The Real Manchester Airport

[airbuddie]

So Much For All Those Extra Jobs

IT is about time people were made aware of what is happening at Manchester Airport. In theory, the airport is owned by all the people of Greater Manchester who pay council tax.
The second runway and the expansion of the airport promised up to 5,000 new jobs, but
most of the new jobs are on minimum wage contracts for catering firms and such like.
Hardly any of the new jobs are for permanent MA Plc positions. Where skilled workers are
needed, we have seen many of the existing airport jobs going out to contract.
Last year we had market rates of pay imposed on all new starters. The board investigating market rates of pay found that most employees were currently overpaid, but - surprise, surprise - the top managers were underpaid.
This resulted in new employees doing exactly the same job being paid less than an existing employee next to them; not exactly equal opportunities for people such as ethnic minorities, women or disabled.
The management in their wisdom decided that the security staff 'with years of experience screening hold baggage were not suitable any more because they would not agree to a worse shift roster. So they sidelined them and brought in a contract firm on low wages to do the work, exactly the sort of thing we are now told is not wise in the aftermath of the twin towers terrorist attack.
In many departments people leaving or retiring have not been replaced, and increased
workloads from the increase in passengers and baggage, etc., are being dealt with by fewer
people. This may have been evident to air travellers who suffered long queues and delays
over the summer.
When they opened Terminal 3 several years ago, they didn't take on more staff, they simply used people from Terminals I and 2, and reduced staffing in those areas.
Now the last straw. After restructuring the airport group into five smaller groups (and
removing 10 managers in the process), there are to be large scale job losses. This has been
going on for weeks, not just because of the downturn in the travel industry. Ask your councillors what is going on and demand that they drop the proposed job losses at Manchester Airport.

An Airport Worker, Cheshire

Manchester Evening News 11 October 2001

The Truth Is Out!!

[dwlpl]

Things may get worse with a limited budget being made to go around more UK airports that operate under MAPLC.

[airbuddie]

US attacks put Ringway in turbulent times Email this to a Friend

PASSENGER numbers at Manchester Airport were up on the year last month despite the havoc wreaked to services by the terror attacks in the United States.
A total of 63,000 more travellers passed through the terminals than in September last year.

However, the 3.05 per cent growth rate was around half that of previous months this year, indicating times are not as good as they would have been.

Bosses, who this year opened a £172m second runway to cope with demand, admit they still have work to do to restore confidence among the public about flying.

Ringway handled 2,111,000 passengers compared with 2,048,000 in September last year.

Charter services enjoyed the biggest rise, by seven per cent from 1,274.000 to 1,191,000, as people took holidays they had booked in advance.

Positive

The positive Manchester picture contrasts sharply with figures at BAA, operator of Heathrow and Gatwick and other regional airports.

After last month’s US attacks, passenger numbers were down by 13 per cent at Heathrow and by 6.2 per cent at Gatwick. Cargo tonnage at BAA was down 22.9 per cent during September.

At Manchester, flight cancellations to North America immediately after the New York and Washington outrages caused a fall in long-haul travel.

The number of passengers who flew directly to North America last month fell from 114,885 to 102,154.

Overall, international scheduled passenger figures were only slightly down, from 606,541 to 606,500.

Short-haul European flights enjoyed an upsurge, suggesting people who were planning leisure breaks in the US switched to continental destinations.

Domestic travel

On domestic routes, numbers were down by eight per cent from 250,000 to 230,000. Services to London were particularly hit because fewer passengers connected to US-bound flights at Heathrow and Gatwick, and business travel reduced overall. Last year’s figures were high because travellers switched to the air during the fuel crisis.

The airport has suffered a triple blow in recent weeks with announcements by Cathay Pacific, Malaysian Airlines and Air Canada that they have or are ending services to Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Toronto respectively.

However, no flights between Manchester and the US have so far been scrapped, even though several airlines have swung the axe across their networks.

Tim McDermott, Manchester Airport’s head of commercial and aviation development, said: ‘‘There’s a confidence issue that needs to be addressed.

‘‘The network is holding up but we need to work with the airlines because it is a priority to make sure they continue to achieve strong sales.

‘‘We want to help them develop marketing strategies to ensure that people are aware that the choice is still there from Manchester Airport.’’

[sky9]

There is a rumour that the upgrading of the baggage system in terminal 2 has been put on hold. For those of you who don’t know Manchester the Terminal 2 baggage system is a total joke that breaks down as soon a more that a dozen bags are put on it. 10 days ago there were 2-3 hour delays on departing flights while baggage was sorted and loaded manually.

It frankly is a disgrace, shame the directors aren’t forced down there to do the manual work of loading bags; it might make them keener to resolve the situation. Meanwhile it is the airlines that take the blame.

Personally I think we should give the passengers the email address of the chief exec and his home telephone number: anyone know it?
:mad: :mad:

edit for speling!!

[ 12 October 2001: Message edited by: sky9 ]

[Pete Otube]

airbuddie,

The trouble with Manchester Airport workers, as I remember, is that hardly any of them actually do ....

Or have things changed?

[160to4DME]

Just for the record, MAA PLC has absolutely ZERO cross financing from one aiport to another. Each is successful or not on its own merits.

Also, for the record, not one of the routes mentioned has been withdrawn permanently.

Air Canada is being made seasonal for this year.

An email from MAS says that their suspension of service is part of their restructuring, and that they will be returning in the new year.

Cathay has retained all its MAN staff, and their intention remains to return in April, and long term, the intention is for MAN-HKG to be non-stop service.

This thread stinks of sour grapes, and I don't think anyone has grounds for complaint when other airfields and other parts of the industry are in such dire straights. :mad:

[Delboy]

I would love Manchester Airport to be in the vanguard of efficient and innovative airports. Unfortunately, as long as it is run by Manchester Corporation, it doesn't have a chance. I have been travelling regularly to the Far East for the last 6 years, using Terminal Two. I have also used T2 for two holiday departures. I can state, without exaggeration, that on every single occasion that I have used T2, at least one of the moving walkways, and sometimes both, have not been working. When I have complained to the airline staff, they have told me that they are always trying to get the walkways repaired, but to no avail.
I have complained to the Supervisor, who told me that children press the stop buttons. At 7 o'clock on a Winters morning? I don't think so. On another occasion, I saw two maintenance men about to disappear through double doors. I asked them who was responsible for keeping the walkways working. 'We are,' they said. 'Well they are not working,' says I, 'Would you mind fixing them.' They looked at me blankly and quickly pessed on through the doors and into their refuge. The walkways are hardly essential to able-bodied passengers, but the MIA attitude to them highlights the malaise which afflicts the place
MIA is a Corporation airport with Corporation attitudes. It will always be expensive and below par. Just out of interest, has anyone ever seen both walkways working?

[Pete Otube]

Delboy - thanks

I see that Manchester airport is, after all, as I remember it.

[Ex NAV]

airbuddie - It is about time that MA plc attack which must be one of the most unproductive and overpaid airport workforces in UK airports - (Car Park bus drivers earning over £25K with a roster that has been in place for eon's - Market rate approx £15K) - and thats only a start. They took on the fire hall and won and I hope security is next.
I only hope this cost saving will flow through to compensate the high cost of operations at the airport - somehow I doubt it?

160 - CX, AC and MAS will never be back in the near to distant future - does not matter what they say - MAN is a low yeild airport for traffic and these airlines only place routes here in the good times when they have nothing better to do with their aircraft. SQ has got this S/E Asia and Aussie/NZ market sown up with their hub at SIN and will stay.

Delboy - They never work - refer to my reply to airbuddie - same malaise affecting all areas!

[Flapskew]

What about the 40 minutes it takes to get baggage in T1. How is the airport going to improve things for the Commomwealth Games with expected increase in pax numbers?

Maybe the airport will close given the high insurance costs now.

[alcoflyer]

How many staff work for MAPLC ?

About ½ of them...........

[MACC 29 all the time!!!!]

Wonder if the baggage loading belts in T" are manufactured and run by the same company responsible for the moving walk ways in the sky link!!!

Ever noticed how they are alwasy broken in your direction of travel only!!! :rolleyes:

[airbuddie]

Ex NAV

So you want to see security wages cut at MAN.

To what level?

Management are very eager to get the security wage bill down.

They have already gone down the "America Road" of allowing competitive tendering at the airport to force wages down!

As American and the rest of the World have found out competitive tendering for Airport Security is now a No No.

A number of reports in the U.S. By the Government Accounts Office (GAO) all came to the same conclusion:-

Security workers were the lowest paid works in the airport (less then Burger King)
Training was inadequate
Airlines and Airports always went for the lowest tender
The average turnover of staff p.a. In the U.S. Was 126% at St Loius it was 416%
There was a lack of motivation and a definite lack of experience.
Wages were between $7 and $10 p/hr
Untrained staff operating Hi-Tech equipment

Manchester Airport has companies like Securicor/ADI (HBS Screening) ,ICTS, Initial and Menzies all operating alongside MAPlc Security. These companies were given contracts because they submitted the lowest tender.

The above companies employ workers on minimum wage, (£4-£4.75 p/hr) with no enhancements (ie shift pay, weekend enhancement, or pension). They have a large staff turnover and find it difficult to recruit and retain staff.

For companies to be the lowest tender they must cut their costs further to compete, which ultimately leads to lower wages, cutting the training budget and maybe cutting corners.

This is here at MAN now and it can only get worse. Lets pray the airport sees the light!

Just check these observations out below:-

"The failure of the low-bid system to provide for public security is not a surprise to anyone with even a passing familiarity with economics and incentives. This would seem not to include most free-market zealots, who maintain that privatisation is the answer to our problems. In order to secure contracts, security companies must underbid competitors. Seeking to push up stock value and maintain shareholder confidence, airlines and their security contractors cut costs, and, as with all corporations, those cuts aren't going to come from the salaries of executives. Rather than eliminate costs through low worker pay and poor training, though, the result is that those costs have been dumped onto society. On September 11, our society paid dearly".
"Isn't it awfully obvious now that airline and airport security is also national security?" said Mary Schiavo, former inspector general for the U.S. Department of Transportation who oversaw two audits critical of FAA airport security standards. "And we're entrusting that security to someone who makes $6 an hour watching the X-ray machine because of a system that rewards the lowest bidder."

PROFIT BEFORE SAFETY!!

IS IT WORTH THE GAMBLE?

WOULD YOU WORK FOR THAT??

WOULD YOU WANT PEOPLE WORKING FOR THAT PROTECTING YOUR AIRLINE/AIRCRAFT and PASSENGERS??

[ 13 October 2001: Message edited by: airbuddie ]

[dwlpl]

There has been an item in the UK on Fox News regarding rates of pay for security personnel within airports in the US and Europe.

The US pays on average $5.15 per hour and in Brussels the rate of pay is $14 per hour.

[SPIT]

Delboy
I have to agree with your comments. In another life I worked at LIVERPOOL AIRPORT for my sin's and whilst it was run by the Council it was like a small family run shop and it never got anywhere but now it is run by a private concern (Peel Holdings) at least it gets more that 10 Aircraft per day ( but it will never rival Manch ) :rolleyes:

[PENNINE BOY]

As a regular user of T2 for the past 3 years I must agree with the comments made on this thread.On all incoming flights the time to wait for your baggage to arrive is at least 30 mins.I try and travel with hand luggage only.It is just as bad trying to get through X ray machines in summer with only 1 machine working.