Manchester Airport Forum | NVR July into Aug

Cheers guys, everything MAN related here thanks.

Thanks world_rep.

I've concluded that with all the holding fuel a/c must carry these days, it would take single runway ops for an extended period at LHR, or a severe thunderstorm on final approach for an hour in the summer, or a 'snoclo' for at least an hour in the winter, before we can think of getting diversions. It must be the third or fourth time this summer that there's been long holding delays with just about everything getting in.

what a shame thats a BA744 aswell!

All BA aircraft into LHR are carrying extra fuel for the duration of the Olympics (Extra 1000kg) for shorthaul, not sure about Longhaul a/c, so diverts are unlikely. However, there is a divert procedure in place which involves MAN, BHX and CWL. Cpt's discretion as to which he choses.

Flybe

Not sure if this has been mentioned before, but MAN - BRU only seems to be bookable up to 10 Sept.
If they are dropping this route, it just leaves the 4 flights by Brussels Airlines.

Apart from tweaking schedules to provide better domestic connections, there doesn't seem to be anything new following the big announcement about the MAN hub, and it's disappointing if they are now cutting a European destination.

Which long haul carriers are they supposed to be linking with for connections at MAN?

Changes to schedules "without a reason" seems to be a normal occurrence at flybe as this Guardian blog clearly shows
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/blog/2012/jul/13/book-flybe-flight-tickets?newsfeed=true

flybe has also cancelled Birmingham-Hamburg and Southampton-Frankfurt from September, so Manchester hasn't been singled out as the only place to reduce the activity.

Etihad and Aer Lingus are to begin codesharing.

MAN-DUB/SNN/ORK on the list, so Im assuming the SNN/ORK-MAN is aimed at pushing more passengers our way.

Hi guys, what time does Etihad 340 come in tomorrow? Dropping the City team off? I know its tomorrow

Seems STN is to have the star movement of the Olympics (in my eyes). China Southern A380 in for a week 31st July-6th Aug. Shame that didn't come for parking along with the Gabon B777!

Thanks for that worldrep , appreciate it

Even Stansted drops by quite a large number of aircraft over winter

Regarding FR, they are due to run aprox 12 daily flights out of MAN over the winter. I've heard from 8th November it's drops to 2 aircraft until march, but apparently rises to 4 for a brief period over Christmas? Not heard to much on that however, so I would take it with a pinch of salt. Routes like Warsaw, rzesow and Katowice are running throughout the winter, which weren't last year. So I'm guessing even though we have same amount of based aircraft we might still be up in terms of weekly movements? It's well known FR park aircraft for winter, they have been doing so on a massive scale at the likes of STN and DUB as Ian mentions. I think World rep your bang on with your expansion trend guesswork. Upping by two every summer before dropping back for winter. Wouldn't surprise me even if we hit 6 aircraft next summer to see it drop back to 3 or even 2 for the winter though, just with the state of the economy and FR's practise of parking aircraft over the quieter months. As I mentioned, I'd expect aircraft 3 and 4 to be back in full time utilisation by mid to end of march, with 5 and 6 coming soon after. (if so that expansion should really be announced Within a few months?) as world rep mentioned people within FR (I have spoken to a few high up in the MAN operation myself) are pretty sure of summer expansion next year. Hopefully MAD is back on the boards!

Regarding easyjet, I've had a thought about this strange MAD situation we find ourselves in (I remember stating a while ago I would eat my hat if we were left without a MAD route before Christmas, who is eating humble pie now haha!). My idea is this: could U2 have signed an agreement within an agreement with LPL to run some routes, such as MAD, regardless? I mean if MAD is more profitable from MAN than it is from LPL but the former is the one being cut it makes no sense. And I find the answer to this intriguing; when MAD started from LPL was MAN without a MAD route? So did LPL 'write' it into the U2 contract to serve the LPL-MAD route as it was unserved from MAN?

Has to be something going on re MAD !

Interesting! With regard to EZY at LPL I wouldn't be suprised if it is a political move in the light of them pulling aircraft. However it really doesn't make sense though when one looks at the apparent economics of the situation. I must say given EZY's hesitancy in recent years to expand at MAN I'm amazed they signed up to such a long commercial straight jacket with LPL, however those were different times with a different managment at both EZY and at MAN. Crazy really however it would be interesting to year from the horses mouth the reasoning.

I have no inside knowledge but I think that we will see MAD back next year. MAD will not be happy with those routes being pulled as they will loose business. I hear from people in Spain that there has been some flexibility now shown by MAD on landing fees, whether is is enough to get our route back however I don't know.

Interesting link to the EasyJet presentation, showing how far behind the rest of the network MAD and LPL are! Guessing LGW is the one out front. Any idea where MAN is on the table monitoring returns?

Hi again eveyone some pax figures from today.

EY015 134 191
EK021 130 98
EK017 226
EY8724 78 went out empty to AUH having dropped off the Champions!!
UA020 133 163
SQ328 113 180
UA100 130 159
AA210 156 178
AA054 187 215
QR045 212

I don't often get celebs through Transfer's but we did today. The author and star of lot's of TV series etc Angela Lansbury came through en route Abu Dhabi to Cork, complete with a full set of replacement knees and hips. Age gets to us all eventually.

Also MCFC goalie Costel Pantilimon. We had to lift the roof to get him through. He's approaching 7feet tall!!!He was going to Munich with Lufthansa. Looked very fresh after a 14 hour flight.

Cheers everyone from Jim.

Thanks for that jimsdad. Have to admit I still enjoy watching the repeats of "Murder She Wrote" but I guess she must be getting on a bit now.

As to the figures, the US loads are good outbound and ok inbound, but it's evidently a quieter period for the MEB3

With the ME3 Its apparent there is a trend. When one has a lower load inbound, the others do, same outbound too. I've worked closely with QR in the past and during summer it's packed to the rafters going out but pretty dead coming in. Around sept/october time it reverses. World rep, think its 11th onwards for a good week all three flights look rammed ex MAN-DXB, very little availability. The EK21/22 is not running on one day, it's around the 9th?

Posted by a knowledgeable EZY source on another site:

RE: MAN-MAD Easyjet. LPL-MAD is indeed well established and I'm sure at the time the decision was made, it was probably thought to protect the LPL service rather than battle it out with FR and IB (both of who have also now dropped the route). Curiously, Easyjet haven't yet informed passengers that the route isn't operating so who knows what they have planned. Things seem up in the air regarding MAD and it wouldn't surprise me if MAD made a return at some point, possibly with ZRH.

New routes for next year are looking increasingly like VCE, KEF and JMK. Nothing confirmed still but the first two routes come from directly from a most reliable source within the carrier.

Moscow also being evaluated from both LON and MAN. Yes I know they need to apply for rights but nevertheless it's being looked at.

Hi Mandiv

Yes she set the AMD archway metal detector off from bottom to top. She was very pleasant and went on her way. She wont often get recognised from her boarding pass in many airports but she did here.

And you admit to watching ' Murder she wrote 'Murderer announced after an hour ok will live with that.

Cheers Mandiv

Off the real topic but impressive - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angela_Lansbury

A380 was swapped for 2 A330's apparently

Hi Mach 1

Thanks for that resume of Angela Landsburys career. Wow I'm bowled over. The reference to Cork Southern Ireland confirms where she was travelling to. Cheers and many thanks again.

Cheers again from Jimsdad.

Currently in Malaysia but back on the EK21 on the 5th. I assume no planned changes from the 777-300? How is J class looking?

Currently 8 seats available in J, and will be on the B777-300 (non ER)



Pitty the airlines themselves don't know what their own routes are doing, its currently 6 weekly not 5!

On this flight myself next week for a short break. Tried to book for an extra friend to come along on their website yesterday and got the response that there were no available seats.
Sounds good for TAP but obviously disappointing for us.
Did I not read somewhere that it was going to 10 pw next summer as well?

More EQV changes for the EK21/22

1st-9th Sept B777-300ER

1st November- Full switch to the B777-300ER.

At one time last year there was talk of a MAN- TAP route. Has anyone heard anything?

Sorry meant MAN-OPO

I saw briefly in GDS that it was going to be at least 10 per week, with harmonised AM and PM flights.

There was talk of adding OPO, but its taking a lot longer to bring about due to needing another PGA F100 to run the flights. This in turn would need other routes to come online, as the aircraft would be idle between MAN flights, so as you can see its a bit of a logistical nightmare.



Outbound availability for next week:

Monday: 3J 5Y 9R A319
Wednesday: 4J 11Y 3R F100
Thursday: 7J 18Y 4R F100
Friday: 8J 16Y 6R A319
Saturday: 5J 14Y 3R F100
Sunday: 4J 6Y 2R F100

J= Business, Y= Economy R= Economy full fare

Not a bad week ahead for TAP.

Thanks WR. I not been on an EK 777-300 so it'll be interesting to compare.

Good to see TAP doing well, used them last year (there's a trip report floating about on here somewhere) and they did a perfectly adequate job.

I remarked at the time that plenty of those checking in were connecting onto long haul flights to South America, so obviously it is doing well.

Ryanair have ended a shed load of routes due to spats with the Canary Islands government and AENA, and in our case dropped MAN-MAD.

How does it stay committed to its cause, its introduces 2 new routes between the 2 so called offenders: TFS-MAD and BCN!!

Madness!

Groobs

Was on 3 different EK 777s in the last four weeks. Quite honestly their C Class product is poor compared to others. One of them was positively tatty.
The A330 is even worse - almost unacceptable nowhere near enough space, particularly elbow room.
Get yourself on their A380 if you want to experience a proper C Class.
Or try Etihad or Qatar next time. Much better

(apologies but the quote system doesn't work on the mobile site for me)

WR, 18 seats for F? It'll be interesting to see how many are filled. I flew DXB-NRT a couple of weeks ago and there were just 4 of us in first, and that was on the newly launched A380 route.

Middle marker, three out of my four EK flights on this trip are on the A380 so I've not done too badly

Im not sure if its the case, but its saying on system there are only 6 seats left for sale in F on the day you fly.

Its also interesting to note, they switched the original, 12 seat B77W from MAN to LHR, and the 18 seat B773 from LHR to MAN. Must be a reason for them to do this.

Groobs

Lucky you!
You'll know what I'm talking about then.
I find the bar at the back a bit too irresistible I'm afraid.
Can't wait for the next trip on it.

I've probably done 10-12 flights with EK, on A330, 777 and A380 aircraft. A330 by far the weakest standards wise, I bet EK couldnt wait to get it off the 21/22. If someone flew on EK for the first time on that flight may have been put off and fly with EY or QR next time. The 77W's are not bad either upfront or in the back, can't comment on the 772/3's however. As World rep says seems from Nov were going to be permanenty on a 77W on the morning flight anyway.

World rep, could they have swapped between MAN and LHR to put the higher standard 77W's down south? Mind you they wouldn't put so much F capacity up here unless it was warranted....

More than likely option A, because the fact F is full could be down to full fare pax, or could be cardholder upgrades.

Its defiantly not invol-upgrades as the lower cabins are light.

Middle Marker:

Two years ago, EK A380 business class to Sydney, 14 hour flight, 9 hours at the bar!

It really is the only way to fly

Stu-D & World_rep

The top Olympic movement for me was the Russian IL-62 - brought back some memories !!!

Mobman
How about the 1970s B727

Ian

One for Sam-at-MAN. Any reason they stuck the BA218 on a T1 gate, with jetbridge attached?

What aircraft was it? Could be due to lack of 777 capable stands. Last night while I was in work they were doing some repairs to the taxiways around T2 which put a fair number of remote stands out of action

Jet2

Although their schedules are loaded for s2013, it would seem the 4 x weekly flights to Paris stop at the end of October and don't return. The only new service I can recall seeing mentioned so far is a weekly to one of the Greek Islands or was it to Croatia? I've not studied frequencies for all the existing destinations.

A rather strange history with Jet2 at MAN - grew steadily to 7 or 8 based a/c, then cut back one summer to I think 6, to be followed by growth in the last couple of years to something like 10 based (catching up Leeds). For s2013, I believe LBA have got a few new flights which could necessitate an extra a/c, but from what I've heard, MAN, at best, will stay the same. I wonder if the rumoured LPL base by the LPL enthusiasts might be true. Has anyone here any information?

Hello again from Jimsdad.

No celebs today I'm afraid only hum drum pax today.

EY015 165 209
EK021 115 258 first flight on B773 A6-EMQ today.
QR041 163 149
UA020 125 168
SQ328 140 157
AA210 159 182
AA54 169 no figures supplied
UA100 127 no figures but flight approx 3 hours late in.
EK017 272 323
EY021 166
EK019 217

That's it today.

Cheers from Jim

Medical diverts are now allocated an airbridge stand where possible as time is a factor. An a/c parked out on remote may incur delays due to the time it take to get men and equipment there. As for stand 31, the only stand available in T3 capable of handling a 777 is Stand 44 which at the time was in use by a Flybe E195.

ian,

I think that seeing her land tipped it for me - as well as her sisters (IL96'S and IL76 TU154)
made me feel nostalgic - and I did see 4 VC10's parked at Brize on my way home !!
The 727 on any other day.......

Clearing the decks?

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/business/s/1585056_mag-sells-its-majority-stake-in-humberside-airport-

Long delay on UA100 again. This time due in nearly 7 hours late at 16.30.

Technical problem delayed the original departure from Washington, with the weather playing a part when it tried to depart for a second time i believe.

Me hears whispers that we might be getting semi-regular VDA visitors over the coming months

The Emirates 773's are squashtastic, really cramped. The Manchester fleet was shoddier inside than the others I flew on though I only go Y nowadays.

Rather fly on an AF one and that's saying something, though I do admit I have a similar attraction to EK as I do to all white painted planes.

Hi again

Today's pax figures

EY015 184 210
EK021 181 204
UA020 155 169
SQ328 97 186
AA210 162 167
AA054 207 214
EK017 311
EY021 134
QR045 187
EK019 290

No figs for UA100 from Washington it was delayed until 1630 arrival in Manchester

Cheers

Jimsdad

Terrible figures on the SQ flights and QR flights.

No they aren't...

I think new members should have a probational period as it seems there are a few posting who shouldn`t
be

Infact it all depends on YIELD not load factor as has been pointed out many times
1 passenger paying £6000 in F class is worth a lot more than 20 in Y class paying £200

Ian

No, Sam's post wasn't at all provocative. The fact that you took umbrage at it and launched into a tirade of vitreole is a failing on your part, not his. Your are treading a very fine line at present and, as a relatively new member, you need to show a little respect to others, especially those who work in the aviation sector and are probably better informed than you. Whilst you are very welcome to continue uploading 'relevant and interesting posts', I would ask that, in future, you please make certain to cut out the snide remarks and rude comments. That way, you will quickly become a valued member of our community...and I won't have to delete any more of your posts!

Baltimore
Site Moderator

I said the figures weren't terrible, and explained later on why they weren't terrible. I'm not going to repeat myself regarding Singapore's load factors and profitability as you can read that above.



I have no idea who you are or what your background is, I've got more sense than to meet someone anonymously off an internet forum, especially someone who displays the sort of attitude you do.



Absolutely. I've met some great people through this hobby (many of whom are on this forum) and enjoy reading the debates and discussions posted on plane-mad every day, and certainly learn new things from them each day.

I've got nothing against you personally, and I don't understand why you've got it in for me. I treat everybody as equal on here and likewise respect fellow posters regardless of their opinions on certain subjects. There's a good number of well informed members who spend a hell of a lot of their own personal time moderating the forum, paying for their own pocket for the hosting costs and also collating information to share with us, which without them, wouldn't be available to the 'spotting community'. Steve Platt, Jimsdad, world_rep, betablocker, Star Moaner and Ian are just a handful of members who post excellent information and a little bit of respect to older members would go a long way.

Sam

And you call me arrogant?

I thought this was NVR?? not PPRUNE!!!!! come on guys, lets get back to what were good at, posting good useful information and also reading what W/REP and the other guys with lots of useful stuff have to say.... im out of the aviation side at the mo, but will be back soon, thats why i read the posts more. This is a great site, so lets keep it that way!!!!!

Cheers..... Ian

I don't think so. Whether you like to or not, Sam is a respected member of our community who does not have a track record of abusing other members, which is more than can be said for your good self.

I am having a day of tomorrow, as it happens, but I'll still be keeping an eye on the MAN Forum to make sure that you don't step out of line - again.

That's interesting. I could have sworn that, earlier today, you said you work at the airport.

Wow...

I'd stop digging a hole now, or the earth around you is going to cave in

Lying about your job isn't going to get you anywhere on here either, it's amazing what 10 minutes googling achieves.

Sam

Your words, not mine: "Mr i work at the airport so i am gods gift".
Erm, I don't think so. Being a site moderator, I have the ability to ban members (like you) who don't toe the line. You're on a yellow card and one more snide or rude remark (regardless of who it's aimed at) will definitely earn you a suspension.

Oh dear what a sad pathetic little man. You bring nothing to this forum and I hope you get what you deserve. You have created a huge scene from absolutely nothing at all and your not welcome to smear such a well respected group of enthusiasts who share the love of a hobby. You need to take a long hard look in the mirror.

Im sure the last few of your abusive vile message will be deleted and forgotton, like you. I hope you never post on these boards again.

Can we lock this and start again please??

Oh and Sam.... Thanks for the nice comments.

Steve