Manchester: Airport Transformation Programme

[Scottie Dog]

Good morning Mathew

Yes, the pier is still on track for an opening on 1st April. The lack of updates is mainly due to the contractors having been on holiday between Christmas and 7th January. Hopefully we will start to see updates coming through in the next few days.

I'm away from my laptop until the weekend and so will not be able to post much until back home - mobiles aren't particularly good at uploading photos onto forums.

One positive is that I'll be having a tour of the new facility on Thursday night and will be able to give my personal thoughts and opinions after that. Whether I'll be allowed to take any photos is another question.

 

[LS@MAN]

Hi, thanks for the info. I regularly fly with Brussels airlines so I hope to use the pier in april.
Looking forward to hearing your views/opinions.

 

[Coathanger16]

Hi, thanks for the info. I regularly fly with Brussels airlines so I hope to use the pier in april.
Looking forward to hearing your views/opinions.

Do we know what airlines will be using the pier when it opens? Or is it just random assignment for all T2 carriers?

 

[Scottie Dog]

I understand that it will be an "open carrier" facility, so it will be used all at some time.

 

[RhysTheBeast]

That makes sense, though I would imagine that when it is all complete, there will be some sort of organisation of who goes where.

 

[LS@MAN]

I'm flying with TUI in may and Brussels airlines a few times before then so hope to or I imagine I'd be in the pier for those flights given their both meant to be there from April

 

[Scottie Dog]

Yesterday I had the good fortune to be able to join a tour of the new Terminal 2 Extension. We were scheduled to actually visit Pier One, however there had been a slight mix up and Pier One was not accessible due to construction work. With it being night time I'm afraid that some of the photos are not necessarily of the quality that I would like.

Tour of Terminal 2 Extension

Our tour started on the ground floor in what will ultimately be the arrivals meeting area. From there we moved into the baggage reclaim hall which will have 10 baggage carousels, compared with the 6 in the current T2 hall. Then it was up stairs to a mezzanine floor where immigration will run the full length of the building. At the back (airside) of the immigration hall was the location where the link connector will be located.
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Baggage reclaim hall

Entering the check-in (from the wrong side) I was immediately struck by the height of the facility and the airy aspect. The length of the hall seems to be massive and, when combined with the existing T2, will be even larger.

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Check-in hall

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View of approx half the check-in hall

From the check-in area passengers will walk forward to the new security facility and then upstairs to the shops.

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View from check-in towards security

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Escalator from shops to food hall 1

The photo above shows us now on the fourth/top floor. Current plans, apart from for more food and beverage facilities are for an Escape Lounge as well as a separate lounge for Virgin Atlantic. Emirates will be building their own lounge on the top floor of Pier 3 when it is constructed.

Hopefully the old grey cells have remembered exactly what we were shown.

 

[Scottie Dog]

"Our Friend" is back from his Christmas break and is kindly providing updates:

Looking down the side of T2X with the link-bridge to the multi-storey car park in the background.

Apron view, with Pier One in the background, through a wet window:

 

[Scottie Dog]

From Planetalk Issue 74 to whom full credit is given - please do not copy to any other site of forum, thank you:

Part 1

]

 

[Scottie Dog]

Part 2

 

[Scottie Dog]

OAN 07/2019 MAN‐TP – PIER 1 CRITICAL PART CHANGE
OAN REF:‐ 07/2019 DATE OF ISSUE:‐ 25/01/19 EFFECTIVE DATE:‐ 28/01/19 EXPIRY DATE:‐ Permanent
1.0 SUMMARY
1.1 On Monday 28th January 2019, the Critical Part (CP) security boundary will move to bring the new Pier 1 airside.
2.0 PROGRAMME
2.1 The exact time that the CP boundary change will come into effect is dependent upon time that the security search is completed, and the area is deemed ‘clean’.
2.2 The attached drawing shows the new CP boundary, the old CP boundary and FOD fence locations.
3.0 OPERATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
3.1 This change will affect all stands and taxiways around the pier and the Pier 1 building itself.
3.2 Due to ongoing works, access to Pier 1 and the surrounding stands is on a strictly permission only basis (for example, if you are escorted as part of an ORAT trial).
3.3 A FOD fence will remain around the new pier whilst construction activities are ongoing.
3.4 Contractor access is via the Runger Lane security gate unless otherwise agreed with Airfield Security.
3.5 The attached drawing (Fig. 1) shows the emergency vehicle access routes.
3.6 During February and March, ORAT trials will gather pace, and aircraft will be towed on to stands for this purpose. No live aircraft movement will take place until nearer the opening date.
4.0 LOW VISIBILITY OPERATIONS (LVO)
4.1 Low visibility has no effect on this security boundary change.

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[Scottie Dog]

Our "Old Friend" has been sending me a number of updates which I have pleasure in sharing:

In the distance you can see the link-bridge from the new car park to T2X and which is now receiving its cladding.

A beautiful night time view of the multi-storey car park

Looking along the link-connector from T2X to Pier One

View from T2X looking across a wet apron towards Pier One - note the number of stands that are currently out of service.

Looking down on the new check-in hall at T2X

Outside the arrivals area with the drop-off ramp above

Escalator up to the food and beverage area

View from the food and beverage level

 

[marni1971]

Was this ever posted?

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[Scottie Dog]

I've not seen that before marni1971.

 

[marni1971]

Given Long Stay Two and Staff West surface car parks close February 1st here’s my latest semi regular video tour of the TP, the last chance to drive along the new Pier One.

 

[Scottie Dog]

PlaneTalk Issue 75 has now been released with plenty of new photographs.

Part 1


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[Scottie Dog]

Part 2

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[Scottie Dog]

Part 3

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Check-in hall Terminal 2 extension
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Link bridge MSCP to Terminal 2 extension
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[Scottie Dog]

Part 4

Terminal 2 extension forecourt ramp above and Arrivals Hall on the ground floor
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[Scottie Dog]

And finally for today a couple from the Airport's Twitter feed.....

Airside frontage of T2X - the white panels behind the new cladding are temporary screens that will be removed after the glass is fully installed.
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East side of Pier one
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