[cwoodward]

Ah – progress of course !

[cwoodward]

The operating company IFM is Australian investment company – not airport operators of renown. Operating also such dumps as Stansted and East Midlands airports.
That says it all really so don’t expect any improvement any time soon.
IFM makes money and looks not a bad investment vehicle though.

[esselle]

[postquote quote=1208216]

Partially, but not entirely correct.

IFM own a 35% stake in MAG, and also have investments in many other airports around the world. The rest of the business (as has been the case for many years) is owned by 10 local councils. IFM have two non-execs on the board, but the executive directors and members of the execo are all long terms employees of MAG.

So while there may be some strategic pressure on costs coming from the IFM side (which I would find unlikely as they are an infrastructure fund), my guess is that the current issues faced at MAN and elsewhere are down to poor quality decision making locally.

2 users thanked author for this post.

Johnnyg, cwoodward

[cwoodward]

I am sure that you are correct esselle. If so I was mislead by IFM corporate web site and by other internet postings…..should have checked further.

1 user thanked author for this post.

esselle

[ViajeroUK]

Guess the long queues and wait times at Manchester Airport resulted in more people needing to use the toilets?

[tonywells1961]

Experienced the misery of Manchester Airport on Wednesday- a truly shocking experience. Huge queues for security but only 2 security conveyor belts open with all the others sat idle.
You go through check in and security in T1 before going through to T3. A significant number of outlets remain closed. Its impossible to believe that the airport were caught by surprise re the number of passengers- the management are either lying or massively incompetent.

1 user thanked author for this post.

PatJordan

[RossMac]

Just dropped my daughters partner off T1 at 5pm for 8pm flight. Already checked in online. Queue through security took until 7:45pm – over 2.5hours. Only accepted due to delayed take-off!! Difficult to express how embarrassed I am for our airport. (Remind me again how much the CEO is paid?)
I can’t think of a question… Just to note that I’ve decided to take the train to Heathrow on Easter Monday rather that the connecting flight from Manchester on to JFK. So, so sad.

1 user thanked author for this post.

PatJordan

[onajetplane]

I flew out of Manchester tonight. Absolutely outraged – but outraged for those poor security staff who I can only describe as being abandoned. Senior management has a lot to answer for. I have never seen scenes like it in an airport. Lots of tears from those who missed flights. Lots of angry exchanges with people trying to skip lines. Staff presence was minimal and so often they just looked so helpless and powerless. I flew MAN-BHD so on a small prop jet. As we were the last flight of the day the captain decided to wait to try and get as many people through as he could. We still left over an hour late with 17 missing passengers.

The lady at check-in further explained that the layoffs during COVID hit hard, and most people found alternative jobs and haven’t returned. New staff need time for vetting and training. Reasonable enough excuse apart from the fact that I have taken numerous flights over the last 12 months in equally busy airports and not experienced anything close to this.

The other thing I cannot understand is half of the shops and food outlets are still closed!? Again this is the only airport I know that is still operating like this. I checked in super early and despite security taking just over 90mins (non-priority) I went up to the bar circa 730pm to try for a quick drink/bite. Was told they are now longer serving food – despite numerous flights still going out that night.

Will actively avoid and highly recommend for those that can, don’t go near the place in the next few weeks! Those poor staff are left at the peril of what is clearly some very questionable management.

10 users thanked author for this post.

DavidSmith2, PatJordan, rferguson, Abidjan, AMcWhirter, GivingupBA, tonywells1961, esselle, Jacob, MartynSinclair

[GivingupBA]

onajetplane, thanks a lot for your detailed report.

Manchester is convenient for me, not so close but my nearest major airport. But wild horses would not drag me there for a while or rather, till things definitely improve: I will be rigorously avoiding MAN, and flying from somewhere else: I am able to vote with my feet. You said “the captain decided to wait to try and get as many people through as he could. We still left over an hour late with 17 missing passengers”. That is really too much.

2 users thanked author for this post.

PatJordan, onajetplane

[Montysaurus]

RossMac
No trains to or from Euston on Easter weekend including the Monday!

[Johnnyg]

I didn’t realise how bad it is until my niece told me about her return trip trip this week and then this shows up on Manchester Evening News website.

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/manchester-airport-security-video-chaos-23576604

Absolutely disgraceful scenes. Man used to be my home airport, thankfully not now.

2 users thanked author for this post.

esselle, PatJordan

[Tom Otley]

Here’s that video

@manairport you are an absolute disgrace! It was dangerous today, people will get hurt if you do not improve things @BBCNews pic.twitter.com/ZDee9KqTsP

— Jane Gilham (@GilhamJane) April 1, 2022

[cwoodward]

Question
What actually is the short -mid term downside for the airport operating company ?

Perhaps none? thus no motivation to improve the present situation

It seems to me that they are making considerable savings so perhaps there is a money saving up-side.

Long term (years) there will of course one way or another they will be forced to operate the airport properly.
Meantime….

[Tom Otley]

BBC Radio Manchester is reporting on this

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_radio_manchester

Listen from 12:26 (Mike Sweeney Show)

[AMcWhirter]

Is Fast Track the solution ?

It might seem the way for hard-pressed travellers to avoid the queues but MEN does note that passes are “subject to availability” and that “only a limited number are available so the airport advises that they [the passes] must be booked well in advance.”

How to book Fast Track passes at Manchester Airport as queues cause long delayshttps://t.co/ABCvCla5AJ

— Manchester News MEN (@MENnewsdesk) April 4, 2022

[Author]

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