Manchester: Airport Transformation Programme

[Seasider]

The other issue I noticed, was aircraft queueing whilst waiting for aircraft coming from pier 1 & 2. An Aer Lingus regional ATR had to wait 5 mins to access their stand due to this. That wouldn't have happened if they were going to T1.

 

[Trumpington]

The other issue I noticed, was aircraft queueing whilst waiting for aircraft coming from pier 1 & 2. An Aer Lingus regional ATR had to wait 5 mins to access their stand due to this. That wouldn't have happened if they were going to T1.

Isn't plan to eventually have dual taxiway system uninterrupted to Pier 1 and remote stands removed once replaced by 'cargo shed stands'? Probably still some time away.....

 

[marni1971]

I respectfully disagree. Same-Terminal transfer is a big positive. MAN was not able to offer this before. Ryanair Group don't do interline at MAN, so all business opportunities in this area involve carriers which now use T2.

As in T3 offered a better experience for domestics than now.

MAN now firmly places the customer second place to shareholders.

 

[EGCC_MAN]

As in T3 offered a better experience for domestics than now.

MAN now firmly places the customer second place to shareholders.

That is arguable. The outbound experience is better for all from T2. The inbound experience is a slight downgrade based upon consensus anecdotal accounts, but most complaints appear to come from BA Shuttle passengers. The arrival experience initially planned for them (biometrics) was rejected, so now they must await completion of the new dedicated domestic entrance. Once open, the walking route from bus drop-off to terminal exit will be very short. In fact, it's not that long even now.

These decisions are not driven by shareholder interests. Interline capability matters; that you may not use it does not make it less important. And ALL carriers which accept interline are now operating out of T2. Ryanair Group at T3 are P2P only. I would speculate that should another carrier join them in there, they are likely to be P2P also. And probably a ULCC. It just makes good sense. And that also allows retail and F&B in T3 to be tailored specifically for the no-frills customer base. Logical again.

 

[KARFA]

i cannot think of another airport of similar size which has no internal route for domestic arrivals. i assume there was provision for one but it was cut when covid hit to save costs, and instead MAN decided to offer the bizarre and unique biometrics on arrival path - no other airport does this and it seems at various times EI have refused to use it due to the temperamental nature of the system. BA never wanted to use it as they could see the problems and were concerned about the impact on turnaround times. of all the domestic/CTA arrivals I have heard from (EI, LM, BA) I don't think anyone is happy whether they are subjected to the extended bussing saga, or the bizarre biometric route.

also all the new permanent domestic arrival route will mean is a nicer drop off point which is closer than the one atm, and of course not walking through back of house corridors strewn with supplies for retailers. the amount walking from drop off point to exit is short now, but that misses the point of why the whole process is so detested.

to call the inbound experience "a slight downgrade" is an understatement of epic proportions. certainly it has not been done this way for the benefit of the passengers, and clearly has been done so save money. as always, some seem to be intent on defending the indefensible.

edit: oh and like @marni1971 i would like to go back to t3 given a choice tbh!

 

[Sean Fish]

The arrival experience initially planned for them (biometrics) was rejected

If biometrics were used for domestic arrival (thereby mixing domestic and international arriving passengers and separating them thereafter), would it create a loophole where an international arriving passenger could give their luggage to a domestic arriving passenger and therefore basically smuggle anything?

 

[marni1971]

Once open, the walking route from bus drop-off to terminal exit will be very short. In fact, it's not that long even now.

Doesn’t matter. BA passengers will still to go through the hassle of being bussed. That’s a downgrade - unless they get me from aircraft to landside in 6 minutes.

That walk will be longer than you think though by all accounts. It’s widely reported BA aren’t happy.

It’s a fudge. After spending nearly 1.5 billion you’d expect everything to be better than it was.

 

[KARFA]

If biometrics were used for domestic arrival (thereby mixing domestic and international arriving passengers and separating them thereafter), would it create a loophole where an international arriving passenger could give their luggage to a domestic arriving passenger and therefore basically smuggle anything?

yes that loophole does exist with that system - probably one of the reasons no other airport does it that way

 

[Trumpington]

Doesn’t matter. BA passengers will still to go through the hassle of being bussed. That’s a downgrade - unless they get me from aircraft to landside in 6 minutes.

That walk will be longer than you think though by all accounts. It’s widely reported BA aren’t happy.

It’s a fudge. After spending nearly 1.5 billion you’d expect everything to be better than it was.

Easier if they ran BA shuttle from LJLA. Door to door service!

 

[ian_h]

Doesn’t matter. BA passengers will still to go through the hassle of being bussed. That’s a downgrade - unless they get me from aircraft to landside in 6 minutes.

That walk will be longer than you think though by all accounts. It’s widely reported BA aren’t happy.

It’s a fudge. After spending nearly 1.5 billion you’d expect everything to be better than it was.

It was always planned that pier 3 was where domestics would connect to the dedicated domestics arrival route.

When pier 3 got "postponed" the biometric solution was chosen, when the issues were identified the new solution under construction is basically a hybrid of what was originally planned minus the attached pier.

My understanding is that the forthcoming domestic bus drop off point merely links to what would have been the pier 3 route and so hopefully at some point the pier will be attached.

Its fair to say MAG have taken the issue and the feedback seriously by building this hybrid solution, and absorbing bussing costs until pier 3 can be justified.

Taxi times are a work in progress with the remote stand capacity urgently needed and both these and the dual taxiway works both need the old sheds gone so its likely we see an announcement on this before too long.

Any notion of domestics going back to T3 are just fantasy, the 2 terminals have clearly defined roles finally and thats been a long time in the planning.

 

[marni1971]

Any notion of domestics going back to T3 are just fantasy

Of course they are. Just wishful thinking

But how would pier 3 have offered a segregated route?

 

[ian_h]

Of course they are. Just wishful thinking

But how would pier 3 have offered a segregated route?

My understanding is that it would work like pier B at Stansted with several gates able to access an additional level / corridor that links to the domestic channel.

 

[marni1971]

My understanding is that it would work like pier B at Stansted with several gates able to access an additional level / corridor that links to the domestic channel.

Thanks for replying. Interesting. I envisaged a segregated corridor being added along the front of the legacy pier; a bridge spanning from redundant node to redundant node to the VCC. There doesn’t seem to be room on the legacy pier itself to squeeze another passageway in.

Hopefully we’ll see sooner rather than later

 

[Trumpington]

It was always planned that pier 3 was where domestics would connect to the dedicated domestics arrival route.

When pier 3 got "postponed" the biometric solution was chosen, when the issues were identified the new solution under construction is basically a hybrid of what was originally planned minus the attached pier.

My understanding is that the forthcoming domestic bus drop off point merely links to what would have been the pier 3 route and so hopefully at some point the pier will be attached.

Its fair to say MAG have taken the issue and the feedback seriously by building this hybrid solution, and absorbing bussing costs until pier 3 can be justified.

Taxi times are a work in progress with the remote stand capacity urgently needed and both these and the dual taxiway works both need the old sheds gone so its likely we see an announcement on this before too long.

Any notion of domestics going back to T3 are just fantasy, the 2 terminals have clearly defined roles finally and thats been a long time in the planning

I hope Pier 3 not indefinitely 'postponed'. Be interesting if they invest anything into legacy pier over coming years......

 

[BLB777]

Info on the new Executive lounge opening in Terminal 2 this summer.

First look at new ‘premium’ lounge opening at Manchester Airport’s Terminal 2 this summer - Manchester Evening News https://share.google/2eK9cckVUYPpJU8je

 

[Tho]

Info on the new Executive lounge opening in Terminal 2 this summer.

First look at new ‘premium’ lounge opening at Manchester Airport’s Terminal 2 this summer - Manchester Evening News https://share.google/2eK9cckVUYPpJU8je

Where about will that lounge be located?

 

[marni1971]

Where about will that lounge be located?

On the existing lounge corridor on the top floor

 

[MannyJon]

Almost into April and is there any update on the remaining works to be done in T2?
Specifically the final domestic arrivals route? I will be using this process for the first time in June and the speed at which this stage of the process is going, I have no faith it’s going to be finished by the summer!

Today's the day.

 

[joshl257]

It’s gone quiet on the Wetherspoons pub in T2 as well. I’m travelling with Virgin in July so will have a look at the new executive lounge. Not the Virgin Clubhouse we all wanted but from the photos I have seen it looks a bit like a Amex / Delta One lounge

 

[LS@MAN]

It’s gone quiet on the Wetherspoons pub in T2 as well. I’m travelling with Virgin in July so will have a look at the new executive lounge. Not the Virgin Clubhouse we all wanted but from the photos I have seen it looks a bit like a Amex / Delta One lounge

The T2 Wetherspoons pub is opening around June/July, this was always the case.
There’s other areas of the terminal that need finishing or some TLC first!