MAN Base
 

I'd be grateful for any info on how easy/difficult it is to get a base at MAN and who has the largest crews there (assuming that makes it most likely to transfer)? Any other advice on benefits/drawbacks - traffic, parking, security etc. For personal reasons I'd eventually like to be based there.

Thomas Cook, TUI, JET2, VS, BA, RYR. I would guess that TC is the biggest UK pilot employer at MAN. MAN is the UK HQ. Company seems to be centralising the operation to fewer bigger bases with MAN being the largest by far. Jet2 have expanded recently too. TUI are/have been recruiting for UK bases, but I don't know if MAN is on offer.
As regards working at MAN, much the same as everywhere else. Parking is currently a major pain due to airport expansion, don't see that changing. Security has improved to a standard where it doesn't stress you too much. If you do come fresh to MAN consider carefully where you live, the road network from the SW and NW is a daily nightmare. Closer to the staff carpark the better.

macdo

I'm certain British Airways is based at LHR and LGW. Flights are operated in and out of Heathrow and the Cityflyer subsidiary has rotations away from LCY but none of this constitutes a base..........

BA don't have a MAN crew base I'm afraid.

I’ll admit this is probably an old fashioned “lived the dream” POV but given the flux in the industry I’d suggest to the OP that it is a bit optimistic trying to finesse one’s choice of employer based on their current bases....it would certainly be well down my list of desirable criteria, certainly below the likes of “are they actually employing anybody”, “how much do they pay”..etc....

Actually as has been mentioned BA is a classic example. It had a popular base there for years...not any more...

Sorry, my bad! I forgot that BA closed MAN. It is a good point though. If you are particularly keen to live in a certain part of the UK, choosing an airline with the head office on site is about as good a protection as you can get. Having been evicted from my cosy single aircraft base some years ago, it is a factor that I would put a lot of thought into if I were to do it all again.

I would think Thomas Cook would be 4th on the list of pilot numbers at MAN, they will be eclipsed by Jet2, TUI and probably Flybe I would think.

As for operating from MAN, it’s a typical large airport. Staff come down the pecking order, so you have many drawbacks.

Mini BA, ie Cityflyer are at MAN


...........but no base!!!!!!

Thanks all - looks like there's potential for Flybe, Thomas Cook, TUI, JET2, VS, RYR which is good info.


Wiggy - I'm fully on board with initially going wherever any opportunity might arise and similarly when command is offered. It's just MAN would be the ideal so I wanted to gauge how difficult that might be (the other half needs to be kept briefed!) Cheers.

Fair enough, hope you get something that works for both of you...good luck:ok:

It took me 10 years from getting my CPL to getting a job based at MAN!! Having said that others are lucky and get their preferred base straight away.

I’d forgotten about Valdermort Airlines, they’re probably bigger than Thomas Cook too now, not that I’d touch them with a barge pole.

easyJet has a decent sized base at Manchester. Less than 12 months wait for FO's and about a 4 year wait for captains on the transfer lists...

MY son got MAN with TCX after just 12 months being based at GLA.

Thats interesting, any idea of a rough number for J2 or Tui?

Ah, Ok, then TC pilot establishment at MAN is considerably greater than that of J2.

Yes, staff parking and the bus service are a disgrace. Wythenshawe and a bike is the sensible option.

MAN Base
 

Difficult to get a flight case/ CC wheelie bag on a bike though!

Actually. you (and I am) would be surprised how many pilots do pitch up on 2 wheels. Showers and lockers are provided for cyclists. Motorcycle parking is a short walk from the terminal.Tricky for long haulers though, but one or two do it. I have to say that I have never seen CC arrive on 2 wheels, but I bet there are someone who does.

Manchester security really has to be the worst in the UK. Whether it's the queues at T3 for pax because every bag gets pulled or flippant comments from security at staff specific searches "all liquids and iPads must come out of the bags" gee thanks I haven't done that 100's of times for the last few years.

U.K. Security has a lot to learn from the rest of the world. In the USA at most airports flight crew everything can stay in the bags and you just whisk through. I had an oversensitive scanner that beeped on me once in the states and the machine went off. TSA official to me "gee sir. I'm not quite sure what to do I've never had to search flight crew before. Would you object if I gave you a search. I'll tell you exactly what I'll be doing when and if you have any objections to what I'm doing I'll call my supervisor to make sure I'm doing it correctly so I don't cause any offence. I'm really sorry sir I know you have a very long night ahead of you".

- The constant yelling at passengers to take liquids out, belts off, laptops and iPads out, jackets off BEFORE getting to the trays. How many pairs of hands do you think I have, or shall I kick it along the floor?

- Aggressive, confrontational staff that seem to want to start an argument with anyone unfortunate enough to pass through the system

- X-ray machine operators that appear to send an unmanageable amount of bags aside for further searching by the above staff (operating at snail's pace) - never seems to happen anywhere near as often at other airports

- In T3 I've never seen more than 2, possibly 3 lanes open, despite there being many more of these expensive scanners sat there doing nothing.

There's no point in questioning anything either - like trying to reason with a nightclub doorman! I truly hope that once the new terminal building is done and dusted, the security process is improved markedly, as it's a miserable start to any journey from MAN at the moment and has definitely got worse. An airy and modern environment with new equipment might inspire the staff that work there to improve their customer service too, here's hoping. I notice that they don't have any of those little instant feedback smiley/unhappy face buttons on the way out of security either... hmm.

Add that to the list along with the car park saga, poorly laid out terminals, the stained concrete buildings falling apart and every entrance being wafted with cigarette smoke, it's glorious. At least they are addressing it finally. Roll on 2 year's time!

Oh well, while we are having a moan. What about the new OOG luggage belt recently installed in T1? Twice the size of the old one and unbelievably twice as slow!!!! Even the poor old operator had his head in his hands. MAG really are in contention for most useless airport operator in the UK.

I hadn't applied much thought to this before, but going thru security, as crew, is easier anywhere in the world than Manchester. But, as I said earlier, it has improved :-)