Manchester Airport - General Thread

[IanFarquharson]

The news today that the government is to speed up its climate change commitments and include international aviation and shipping could well have an impact on airport expansion around the country, including the LHR third runway.

How many annual passengers could MAN handle before it needed to go to its local authority and seek planning permission to expand its facilities to enable it to handle more?

Shouldnt be an issue for MAN or any other UK airport getting back to 2019 pax levels will take years.
MAN were just short of 30m at their peak and I would imagine with the latest work and their runway capacity they will be good for the foreseeable future.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Shouldnt be an issue for MAN or any other UK airport getting back to 2019 pax levels will take years.
MAN were just short of 30m at their peak and I would imagine with the latest work and their runway capacity they will be good for the foreseeable future.

Looking at the 'noughties' recession most airports took at least 3-4 years to get back to pre-recession levels and some (notably LPL, NCL, EMA and CWL) were still below their best ever pre-recession years at the end of 2019, pre-pandemic.

Accepting that aviation recovery won't be quick and might well take longer generally than the recession recovery, i was looking at the longer term and wondered at what annual passenger level MAN would need planning permission to expand further.

 

[IanFarquharson]

Looking at the 'noughties' recession most airports took at least 3-4 years to get back to pre-recession levels and some (notably LPL, NCL, EMA and CWL) were still below their best ever pre-recession years at the end of 2019, pre-pandemic.

Accepting that aviation recovery won't be quick and might well take longer generally than the recession recovery, i was looking at the longer term and wondered at what annual passenger level MAN would need planning permission to expand further.

I would imagine over 40m pppa maybe higher

 

[Scottie Dog]

The unknown, and often discussed elsewhere, is what happens if T1 is demolished. Would planning permission be required for a new-build on an existing site?

 

[Scottie Dog]

Manchester Evening News - 15th April

A further 138 jobs at risk at Manchester Airport as union members vote on deal to take pay cuts instead​

Union boss describes 'genuine attempt by the union and airport to safeguard jobs and protect rates of pay as far as possible'

(Image: Mirrorpix)

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Manchester Airport staff are facing another round of redundancies as the hub struggles amid pandemic restrictions.
It's understood 138 jobs are at risk at the hub, as Unite members ballot on a proposal which could save the roles through the workforce taking pay reductions instead.

It follows an incredibly tough year for the workforce, which has already lost 465 of its number to redundancy - with more than 1,500 jobs cut by external contractors - and a 10 per cent pay cut across the board.

But Unite the union members are now being balloted on a proposal that would suspend the need for further redundancies.
The proposal, hammered out by the union and hub bosses, would see staff move to a 20pc reduction in line with the Government's furlough scheme if they are not needed to work, with the freedom to also seek work elsewhere.
Meanwhile, those who continue to work would receive 90pc of their wages, regardless of how much they work. This would increase to full pay for those working 85pc or above of their normal hours.

Passengers at Terminal 1 at Manchester Airport on Christmas Eve, 2020 (Image: Joel Goodman)
Lawrence Chapple-Gill, Unite regional coordinating Officer, told the Manchester Evening News the proposal was a 'genuine attempt by the airport and the union to safeguard jobs and protect rates of pay as far as possible'.

He said if members vote in favour, it would bring some stability until the furlough scheme expires in September, when it's hoped there will be more security for the travel sector as a whole.
He added: "The agreement would be that for the duration of the furlough scheme there would be no compulsory redundancies.
"The intention and certainly the hope is that between now and the end of September we'd be able to see those redundancies mitigated or avoided."
He added: "We are all about protecting jobs to the maximum and also trying to protect pay. We think in the circumstances the aviation industry find itself at the moment we've got an agreement worthy of acceptance but it's up to members to decide.
"Redundancies will hopefully be avoided - and certainly for the duration of the furlough scheme."

Staff had already taken a 10 per cent pay cut last year after Covid-19 restrictions led to plummeting passenger numbers and left just one terminal operational.
But without a firm plan for when international travel will fully return, the proposal on the table would see quarterly reviews on those staff asked to work and those continuing on furlough, starting in April.
Where there is no available work, staff would be paid 80pc of their wage in line with the Government's furlough scheme. They would also be allowed to find work elsewhere.

Those who continued to work would receive 90pc of their salaries, regardless of how many hours they work. This would increase to full pay for those working 85pc or above of their normal hours.
This work would be allocated on a 'fair share' basis subject to rosters, skills and experience. It's understood these salaries would not fall below national minimum wage.

A spokesman from Manchester Airports Group, which runs the hub along with Stansted and East Midlands airports, described the last year as the 'most challenging in our history, with aviation hit harder by Covid-19 than any other sector'.
He added : " As a result, tens of thousands of people have sadly already lost their jobs across the industry.
"MAG has not been immune to these challenges and, having significantly reduced in size during the course of last year, we are currently consulting on a limited number of further redundancies across our three airports.
"Separately, we are in discussions with our Trade Unions over proposals to avoid further compulsory redundancies though new temporary pay and working arrangements for the year ahead.
"This reflects the fact that there remains some uncertainty over the nature and timing of international travel resuming and how that will impact our operations."

“If approved, these arrangements will enable colleagues to return to work on full pay as soon as the industry recovers.
“The overarching aim of these discussions is to protect jobs and deliver the best possible outcome for our people in the circumstances and we would like to thank our Trade Unions for their cooperation.
“As these discussions are ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further.”

 

[Scottie Dog]

Manchester Airport Group's CEO calls for roadmap to restriction-free travel

The group includes London Stansted and East Midlands Airport

www.business-live.co.uk

Manchester Airport Group reveals Covid-19 impact as CEO calls for roadmap to restriction-free travel​

The group includes London Stansted and East Midlands Airport

Manchester Airport has revealed the impact the Covid-19 has done on passenger numbers (Image: MEN UGC)

Manchester Airport Group has revealed the impact of the Covic-19 pandemic on its passenger numbers as its CEO called for a roadmap to restriction-free travel.
The group, which also includes London Stansted and East Midlands Airport, has called for greater cooperation between governments to track new Covid-19 variants, "rather than relying on costly PCR tests".

MAG has also urged the Government to create a new category for restriction free travel to aid recovery.
The calls have come after MAG’s annual passenger numbers slumped 90%, a year since the aviation industry was placed into near shutdown.
The group said that a roadmap should be based on "greater cooperation" between the UK government and its overseas counterparts, to share information about the emergence of new Covid-19 variants of concern and "eliminate the need for travellers to take expensive PCR tests" on their return.
Currently, the UK Government proposes that all passengers – even those returning from the lowest risk 'green' destinations – will have to take a PCR test, so it can gather data that will help with genomic sequencing.

However, MAG said this could be avoided if governments worked together on sequencing and sharing data on variants.
The group has revealed that it served 93% fewer passengers in March this year and that its rolling 12-month passenger total is down 89%.
https://omaze.co.uk/pages/cotswolds...eSuOJfIgVskjvbcAh5Rw1BMG06CDDwU8o6KjLlcrJi6wt
In March 2019, MAG served more than four million passengers, compared to March 2021 when it served 140,000 - a 97% decrease.
Manchester Airport handled just 95,798 passengers in March 2021, 89.8% down on the 942,900 it handled 12 months earlier. At Stansted, the figure was 44,259 this March, compared with over 800,000 a year earlier – a 95% drop.
At East Midlands Airport, the airport served just 71 passengers for the whole of March this year, against 106,529 in 2020.
In March 2019, MAG’s 12-month rolling passenger numbers stood at nearly 62 million, compared to just over six million in March 2021 – down a total of 90%.
MAG chief executive Charlie Cornish said: "The UK government is among the first to have set out proposals for a system that enables international travel to resume and should be applauded for taking the lead.

"After more than a year of almost total shutdown – and with so many jobs and so much economic value at stake – it’s really important we get people moving again once it is safe to do so.
"We now need Government to confirm the 17 th May start date as soon as possible, along with the list of countries that fall into each 'traffic light' category."
Mr Cornish added: "But the price tag attached to testing will hold back the recovery and hinder the sector’s ability to power the UK’s economic revival as a whole.
"The requirement to complete a PCR test on return from even the safest countries adds potentially unnecessary cost and the Government’s attention must now turn to finding smarter and more affordable ways to manage the risk posed by new variants of concern.

"This should be achieved by forging ever-closer partnerships with key markets and developing transparent ways of sharing data into these variants so they can be effectively contained.
"Where we can trust data from other countries, forcing people to spend money on expensive PCR tests, to obtain the very same information, would represent a colossal waste of everyone’s money.

"Covid-19 is a global problem and requires a coordinated international response, not just in bringing the pandemic under control, but in developing solutions to enable a return to restriction-free travel between countries where there is a lower level of risk.

"The Government should also be looking to the UK’s world-leading vaccination programme as a means to remove further barriers to travel to as many destinations as possible.
"Only by setting ourselves on a course back to restriction-free travel now will the aviation industry find itself on a road to full recovery, unlocking the wider-ranging economic benefits that brings."

 

[Scottie Dog]

From our friend at SPD_Travels on Twitter

Airline restart dates 2021​

This list compiles a list of when airlines are expected to resume services at Manchester
I won't detail frequencies or individual routes as they will vary on a weekly basis. Some important notes:
-This information is garnered from their websites or booking engines.
-information is subject to change based on both airline decisions and Local border conditions.
-some flights pre-May are likely to change due to govt rules around international travel restarting no earlier than 17th May.
-I accept no liability for the information posted here.

Aegean Airlines: 30th May
Air Baltic: 2nd June
Air Canada: Summer 2022
Air France: now operating
Aer Lingus: now operating
Air Malta: 1st June
Air Transat: 18th June
Aurigny: 28th May
Austrian: now operating
BH air: 24th June
Biman Bangladesh: unknown
Blue Islands: 7th June
British Airways: now operating
Brussels Airlines: now operating
Cathay Pacific: 31st Oct
Correndon: 28th May
Eastern: 1st June
Easyjet: now operating
Emirates: Now operating
Etihad: now operating
Ethiopian: now operating
Eurowings: now operating
Finnair: now operating
Iberia: 3rd June
Icelandair: 4th June
Jet2: 24th June
KLM: now operating
Loganair: now operating
Lufthansa: now operating
PIA: suspended due to red list
Pegasus: now operating
Qatar: now operating
RAM: winter 2022
Ryanair: now operating
Saudia: 28th March 2022
SAS: 18th May
Singapore Airlines: 2nd Oct
Swiss: now operating
TAP: now operating
TUI: now operating cargo only
Turkish Airlines: now operating
Virgin: 1st June
Vueling: now operating

 

[EGCC_MAN]

UEFA UCL & EL FINALS 2021

UEFA aims to negotiate 4000+ tickets for fans of each club reaching the UCL Final (Manchester City have qualified for this). The final is to be held in Istanbul which offers a good prospect that chartered flights would operate in daylight at MAN. 4000 is a much reduced capacity based upon normal expectations, and we can expect the usual suspect politicians to argue for blocking even these.

My expectation is that should a (very welcome) airlift of any size go ahead at all, it will likely be far less interesting to the enthusiast than normal. By late May, we’d generally expect the based fleet aircraft to be committed on their regular flight programmes from MAN, and therefore to be unavailable for ad-hoc football charters. Hence, a major football airlift often results in a fine selection of ‘weird and wonderful’ visiting aircraft. However, with around 4000 tickets available and very limited regular programmes in operation, I’d anticipate a healthy selection of Jet2, TUI, EasyJet and Ryanair regulars to be available for the asking. Great for those companies if welcome extra business comes their way, not so much for the enthusiasts!

In reality, it ought to be possible to arrange for fan daytripper groups to be maintained in a ‘covid-bubble’ from start to finish with little interaction with the indigenous Turkish population during their visit. This would enable much a more generous ticket allocation, though I won’t hold my breath for any of our timid politicians to embrace creative thinking of this sort.

Obviously, the same dynamics will apply to Manchester United’s likely UEFA EL final appointment in Gdansk, provided that the unthinkable doesn’t occur seeing them surrender a commanding first-leg semi-final lead.

But, right now, I’d welcome ANY airlift as a breath of fresh air. Even if it is a parade of familiar Jet2 B752’s and B738’s.

Fingers crossed that our quivering, squeamish politicians permit any fan participation at all.

 

[Jerry]

New hotel at Manchester Airport will have terrace overlooking airfield

Guests will have a great view of the airport

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk

 

[Rob c DSA]

UEFA UCL & EL FINALS 2021

UEFA aims to negotiate 4000+ tickets for fans of each club reaching the UCL Final (Manchester City have qualified for this). The final is to be held in Istanbul which offers a good prospect that chartered flights would operate in daylight at MAN. 4000 is a much reduced capacity based upon normal expectations, and we can expect the usual suspect politicians to argue for blocking even these.

My expectation is that should a (very welcome) airlift of any size go ahead at all, it will likely be far less interesting to the enthusiast than normal. By late May, we’d generally expect the based fleet aircraft to be committed on their regular flight programmes from MAN, and therefore to be unavailable for ad-hoc football charters. Hence, a major football airlift often results in a fine selection of ‘weird and wonderful’ visiting aircraft. However, with around 4000 tickets available and very limited regular programmes in operation, I’d anticipate a healthy selection of Jet2, TUI, EasyJet and Ryanair regulars to be available for the asking. Great for those companies if welcome extra business comes their way, not so much for the enthusiasts!

In reality, it ought to be possible to arrange for fan daytripper groups to be maintained in a ‘covid-bubble’ from start to finish with little interaction with the indigenous Turkish population during their visit. This would enable much a more generous ticket allocation, though I won’t hold my breath for any of our timid politicians to embrace creative thinking of this sort.

Obviously, the same dynamics will apply to Manchester United’s likely UEFA EL final appointment in Gdansk, provided that the unthinkable doesn’t occur seeing them surrender a commanding first-leg semi-final lead.

But, right now, I’d welcome ANY airlift as a breath of fresh air. Even if it is a parade of familiar Jet2 B752’s and B738’s.

Fingers crossed that our quivering, squeamish politicians permit any fan participation at all.

In normal times in would have been some airlift over the two games especially with it being Man City's first Champions League final thousands upon thousands without tickets would of just travelled for the experience the Turkish carriers that serve Manchester would have had a field day. Back in 2002-2003 season Celtic made the UEFA Cup final 100,000 travelled to Seville many sleeping on the streets.

 

[EGCC_MAN]

UEFA has now confirmed PORTO as the host venue for the UCL Final. Manchester City is expecting to be allocated around 6,000 match tickets and will be organising flight packages for eligible fans who wish to attend the game. Many other fans are expected to travel independently without match tickets. Portugal is 'green list'. Covid tests yes, quarantines no.

So there will be an airlift of sorts, though not on the usual scale. I'd expect the bulk of flights serving City fans to operate from MAN, though there could be an element from London too provided that segregation from travelling Chelsea fans is taken care of.

Remember that we have an airlift for the Europa League Final in Gdansk too (amber list) with Manchester United having been allocated a modest number of tickets for fans wishing to attend there. I'd still like to confirm the actual number of tickets allocated - my impression is that the number is disappointingly low. Perhaps a United fan who has had direct communication from the club can tell us more?

Istanbul - the proposed host city which has lost out this year is now expected to be invited to host in 2024 (?) - when the final was next due to come to Wembley. But I haven't seen confirmation of that. Next year's final is set for St Petersburg.

So we need the Manchester clubs to keep qualifying for finals!

Good luck to both in their respective finals.

 

[Land23R]

It's reported on the Manchester United web site that 2,000 tickets will be available for the Europa League Final in Gdansk for United fans. Apparently the Polish authorities have waived quarantine requirements on arrival as a special dispensation, so hopefully we should see at least a few extra flights for that game too.

 

[Scottie Dog]

SPD travels

@SPD_travels

Let’s hope Portugal allows Brits in from 17th May, otherwise it’s going to be a disaster for travel companies. There’s 8 flights on MAN-FAO on 5th June alone!

 

[Silvercity]

SPD travels
@SPD_travels

Let’s hope Portugal allows Brits in from 17th May, otherwise it’s going to be a disaster for travel companies. There’s 8 flights on MAN-FAO on 5th June alone!

I do hope so i booked to go early July with Easyjet from Liverpool. Being the UK is probably the best European nation with respect to Covid, you would expect that to be taken into account.

 

[CM.]

SPD travels has now put on his Twitter that Portugal may not open until the end of the month. I hope not but looks likely to be at the moment.

 

[EGCC_MAN]

Official: MCFC has been allocated 5,850 match tickets for the UCL final in Porto.

Most will be attached to the official club day-trip package operating MAN-OPO-MAN. Sheik Mansour is paying for all fares and transfers on this!

Afew tickets will be made available for eligible independent travellers.

So there should be an airlift of sorts. Jet2 parade???

 

[Scottie Dog]

UK's largest airport group named one of FTs’ Climate Leaders for 2021​

Posted 28 May 2021 · Add Comment

Manchester Airports Group (MAG) has been named one of the Financial Times’ Climate Leaders for 2021 in its inaugural report, published yesterday.

Above: Manchester Airport.
Courtesy Reg Hufton Crow / MAG

The research, conducted by Statista, has placed MAG 23rd on the list of Europe’s 300 leading companies.

MAG’s greenhouse gas intensity, which is defined as tonnes of CO2 emissions equivalent per €1m of revenue, reduced by 32.7% between 2014 and 2019. This reduction not only placed MAG within the top 30 but also made it the top performing company in the transport category, ahead of other aviation sector firms Malta Airport and Fraport.

The reduction in MAG’s emission intensity was driven by innovations in energy efficiency, including the introduction of intelligent building controls at Manchester Airport. The initiative links lighting, heating and ventilation systems to live flight schedules, to ensure only required spaces are heated at any one time. Between 2014 and 2019, MAG also implemented its Decarbonisation Strategy at London Stansted Airport.

MAG has always led the way in sustainability for UK aviation sector and was the first airport group in the UK to be certified as Carbon Neutral. MAG is also a founding member of the Government’s ‘Jet Zero Council’ launched in summer 2020. The council brings together the Government and the UK aviation industry, helping to shape policy in order to meet the UK aviation industry’s net zero target by 2050.

Last year, MAG published its new five-year CSR Strategy ‘Working together for a brighter future’, which takes its climate commitment even further. The Strategy includes a goal of making MAG net zero carbon by 2038 - 12 years ahead of the UK industry target. MAG also launched a competition to incentivise the decarbonisation of the wider aviation industry, offering five years’ free landing fees, worth more than £1m, to the first airline to operate a zero-emission commercial flight from one of its airports.

Neil Robinson, MAG’s CSR and Airspace Change Director, said: “To be named as one of the Financial Times’ Climate Leaders for 2021 is a fantastic achievement for MAG. Not only that, but to be in the top 30 and be the top performer in the transport category is something we are really very proud of.

“It is testament to the hard work of people across MAG, whose commitment to implementing new ways to reduce our climate impacts is the reason we are able to celebrate this achievement today.

“We hope that by continuing to be ambitious and innovative in our approach to minimising our environmental impact that we will continue to be an industry leader in aviation emissions reduction in the future.”

Mike Wilton, the Chair of Manchester Climate Change Partnership said: “It is really pleasing to see the progress being made by MAG on this agenda as evidenced by their achievement in the FT European Climate Leaders table. We are also encouraged by the very positive engagement MAG has made with the Partnership, and to see MAG’s climate action stretching beyond its own emissions and into the wider industry.

"Through it’s leadership position, MAG’s contribution to the decarbonisation of UK aviation will be particularly important to ensure that the city of Manchester remains at the forefront of leadership in tackling the critical issue of aviation emissions.”

 

[Scottie Dog]

Why has Manchester Airport stopped live Arrivals and Departure information online?​

Passengers can no longer check flights on the website or app

Enter your postcode for local news and info

Manchester Airport has stopped publishing live Arrival and Departure information on its website and app.
The online resource had for years been a helpful guide to passengers to check if scheduled flights were due on time.

However, Manchester Airport bosses say they have removed the tool to 'avoid potentially having misleading information out there' during the pandemic.
As background guidance, they said flight schedules are 'changing all the time' during the pandemic which, combined with volumes of traffic, means it's the 'best course of action' to remove the live flight overview function from the website.

They advised that passengers can still get live and accurate flight information directly from their airline.
They said that the function would be back on the website 'as soon as operations ramp back up, airlines' schedules stabilise and circumstances allow' and said that they would keep customers updated on this.

One passenger from Wythenshawe told the Manchester Evening News: "If you look at other online flight information you can still see all the flights arriving and taking off so I don't know why they have done that at Manchester Airport.

 

[Seasider]

I would imagine that someone has looked at the website and due to an error, missed their flight?

 

[Scottie Dog]

I must admit that when I look at the FR24 arrivals/departures - to compile my occasional movements report - I am amazed at the number of Tui flights that are still appearing, although with no actual movement timing (i.e. they are not operating)