Manchester Airport Transformation Programme

[Billboy66]

I have read reports that at least some of the stands designated for Wide body aircraft on Pier 1 are not able to currently accommodate a 747 or A350. This has been put down to difficulties docking the new airbridges without potentially impacting the aircraft wing/engine in the case of the 747. The most recent OAN suggests two stands (106 and 110) are already cleared for 777-9, does that indicate that both stands can also accept both the 747 and A350 as I would imagine both of these types are narrower and shorter than a 777-9.

Will there be a need for the airport to modify the air bridges on the few stands designated for wide body aircraft? I’d imagine the supplier sold the air bridges as having the ability to dock to all aircraft types with the exception of the A380 so they would be liable.

I’m equally aware that there are a lot of people quick to knock the airport and the redevelopment, so it may just be people stirring things

 

[Scottie Dog]

Airside frontage of T2X courtesy of battenfobs on SSC

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[Scottie Dog]

Unfortunately my contact within MAG MANTP appears to have gone to ground this week and so I have no Weekly Update to provide.

Having said that I'm heading home after a photo session of my own and will hopefully have a limited set of shots to post on here later.

 

[Scottie Dog]

Here are a selection of photos taken on today's visit to Manchester Airport.

Part 1

General view from T1 car park with Pier One in the background
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A closer view with 2 TUI aircraft - Stands 106 & 110 and a Virgin A330 on Stand 104 (to the right)
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The new Baggage Sortation (is that an English word?) unit being built behind the East Pier of the old T2
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Looking along the landside of the old T2 drop-off zone
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And the opposite direction show the new T2 drop-off zone in the next 2 shots
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The drop-off ramp for T2X from a different angle
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For those who know the area this photo was taken from the bottom of Staff West, with Pier One off to the left - the photo shows the initial groundwork (in the background) for the new Lima remote stands.
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[Scottie Dog]

Here are a selection of photos taken on today's visit to Manchester Airport.

Part 2

In an earlier post Marni1971 said the he could only get as far as level 4 in the new car park. The good news is that level 8 (the roof) is now accessible, however the view is not great due to vertical vanes on the surrounding fencing.
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This shows the site of the taiway NA which is currently being remodelled into remote stands and that will finally form the west side of Pier Two
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Not a particularly good shot but you are looking over the top of Pier One with the site of the new Lima remote stands in the background
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Ground markings show the lead-in markings for stands 104-116
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Not directly relating to the MANTP project but there are 2 car park projects under way - the very large, and permanent, structure being built near to T3 - and the smaller car park under construction by T1 arrivals.
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[Scottie Dog]

MANTP Weekly Update #86, courtesy of the MANTP Project team

Part 1

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Ooops - don't ask where the little dialogue box in the screenshot came from!
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[Scottie Dog]

Part 2

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[Scottie Dog]

A couple more updates from battenfobs on SSC
Airside frontage of T2X
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I understand the columns are connected with lift shafts for the Pier Two bussing lounge
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[pholling]

I have read reports that at least some of the stands designated for Wide body aircraft on Pier 1 are not able to currently accommodate a 747 or A350. This has been put down to difficulties docking the new airbridges without potentially impacting the aircraft wing/engine in the case of the 747. The most recent OAN suggests two stands (106 and 110) are already cleared for 777-9, does that indicate that both stands can also accept both the 747 and A350 as I would imagine both of these types are narrower and shorter than a 777-9.

Will there be a need for the airport to modify the air bridges on the few stands designated for wide body aircraft? I’d imagine the supplier sold the air bridges as having the ability to dock to all aircraft types with the exception of the A380 so they would be liable.

I’m equally aware that there are a lot of people quick to knock the airport and the redevelopment, so it may just be people stirring things

The only issues with wing/engine interaction would be for docking at the L2 door. Though there isn't anything obvious about the pier 1 stands that indicate they would be substantially different from elsewhere. I know some aircraft have very tight clearances when docking with the L2 door, e.g. A321s. Even then, you should be able to use the L1 door, even if less desirable. My guess is that the issues with the 744s and A350s has as much to do with training and other temporary equipment as anything else. The 777-9, which hasn't even flown yet, will be the largest Code E aircraft in service, the 748 and A380 are all Code F. Given that the OAN does not preclude A350s and 744s, my guess is that they are now allowed, but may not be preferred.

 

[Scottie Dog]

Personally I'm not too worried about the 747s as Virgin are rumoured to be retiring theirs by 2021 and they are the only regular user at present. As such their aircraft can be currently accommodated on the current facility. obviously this will change when work on Pier 3 starts in 2020. Hopefully by then all the stands on Pier 1 will be operational.

 

[Scottie Dog]

MANTP Weekly Update #87, courtesy of the MANTP Project team

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[marni1971]

Here’s a thought.

What’s the rational in building pier 3 before 2? Surely to build number 3 they’ll have to loose a large chunk of the legacy gates both during and after the building work. Building pier 2 next would mean they’d have the 7 legacy contact gates plus the 11 new ones all operational for the duration of the works and beyond.

The new bussing lounge complex will already impede some airfield movements. Why not just carry on and finish the pier?

 

[Billboy66]

Here’s a thought.

What’s the rational in building pier 3 before 2? Surely to build number 3 they’ll have to loose a large chunk of the legacy gates both during and after the building work. Building pier 2 next would mean they’d have the 7 legacy contact gates plus the 11 new ones all operational for the duration of the works and beyond.

The new bussing lounge complex will already impede some airfield movements. Why not just carry on and finish the pier?

I think there are a few logical reasons. Pier 3 will add a number of widebody gates (including an A380 gate) and the Emirates lounge, which facilitates moving over the likes of Emirates, Etihad and possibly Thomas Cook A330’s in 2022. It also allows for the connection of the existing (but refurbished) Pier C to Terminal 2, which required the new link corridor to be in place, which requires the demolition of most of the 7 legacy stands 208-202. The reconfiguring of the floors in the existing T2 terminal will take out 211, 210 and 209 when it closes for refurbishment after T2X opens and I’d imagine that work will prevent any connection from T2X to stands 208-202. The new departure lounge in T2X is a level above the departure floor in T2 and they will have to put a new mezzanine floor in where the existing grass 211 to 209 are. If you look at the image below a new floor will go in about 2/3rds of the way up the current large windows in T2.

You could argue that operationally they could embark on both the development of Pier 2, Link corridor and Pier 3, simultaneously but finances will dictate that the spending needs to be spread out over a 5 year period rather than a 3 year period.

It will means that by 2022/23 you’ve got Pier 1, Pier 3 and Pier C serving the new T2 via airbridged gates. They will also, as you said have the Pier 2 bussing lounge offering capacity on remote stands. The plan for Pier 2 currently is to add just 7 airbridges that will accommodate up to A321/757 aircraft. I’d imagine some of the low cost/charter operators have probably indicated they are happy to tolerate bussing to remote stands or even staying in T1 in the short term (2024) in return for being able to expand their operations. I’m sure the likes of Emirates and Etihad however are very keen to move their customers over to the shiny new terminal and the exclusive lounges it will bring and the airport will also hope that capacity in the new new terminal will attract new longhaul scheduled operators to the airport in the near to mid term.

I may be totally wrong however, as I’m not connected with the airport in anyway just merely an interested spectator. View attachment 13013
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[Scottie Dog]

Thank you Billboy66 for a very well worded and thought out response to marni1977's post.

 

[marni1971]

I think there are a few logical reasons. Pier 3 will add a number of widebody gates (including an A380 gate) and the Emirates lounge, which facilitates moving over the likes of Emirates, Etihad and possibly Thomas Cook A330’s in 2022. It also allows for the connection of the existing (but refurbished) Pier C to Terminal 2, which required the new link corridor to be in place, which requires the demolition of most of the 7 legacy stands 208-202. .

Currently the link to pier C is a literal stuck on the end section of legacy T2. 202-8 are independent of this.

Regarding floor plates, surely it makes sense to have two piers available from T2X before they start messing around with the legacy layout. Just a thought.

 

[Scottie Dog]

Two updates courtesy of battenfobs on SSC

Level 45 (Executive lounges and Food & Beverage)
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Work on Pier 2 bussing lounge
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[Scottie Dog]

Following on from Billboy66's post #804 I thought I would look back over previously published timescales for work on the MAN-TP project.

The following screenshot, dated 7th May 2018, shows the planned apron work and the dates for each part:
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As the quality of the shot is rather poor I have rewritten the construction period below, with any extra comments:

D1a - Lima Remotes and Lima Taxiway - (911,913 & 915) Period 01/04/19-17/03/20
D1b - Lima Remotes and Lima Taxiway - (901, 903, 905, 907, 909) Period 1/04/19-17/03/19
D2a - New Delta Taxiway (East & Central Stand 62-Stand 69) Period 15/10/18-22/05/19 -
D2b - New Delta Taxiway (East & Central Stand 71-Stand 72) Period 17/03/20-14/07/20
D3 - West Gate Remotes (Stands 931, 933, 935) Period 12/07/19-24/04/20
D4a - Juliet CDS Period 19/09/19-04/03/20
D4a - Pier 3 West-Pier 2 East island infills Period 13/05/19-05/12/19

As you will see the plan appears to be to have remote parking available around the site of Pier 2 by the start of March 2020 when Juliet Cul-de-sac is completed (Project D4a).

 

[gonetech]

As you say, Jet2 are moving across to T2 in phases. Eurowings and Brussels Airlines switch at the end of this month. This raises the possibility that other Lufthansa Group carriers may follow in due course. Austrian, Swiss, Lufthansa themselves?

Brussels Airlines nightstopper (TinTin) on T2 tonight (29/4)

 

[LS@MAN]

New pier 1? Did it arrive at T1 then get moved to T2?! I’m Flying with them in 3 weeks looking forward to using the new pier!

 

[MKY661]

It will means that by 2022/23 you’ve got Pier 1, Pier 3 and Pier C serving the new T2 via airbridged gates.

Won't Pier B also be part of this as well? Heard that was also going to stay but with a remodel.

New pier 1? Did it arrive at T1 then get moved to T2?! I’m Flying with them in 3 weeks looking forward to using the new pier!

It arrived on Stand 203.