give a stuff. As long as their flight is cheap. Sad but true. If they cared, Ryanair would not exist.

[Ivan aromer]

Is the T1 Aspire lounge open yet?

[JSCL]

I was in it last week, yes.

[MANFAN]

Since around May/June (I think) T3 arrivals have re-started with BA using stands 42/43 and passengers then collect their luggage from T3 domestic arrivals and exit via T3. I believe Loganair, Eastern and Blue Islands domestic/CTA arrivals did this during the lockdowns anyway.
I have seen some first wave Ryanair departures using T3 stands and passengers bussed from T1 gate 20 to the aircraft...which certainly works fine.

I had heard a few months ago ref an integration of T1/T3 as one terminal. For how long...who knows. The Ryanair and BA check in areas in T3 are sure better in my opinion than the current T1 cramped check in area!
If the T3 security area could be extended and staffed adequately, the overall departures experience wouldn't be as bad...as for the arrivals, the immigration area is way to small to handle multiple Ryanair arrivals! If there is a way of extending this area...it needs to be done for the long term.

Q: Is the current way of getting from the T1 departure lounge to T3 gates only via the corridor you go through now, so once passing the T1 lounges entrance, you proceed down the corridor...you then walk past what are now the reassigned Gates 35/36/37 & 38 on the southern front?
These gates have now been reassigned to be part of T1 assets.

So T1 has Departures B for Ryanair only, but at the moment the current staffing levels for security seems to suggest Security B is not always open and if it is, only 1/2 lanes are available. Departures A Security doesn't seem to fair much better despite many more lanes available, but on my recent 2/3 visits since August, there were about 4/5 lanes open and around 15 min wait.
I assume this particular issue ref the staffing levels is one of the reasons MAG might not re-open T3 for departures...
My question would be though...for arrivals, are passengers going to be bussed to the international arrivals and domestic/CTA arrivals in T1 from the many Ryanair flights that will arrive on T3 stands or will they be processed by immigration and collect their baggage from within T3...although I appreciate these type of questions can't be answered right now...I'm sure management are discussing the way forward for next summer and beyond, of course depending on how things pan out over the winter.

Interesting times ahead...

[Boddingtons]

Just had an email saying virgin is not running the MAN-LAX route in summer 22 and thus flights cancelled. Sigh

[chaps1954]

That was talked about a long time ago

[CabinCrewe]

Was first I’d heard of confirmation today.
Suspect it wont be last of a VS (outside London) ‘cull’

[MANFOD]

That's not really correct as the web site was showing 3 x weekly bookable until fairly recently.
I assume it's now showing connections via JFK or ATL on DL.

[chaps1954]

I was told a least 2 months ago that it was not returning next year

[MANFOD]

Fair enough if you were privy to inside information, and without getting into semantics as to what is a 'long time ago' in your original post.

It seems it has only been officially announced in the last day or two as per CabinCrewe's post. Flights had been showing departing MAN for LAX on Mon/Wed/Fri as I recall.

MAN's US offering is looking decidedly thin in terms of destinations for next summer with EI only operating to JFK & MCO but not BOS as well.

[sportzbar]

I guess when you were told it wasn't confirmed then and at the time the flights were still going ahead. I only say this as a colleague booked the direct flights for June next year less than two weeks ago. He's not been contacted by Virgin yet to confirm the cancellation and only found out when I showed him the article.

Otherwise it would appear that Virgin were selling flights they had no intention of operating.....

[HOVIS]

As far as I'm aware the EIUK BOS service next Summer is still on. Where has this rumour come from?

[Downwind_Left]

Aer Lingus themselves;

“Aer Lingus remains committed to providing a Manchester/Boston direct transatlantic service. The commencement date of that service will not be in summer 2022 but remains firmly in the airline’s medium term network strategy.”
Aer Lingus drops planned Manchester to Boston flights (https://www.businesstraveller.com/business-travel/2021/10/29/aer-lingus-drops-planned-manchester-boston-route/)

[DomyDom]

MANFOD

I think we have to be realistic. The world has been through its biggest crisis since WW2 and we are not completely out of the woods yet. However, things are looking increasingly positive and already in the next few weeks we have regular flights to New York, Orlando and Atlanta back on our departure boards again . In addition we have most of our European network back. We have even had numerous new (previously unserved) European routes launched by FR, and EZY to Jordan, in recent weeks . On balance it's not surprising that VS and EI want to push back launch of LAX and BOS into 2023, the same is happening with the VS route from LHR to Havana. It will take time for passenger's confidence to come back and I think we just need to be patient as I'm confident demand will return, you can only do so much business over Zoom and people love their foreign holidays.

I remember in the spring and as late as the early summer arguing with folk who were telling me that international services would never operate from MAN again or were at least several years away. The fact that we are back in business is brilliant news. Lets not lose sight of how far we've come and it would be great to see a bit more glass half full debate on the thread again.

[BA318]

Singapore Airlines will resume Houston three times a week from Dec 1st as well.

https://www.google.se/amp/s/thepointsguy.co.uk/news/singapore-airlines-manchester-houston-fifth-freedom-flight/amp/

[chaps1954]

Virgin to New York has just departed(VS127) things are slowly going to recover from now onwards

[Sioltach Dubh Glas]

Today saw the restart of flights from Manchester to both New York (JFK) and Orlando airports. Flights are operated by Virgin Atlantic using a mixture of Airbus A330 and Boeing 787 aircraft.

[UnderASouthernSky]

Applying for slots is different to "will use".

[OzzyOzBorn]

QR27/28 slots are already in use ... they represent Qatar Airways' popular lunchtime service into MAN, one of upto three flights per day on DOH-MAN. Ops currently use B787-9 equipment since the change to Winter schedules, taking over from the B777-300ER's which operated during the Summer.

It would be a major surprise if QR27/28 slots went unused in S22. The real question is, what type will operate the service. If the issue which has grounded a number of QR A350's is resolved it could be those; I believe that these were the originally intended type for the route. But in their absence, the A380 could step up. Given that the PIA schedule to MAN remains very thin (relying on sub-leased A330-200 aircraft at low frequency) and that the Jet Airways Mumbai service has not been replaced, demand for connecting seats to the Indian Sub-Continent should underpin buoyant demand for reliable connecting services. And the capacity difference between an A350-1000 and an A380 isn't that great.

[HOVIS]

A350 on the QR21/22 all this week. Also, Biman return at Christmas. Twice a week.