Manchester: General Airport Discussions & Updates

[Bilko]

Hi Scottie

Yes indeed I agree with you the only downside is today's flight has only just left Manchester with a four hour outbound delay. This obviously impacts on pax connecting through Bahrain to other destinations.

This seems to happen on every outbound and yet the inbound is always on time who are the ground agents, is it security issues or ATC delays, clearly not a good situation for the airline or its passengers connecting onwards. I know all about the Security fiascos from 16 years personal experience!!

Gulf Air is on T1 so that goes some way to explain it. Surely it has to be more than lack of staff or perhaps not thinking about it!!!

Perhaps MAGBAD management in their infinite wisdom and foresight shouldn't sacked over 100 Security officers ( final total unknown ) myself included for failing an x-ray test over which I have no issue but all were experienced long servers who would be exceptional in other roles, but no MAGBAD ie Smarteypants had to use Covid as a convenient cover to justify their actions. Now look at the mess they are in doesn't make sense to me or anyone else.

Your thoughts!!

Regards Bilko.

 

[Scottie Dog]

I'm afraid I can't give you an answer to your question however, like you, I'm concerned with the delays occurring to the outbound aircraft.

 

[Land23R]

It can't be down to security surely. The delays there have not been that bad. I don't know which handling agent deals with Gulf Air but I would have thought it was more likely the unloading and loading of bags and freight that were the issue. With a scheduled departure time of 08.15, or is it 09.15 BST, I'd have thought the early rush would be over even if the handler for some reason was giving priority to its busier customers.
Are the flights carrying much freight and could that be the problem?

 

[LS@MAN]

I was flying to Munich last Sunday on the 10.45am Lufthansa flight. I arrived at the airport around 8am, through security by 8.30am and after a quick visit to Pret, I was sat at gate 25 by 8.45am!
Whilst there I noticed the Gulf Air flight boarding next door at gate 27. It looked a very busy flight and boarding seemed to take an age! Plenty of baggage containers and cargo being loaded....but everything was completed by around 9.45am...I expected it to depart before our flight, however,
we pushed back on time at 10.45am and still by then the Gulf Air hadn't left the stand...according to FR24 it landed at 7.10am! I noticed an airbridge was still attached but all of the cargo doors were closed. Stand 27 has two airbridges but there was only one attached, maybe this is why it took so long to board the passengers, but doesn't explain the reason for the late departure.

 

[Llandudno]

The gulf air isn’t being delayed by MAN issues. It’s slots and GF related admin.

 

[Bilko]

Hi LS@MAN

Many thanks for that observation the plot thickens as they say. Apart from ATC delays I can't see anything else to delay its departure. Unless someone on the ground staff is aware and forthcoming it's a mystery, as you say a very busy flight as my figures confirm. I know pax get to the gate late but that doesn't explain the length of the delay!!

Todays Kuwait has changed to an A330 for the month and todays pax figures were as follows.

Inbound 196 and outbound 157 from my very reliable source!! Presume a lot are students returning home from North West Universities.

Cheers all from Bilko.

 

[Scottie Dog]

That's a bit strange that GF admin could cause such delays?

 

[Llandudno]

That's a bit strange that GF admin could cause such delays?

Something to do with load planning, not sure what the issue is specifically but all I’ve been informed us that it’s not a MAN issues as all pax clear security on time and all loading is completed on time.

 

[EGCC_MAN]

Re ATC delays. If ATC slots were responsible for lengthy delays to Gulf Air flights, then other flights following similar routings would be affected in the same way. Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Kuwait Airways etc. But they appear to be operating normally. So unless the ATC delay were specific to Bahrain itself, I'd suggest that the delay is not ATC-related.

 

[Llandudno]

Re ATC delays. If ATC slots were responsible for lengthy delays to Gulf Air flights, then other flights following similar routings would be affected in the same way. Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Kuwait Airways etc. But they appear to be operating normally. So unless the ATC delay were specific to Bahrain itself, I'd suggest that the delay is not ATC-related.

Or the slots the Gulf Air are willing to pay for. Airlines are more than able to determine their own fate with slots by paying premium charges for en-route slots (for example T-7 down to the canaries is cheaper than through French airspace), or if airlines are willing to take alternative routes around congested areas.

Nothing in aviation is black and white.

 

[EGCC_MAN]

But the scenario you relate represents a carrier making a commercial choice of routing to suit it's own financial interests. This is quite different from ATC restricting flights due to lack of capability. Most carriers operating from the UK to the Gulf region have been keeping good time as far as I can tell, so ATC is not routinely disrupting them. If there was an ATC issue, multiple carriers would be affected.

 

[Llandudno]

But the scenario you relate represents a carrier making a commercial choice of routing to suit it's own financial interests. This is quite different from ATC restricting flights due to lack of capability. Most carriers operating from the UK to the Gulf region have been keeping good time as far as I can tell, so ATC is not routinely disrupting them. If there was an ATC issue, multiple carriers would be affected.

Then I don’t know I’m afraid. All I know is that all boarding is completed on time, so it isn’t a MAN specific issue.

 

[LS@MAN]

Please can MAG replace the lighting on legacy T2 so it actually reads Manchester instead of anchester (and some of those letters are about to go out)!
LED lighting known to last much longer and not as expensive on the electric bill!

 

[marni1971]

Please can MAG replace the lighting on legacy T2 so it actually reads Manchester instead of anchester (and some of those letters are about to go out)!
LED lighting known to last much longer and not as expensive on the electric bill!

Grief. Really?

After that they might take a jet wash to the legacy T2 MSCP and T1 lower check in. The dirt and grime is a real mess.

Whilst they’re at it, they never put up proper T3 direction signs on Ringway Road West. One little yellow sign that by all accounts when most drivers see it it’s almost too late.

It’s the little things that count too. But I messaged “customer services” about the state of T2X in June and never heard back. Not even a courtesy reply. Makes you wonder if those who make the decisions ever look further than their desks.

 

[Scottie Dog]

Grief. Really?

After that they might take a jet wash to the legacy T2 MSCP and T1 lower check in. The dirt and grime is a real mess.

Whilst they’re at it, they never put up proper T3 direction signs on Ringway Road West. One little yellow sign that by all accounts when most drivers see it it’s almost too late.

It’s the little things that count too. But I messaged “customer services” about the state of T2X in June and never heard back. Not even a courtesy reply. Makes you wonder if those who make the decisions ever look further than their desks.

I have had an email from my airport contact, having mentioned the 'dirt and grime' problem and have been assured that it has been taken up with Mitie at a high level. Whether that 'high-level' does anything is of course open for debate!!

 

[Scottie Dog]

BRITISH AIRTOURS FLIGHT KT28M REMEMBRANCE – ONE-MINUTE SILENCE.
OAN REF: 049/2022 DATE OF ISSUE: 15/08/22 EFFECTIVE DATE: 22/08/22 EXPIRY DATE: 22/08/22
1.0 SUMMARY
1.1 Manchester Airport will observe a one‐minute silence at 12:00L on Monday 22nd August 2022 in memory of the 55 passengers and crew who lost their lives in the 1985 accident involving British Airtours flight KT28M destined for Corfu from Manchester Airport.
2.0 PROCEDURE
2.1 On Monday 22nd August between 12:00 and 12:01L no aircraft shall land or take‐off or start/test engines. Aircraft will, however, be permitted to taxi. 2.2 The above will not apply to aircraft that have declared an emergency.

 

[Manchester Exile]

Does anyone know the number of passengers inbound / outbound on yesterday's Hainan flight?

 

[LS@MAN]

A recent visit to the airport I noticed a TUI 737 being unloaded by Swissport but with Blue Handling carts…am I correct in saying this is the Ryanair side of ground handing?

 

[BlueManc]

Anyone know why the online arrivals https://www.manchesterairport.co.uk/flight-information/arrivals/ is permanently set to "Refer to airline".

Appreciate it giving up when covid restrictions were causing chaos but it's not much use to anyone in current mode.

Same for EMA & STN.

 

[Scottie Dog]

Anyone know why the online arrivals https://www.manchesterairport.co.uk/flight-information/arrivals/ is permanently set to "Refer to airline".

Appreciate it giving up when covid restrictions were causing chaos but it's not much use to anyone in current mode.

Same for EMA & STN.

The question has been asked on your behalf and I'll let you know when a response has been received.

SD