Manchester Airport Consultative Committee (MACC) - Minutes

[Scottie Dog]

MACC draws its membership from Local Authorities (15 members); Amenity Groups (4 members); passengers and business users, and other groups representing Airport users, including disability representation, airport operations and staff, and independent bodies such as Which? and the National Trust (11 members). The Independent Chairman is appointed every four years by the Airport, and the Vice - Chairman is elected annually by the Committee from its membership.

Meetings
The meetings of MACC are normally attended by the Airport's Managing Director, and other Airport staff who give reports on the many matters of interest to the Committee. These staff are not members of the Committee, which is also serviced independently by its Secretariat, and supported by an independent Environmental Adviser.

The full Committee meets quarterly, next meetings are listed below:

• Friday 19th July 2019
• Friday 11th October 2019
• Friday 17th January 2020
• Friday 24th April 2020

There are also two sub-committees that also meet quarterly:

• The Technical Advisory Group - focuses on the external ‘face’ of the Airport, covering ground transport, environmental controls and policy, airline performance and airfield operations issues.
• The Airport Users Advisory Group - is responsible for advising on matters involving the operation of the terminals and passenger facilities.

It is not possible for members of the public to attend the TAG and AUAG meetings, however it is possible to attend the quarterly full committee meetings.

I will provide links to the Minutes of the meetings that were held on 18th January 2019 and then on 12th April 2019. I was able to attend the latest meeting, which was held on Friday 19th July and will also provide details of relevant items of interest when they become available for general discussion.

 

[Scottie Dog]

Link to the Minutes of the meeting held on 18th January 2019

https://live-webadmin-media.s3.amazonaws.com/media/6339/april-2019-12th-macc.pdf

 

[Scottie Dog]

Link to the Minutes of the meeting held on 12th April 2019

https://live-webadmin-media.s3.amazonaws.com/media/7218/july-2019-19th-macc.pdf

 

[Scottie Dog]

The next meeting of the Manchester Airport Consultative Committee will be held on Friday 18th October at 10am. The meeting is at Olympic House at the Airport.

As the meeting is open to the public, in an observer role, I will be attending. If anybody else is interested in attending please PM me and I can have you added to the list of attendees - this is so that the Olympic House reception know who to expect.

Scottie Dog

 

[IanFarquharson]

The next meeting of the Manchester Airport Consultative Committee will be held on Friday 18th October at 10am. The meeting is at Olympic House at the Airport.

As the meeting is open to the public, in an observer role, I will be attending. If anybody else is interested in attending please PM me and I can have you added to the list of attendees - this is so that the Olympic House reception know who to expect.

Scottie Dog

It will be interesting to hear their views on the TCX collapse and how they are going to fill the void.

I really cannot see how the airport will get back completely back to 30m level in 2020.

Like most airports 2020 will be challenging and I see MAN down probably around 5% the same at BHX.

A lot however depends on Jet 2 / Tui / Flybe etc

Ian

 

[Scottie Dog]

I was pleased to be joined by #Land23R at the latest MACC meeting on 18th October - which was also the 50th Birthday of the committee.

I'll provide an update next week with links to the minutes of the July meeting and a report from this month.

 

[Scottie Dog]

As promised here is a link to the agenda for the meeting on 18th October, together with the approved minutes from the previous meeting held on 19th July.

https://live-webadmin-media.s3.amazonaws.com/media/7939/october-2019-18th-macc.pdf

In all fairness the acoustics in the meeting room were pretty atrocious and a fair amount of the reports were hard to follow - hopefully this will be improved upon as I requested that the speakers be provided with microphones.

The report by ICCAN is fully detailed within the attachment, as is that from Brad Miller the COO. Unfortunately both Land23R and myself struggled to hear exactly what Brad said, the one part that did catch our attention (provided we heard it correctly) was the fact that the T2X check-in hall will not open until October 2020. The actual opening date for other parts of the extension was not specifically mentioned.

The next meeting is planned for Friday 17th January 2020 which I intend to also attend that event and will report in due course.

Scottie Dog

 

[LS@MAN]

Considering the check in area looks one of the more advanced parts...that’s surprising

 

[Scottie Dog]

Just a quick 'heads up' that the next meeting of the Manchester Airport Consultative Committee is on Friday 17th January at 10am. The meetings are held at Olympic House.

If anybody is interested in attending then please let me know and I will arrange for you to be added to the "Expected to attend" list.

Scottie Dog

 

[Scottie Dog]

Having attended the latest meeting of the Manchester Airport Consultative Committee can I high recommend that you all read the minutes and reports that are now available on the following link - it is a heavy read (69 pages in total) but it does contain a depth of information:

https://live-webadmin-media.s3.amazonaws.com/media/8645/january-2020-17th-macc.pdf

 

[Scottie Dog]

The following are from notes that I made at the meeting:

• Security queue times. Times are measured from time of boarding pass being scanned to arriving at the security belts
• A new SLA will be introduced for security queues at T2 when the new facility opens

• Brad Miller's report
• T2 extension is scheduled to me handed over to the airport on 6th March
• Live operations are due to start on 1st July - this will be 1 island of new check-in desks/Security hall/Airside lounges and shops/New coaching lounge/Immigration/1 baggage reclaim belt. The rest of the terminal opens in November.
• New routes - whilst short-haul routes have been filled following the demise of Thomas Cook it can take up to 2 or 3 years to get replacement long-haul carriers to fill the empty slots

• Latest Brexit position
• MEPs are due to vote on 29th January to approve Britain's exit prior to our formally leaving on 31st January
• Transition period until 31st December 2020
• No disruption is expected by the airport
• A new long-term aviation "Open Skies" policy is required as soon as possible
• MAG has an internal Brexit team working with Border Force

• Rail/Coach
• A briefing was given by Andy Saunders (Surface Access Strategy Manager)
• National Express are to open new links to - Birmingham/Chester and London. These are due to start in May 2020
• Megabus are planning new services from February 2020 to - Leeds/Middlesbrough/Sunderland/Newcastle, Bristol/Cardiff, Birmingham/Coventry
• A briefing was also given by Simon Elliott (Senior Project Manager - Transport for Greater Manchester)
• This covered the problems that have occured over the last year as a result of failings by Northern Rail and Transpennine Express
• David Neill (Head of Planning for Jet2) commented on the problems that Transpennine delays were causing to not only their passengers but also to their own staff when travelling to the airport.

 

[Scottie Dog]

Unfortunately I was unaware that the 13th July MACC meeting was being held via Zoom, however I have now discovered the link to the minutes of the meeting:

https://live-webadmin-media.s3.amazonaws.com/media/9206/agenda-and-papers-for-the-13th-july-2020-meeting.pdf

 

[LS@MAN]

Thanks @Scottie Dog thanks for the info.
Be interesting on 16th Oct at their next meeting to see if their plan for T2X is still in place i.e. opening in January...

 

[Land23R]

Thanks Scottie,

The section on Organisation Restructure is interesting with the new centralised group functions. Unless I'm missing it, I couldn't see who the respective MD's at each airport will report to. Is it Ken O'Toole, or Andrew Cowan, or both? Presumably they in turn will report to Charlie Cornish if he's CEO of MAG.

Disappointing but inevitable I suppose that work on Piers 2 & 3 of the TP has been halted.

 

[Scottie Dog]

Thanks @Scottie Dog thanks for the info.
Be interesting on 16th Oct at their next meeting to see if their plan for T2X is still in place i.e. opening in January...

I'll be watching the meeting on 16th and will post any information that might become available.

 

[LS@MAN]

I'll be watching the meeting on 16th and will post any information that might become available.

Any news/updates from the meeting on 16th?

 

[Scottie Dog]

My apologies #LS@MAN and I have no excuses - apart from old age!!

The following is a resume of the main items of interest - taken from the managing director's report to the committee:

Impact on flying programme
Like all airports globally, Manchester Airport has seen a significant reduction in traffic because of the pandemic.
Between April and September 2020:
 We handled around 1.7m passengers, compared with 17.4m in the same period in 2019.
 Air Traffic Movements stood at 20,646 compared to 115,271 in 2019, a reduction of 82%.
 Cargo amounted to just 14,344 tonnes handled down 75% from 57,228 during the same period in 2019.

Business impact
COVID -19 has had a significant impact to the aviation industry with airports around the world seeing passenger numbers drop by over 90% between March and July. The recovery of our sector has been stifled by the removal of ‘safe’ status of key markets.
Having been through a process of reducing costs throughout the business, including an operating model change that reduced our leadership population by over 25%, we are now having to take further action. A formal group wide consultation process has begun with airport employees and our recognised Trade Unions to explore several additional measures that are needed in order to protect the future of the business.
The proposals will match resource to demand, help to provide financial stability and ensure that the business is best placed to accommodate growth when it returns.
Subject to the outcome of this consultation process, there is potential for up 465 Full Time Equivalent roles to be removed from Manchester Airport.

COVID-19 measures
COVID-19 workplace risk assessments have been carried out for all office based and non-office-based work environments. Measures to conform to Government policy, COVID-19 guidelines, and aviation best practice, have been put in place. In the public areas changes have included:
 Five-minute loop public address system announcements encouraging distancing and outlining that face covering is mandatory, as well as requesting only one member of a travelling party attends the reclaim belt for baggage collection.
 Perspex screens installed at all check-in desks and most gates (all gates were completed by the end of September).
 COVID-19 safety advisory posters in all customer journey locations.
 Hand sanitizer in all customer journey locations; some with targeted floor markings.
 Some seating has been taken out of the departure lounges to provide more space for distancing.
 Mandatory face coverings and provision of vending machines to purchase masks.
 Introduction of a facility for guests to book a 15-minute slot for security screening, through a separate lane, to reduce dwell time. This is a trial and slots can be booked free of charge via our website.
 Introduction of UV light sanitisers to disinfect security trays.
 One-way systems implemented (where possible).
 Provision of ‘health declaration stands’ in immigration.
These measures are, of course, underwritten by an enhanced cleaning regime delivered by Mitie. Mitie have been working with Citrox Bio Science to sanitise our buildings, clean, seal and protect all touchpoint surfaces for six-months. This has been achieved using two products:
1. Citrox -A natural product used as a disinfectant deployed using a misting machine to cover the whole area of a room.
2. CitroxProtect -A combination product used for sealing non-porous surfaces.

Passenger facilities
During the pandemic we have closely monitored the flow and number of passengers/airlines using our site and matched the Terminal/Airfield facilities open/available to the demand at any one time. We reduced operations to a single terminal (Terminal 1) for April, May, and June. As the operations increased Terminal 3 re-opened on 1st July and Terminal 2 reopened on 15th July. Almost immediately after we reopened all Terminals in anticipation of flights and passenger numbers increasing for the school holidays, the government removed our major market, Spain from the travel corridors and therefore we consolidated the operation into Terminals 1 and 3.
Since the lifting of some restrictions we have been able to reopen the Escape Lounges in Terminals 1 and 3. JD Sports, Travel Bureau, Burger King, Grain Loft, Giraffe, Bar MCR, Starbucks, Greggs, KFC, Fat Face, Dixons, Pret a Manger and Caffè Nero have all reopened now too. It has been fantastic to see a ‘buzz’ coming back with people returning to their jobs and passengers able to enjoy their journeys again, after the rather austere facilities we were forced to offer our guests in April, May, and June.

MANCHESTER TRANSFORMATION PROGRAMME
Construction work on the new Terminal 2 extension, forecourt, airfield apron expansion and the first phase of Pier 2 are now substantially complete. We plan to open Terminal 2, for passengers, with these new facilities early in February 2021. The later phases of MAN-TP work, incorporating the completion of the Terminal 2 reconfiguration, baggage system, airfield and the second and third piers, have been deferred pending recovery of passenger volumes. Over the next few months work will continue onsite with the fitout of food and beverage facilities.

DEVELOPMENTS
A2 Drop & Go car park The new A2 Drop & Go car park opened in August. This new product provides 8,000 car park spaces over six levels (150,000m2 ). The facility serves all three terminals, unlike our other Meet & Greet products which are terminal specific. All guests need to do is leave their keys at the brand-new reception area, where they can self-check-in and our drivers will park-up for them in the secure car park.
Customer Transport Airfield Centre
The new Customer Transport Airfield Centre (CTAC) opened in August. CTAC, for the first time, provides a dedicated base for all the airside bussing fleet, as well as brand new colleague welfare facilities. The opening was preceded by a period of familiarisation and training.

OPERATIONAL DATA
On Time Performance (OTP)
On Time Performance (OTP), by departing aircraft, is determined by many factors; these may be airline, weather, airport related, en-route or from the destination airport. On a month-by-month basis performance was as follows:
 April -On time performance for all flights was 93.2% and 100% for first wave.
 May -On time performance for all flights was 92.5% and 94.7% for first wave.
 June -On time performance for all flights was 89.4% and 91.4% for first wave.
 July -On time performance for all flights was 93.5% and 95.1% for first wave.
 August -On time performance for all flights was 92.8% and 95.6% for first wave.
 September -On time performance for all flights was 95.0% and 94.5% for first wave.

Whilst many other topics were discussed I feel that out of courtesy to both MAG and, more importantly the MACC, I will refrain from posting more at the present time.

 

[LS@MAN]

Thanks @Scottie Dog for the detailed info.

Good news ref T2X opening.
I imagine T3 will remain open for mainly Ryanair, but was anything side about T1 once T2X opens?

 

[Scottie Dog]

Hi

Nothing specific said about T1. There was talk, just in passing, of needing at least 11m passenger per annum before T2 could become self-sufficient.

Only time will tell.

 

[LS@MAN]

When is the next meeting planned?