TRANSPORT | Airport

[EarlyBird]

Originally Posted by SMARTCITY

I wish you wouldn't class Manchester a regional airport. Manchester is an Intercontinental airport, it should really be seen as similar to London Gatwick or Heathrow. Although Manchester is struggling to get additional major continental flights to compete with the London airports, it must still be classed as a major airport. You can safely say, anything over 10m passengers the airport is major.

Airports like Liverpool, Leeds Bradford, Newcastle are regional airports (even though the services from these airports should not be limited to 'regional European destinations'.)

By regional I simply mean an airport in the regions, i.e. outside London. We all know the London-centric nature of this country the London airports will continue to grow at a high rate. Birmingham, to use it as an example, is a city about the same size as Manchester. That is why I would be interested to know, for example, what the targets of it's airport are. Theoretically it's airport should be the same size as that of Manchester's.

[Leeds No.1]

IMO, Manchester shouldnt be classed as regional, but the facts say it is a regional airport. The BBC reported recently 'the UKs busiest and largest regional airport'.

[Metrolink]

No1 - the term regional simply means it is not a London airport.

The CAA appear to use this term all the time to differentiate between London and other areas.

For some reason (presumably historical), the CAA put quite a few restrictions (such as landing fee limits) on Manchester, Gatwick and Heathrow, but not other airports.

[Metrolink]

EB - Brum will never be as large as Manc due to it's proximity to heathrow.

[Metrolink]

http://www.britishairways.com/travel...o/public/en_gb shows that BA see the provinces as the regions - which I suppose makes sense.

[Metrolink]

Decent web site showing all the awards MAN has won...

http://www.manairport.co.uk/web.nsf/...ardsFactsheets


Awards



2004
Holiday Which? named Manchester the best UK airport.

2003
Travel agents from across Britain voted Manchester 'Best UK Airport' in the prestigious Travel Weekly Globe Awards 2003.

2002
Manchester Airport named 'Best Leisure Airport' in the Travel Trade Gazette British Travel Awards 2002.

2001
Bronze award in the 'Consumer Information' category - 2001 Summit Creative Awards for the website
European Airport of the Year - Institute of Transport Management

2000
Environmental Best Practice Trophy 'Awards for Excellence' - Institute of Logistics & Transport
Best Corporate Communications Website - European Interactive Publishing Awards
Best Service Provision - NW Internet Awards
Training Provider of the Year, Business in the Arts North West
IATA Eagle Award for 'Value for Money'

1999
Business in the Community Award for Excellence 1999 - 'Arts in Action' category sponsored by Arts in Business
World's Best Airport - 3rd place for overall passenger convenience, 1st for car parking facilities, 3rd for ease of finding way through Airport, 2nd for Passport/Visa inspection, 3rd for customs inspection, 2nd for availability of luggage trolleys, 2nd for courtesy and friendliness of Airport staff. (IATA Airport Monitor Survey 1998 - announced April '99)
Silver Award for Best Airport in Europe, Middle East and Africa at OAG Airline of the Year Awards

1998
World's Best Airport - 3rd place for overall pax convenience, 3rd place for leisure pax and 6th place for business pax - IATA Airport Monitor Survey 1997 (announced April 1998)
Management Award for Secured Car Parks, Automobile Association (AA) & Chief Police Officers

1997
International Air Transport Association - World's Best Airport (2nd place)
Achieved Investors in People accreditation
Best International Business Airport, Business Travel World Award
TTG/American Express 'Top UK Airport' Gold Award
Flight International Aerospace Industry Award for Environmental Achievement
Institute of Energy Award re-accreditation to Manchester Airport for 'Overall Energy Efficiency'
North West's Most Admired Company, North West Business Insider Survey

1996
Duke of Westminster Award for Business & Industry in the North West
World's Best Airport - 2nd place to Chiangi, Singapore IATA Airport
Monitor Survey of International Passengers 1996 (announced 1997)
World's Third Best International Airport in 1996 (Executive Travel Magazine)

1995
World's Best Airport - IATA Airport Monitor Survey of International Passengers
1995 (announced 1996)
Golden Globe Award Best UK Airport, Travel Weekly
Parent-Friendly Award for excellent facilities for parents with young children, Tommy's Campaign
Best Regional Airport Award, Executive Travel Magazine
Golden Globe Award Best UK Airport, Travel Weekly.

1994
Cremer and Warner Medal for Excellence in Safety and Environment
Brunel Design Award for Airport Rail Link
Environmental Award for Terminal 2 Landscape - RICS
Best Regional Airport Award, Wagon Travel/Executive Travel
Seating in Practice Award, Business Design Centre
Greater Manchester Environment Award, Terminal 2 Landscape, Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors
International Arts Sponsorship Award, ABSA/Arthur Andersen Award
Golden Service Award, Best Kept Public Service Premises (Jointly with Initial Cleaning Services)
Outstanding Contribution to Mersey Basin Campaign, The Kingfisher Award
Voted Best Regional Airport by Executive Travel Magazine

1993
Gold Award Top UK Airport, Travel Trade Gazette Express Newspapers
'Odin' Annual Award Best Regional Airport, Anglo-Nordic Times
Best Tourist Information Centre Award, National Express North West Tourist Board
Best Main Base Award, Brittania Airways
Gold Medal Award, North West Tourist Board
Outstanding Advertising Award, Flight International
Golden Service Award, Best Kept Public Service Premises (jointly with Initial Cleaning Services)
Achievement in Energy Efficiency Award, Energy Systems Trade Association
T2 Landscaping Award, American Landscaping Contractors
Best UK Check-In Award, Brittania Airways

1992
Best Campaign to Travel Agents Award, Travel Advertising
Environment Award Aviation Viewing Park, Business and Industry

1991
Regional Planning Award Environment Strategy, Royal Town Planning Institute.
Award of Merit Domestic Facility Landscaping, Hard Landscape Construction

1990 91/92
Silver Globe Award Best UK Airport, Travel Weekly

1990/91/92/93/94
Voted best UK Airport by readers of travel trade magazines
PA Gold Leaf Environment Award

[Metrolink]

PPRuNe says that last Friday was the busiest ever (apart from 28th May 2003 - CL final at OT) for plane movements - 818.

The author claims that in 5 years there will be days with 1000+ movements a day, all be made possible by runway 2.

[Metrolink]

PPRune says Manc to Stanstead 2 times a day to start this winter with Air Berlin.

[SmartCity]

Metrolink...PPRuNe is never just black and white, infact it is normally gray and by no means is it the airline worlds bible.

Infact, if anything, PPRuNe has lost the credibility it once had.

[Metrolink]

OK, will start to ignore it then.

[Metrolink]

I won a holiday to Madrid on Saturday night at the Hard Rock Casino in town.

The flights were from Heathrow, so I feared the worst, having visions off it costing me £100's to get down to London.

Anyway, got home, and went on BMI.com

Amazed, 2 return tickets (me and the wife) costing £8!!! That was just £2 each way - and on the eaxct flights we wanted!!!!

Along with the £93 tax, a fair old bargain.

[bustcapl]

£93 tax what a con!!!!

[Metrolink]

If I wasn't being taxed to add a shit load off CO2 to the atmosphere, the money would only have to come from another tax, as far as I am concerned, we should tax harmful things, such as flights, ahead off many other taxations.

I reckon £101 for 2 return flights to and from Heathrow in no way equates to the damage which I am doing to the environment, however, given the society I live in, and given I am not a saint I take advantage off it.

[Metrolink]

Major security alert at 8:30 this morning.

Parts of terminal 1 and 2 evacuated, 3 not affected.

Bloke on apron trying to plant a bomb by the sounds of things.

[Metrolink]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/m...er/4274516.stm


Man held in airport terror alert
Manchester Airport
The incident unfolded close to stand 26, police said
Police have used a Taser gun to arrest a man under the Terrorism Act and carried out a controlled explosion at Manchester Airport.

Officers were called to the airport following reports a man had been seen acting suspiciously in the apron area, where aircraft are parked.

Police attempted to arrest a man who struggled with officers.

Army bomb disposal units were called to examine a suitcase. Parts of Terminal One and Terminal Two have been closed.

Cordon

A spokeswoman for Manchester Airport said a cordon had been set up as "a precautionary measure".

She confirmed that parts of the terminal had been evacuated, as well as C Pier.

"There will be an impact on some flights due to leave Terminal Two this morning, although every effort will be made to minimise disruption, and passengers should continue to report to the airport as normal."

The man was tackled by officers close to stand 26 in the apron area.

The BBC's Kevin Bouquet said a wide police cordon had been placed around a suitcase and other luggage on the middle of the taxi way.

[Jerv]

OK These are the latest new destinations from manchester airport from the top of my Head;

Rekjavik with Icelandair
Tehran with Mahon
Sofia with Bulgaria Air
Marrakesh with BA
Hanover with Hapag Lloyd Express
Isle of Man with AerArran
Salzburg with Sky Europe
Motego Bay with Virgin Atlantic

[Jerv]

From the manchester airport website.

LONG-HAUL TRAVEL

The number of passengers travelling to long haul destinations in the year to August 2005 has soared by 16.4%.

Long haul charter figures for the year ending August 2005 have risen by 15.6% on last year, scheduled numbers for the rest of the world (not including the US) have gone up by 13% and North American scheduled flights have shot up by 20% in the same period.


ICELANDAIR TO ADD REYKJAVIK-MANCHESTER LINK

Icelandair is to add non-stop scheduled services between Reykjavik and Manchester in the UK from April next year.

The Reykjavik-based carrier will begin twice-weekly services on the route on 7 April, deploying 189-seat Boeing 757s on the route.


MANCHESTER AIRPORT CROWNED “TOP UK AIRPORT”

Manchester Airport was crowned ‘Top UK Airport’ by Travel Bulletin magazine. Travel Bulletin is a trade publication read exclusively by travel agents. Manchester beat off stiff competition from Gatwick and Stansted to win the prize, voted for by the readers of the magazine.

[Monkey]

Did someone mention Manchester Airport?


Manchester Airport to build new chimney stack skyline
http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/cont...y_stacks.shtml





Manchester Airport today unveiled plans for five 90m tall chimney stacks in a bid to gain worldwide recognition. Developed in partnership with Manchester City Hall, the Manchester Tourism Board, and private sponsors, the chimneys are planned as part of the 2005-2105 "Manchester Lives!" urban regeneration plan.

Commenting on the project, Bob Stack, chairman of the Manchester Airports Group, said, "This is a great day for Manchester. Manchester is a city with an industrial character and soul. Brick chimneys are what we are all about. Chimneys put Manchester on the map and made the city the workshop of the world. Now they have become the symbol of our city. Visitors will arrive from overseas and the first thing they'll see will be brick chimneys."

The decision to build chimneys came after a drawn out selection process sponsored by Boddington's and the Manchester Evening News. Artists and architects were invited to submit plans to be put before a selection committee chaired by Stack.

"There was a fantastic response. The range of proposals was astounding. Many celebrated Manchester’s rich industrial heritage and the committee felt that the popularity of such ideas should be reflected in the final choice."


"Cotton Mill International"

Imaginative proposals included a huge flat cap on the control tower (rejected as a fire risk), an interactive steel furnace "exhibit" in Departures, and one simply involved renaming the airport "Cotton Mill International". Jane Slagheap, author of the latter proposal explained:

"With Liverpool naming their airport after John Lennon we felt it necessary to come up with a name reflecting our own sense of history and identity. Originally we thought of "Liam Gallagher International" after the Oasis frontman. However we soon concluded that this idea, like the band itself, was a somewhat naff copy of Liverpool's, so we kept looking for an original alternative reflecting our own unique identity. I think we got it right. After all what really put Manchester on the map was not Oasis but the cotton mills!"

Though not the winning entry, Jane hopes her shortlisted proposal will be adopted in addition to the new chimneys.

The chimneys themselves will rise 90m above the drab Manchester skyline. The original proposal was for three chimneys at 150m but the CAA ruled that it would infringe airport safety regulations to have such tall structures so close to the runway. The designers, Salford architectural practice Mills & Grimm, were sent back to the drawing board, reducing the height of their chimneys but adding an extra two.

"What we have is the perfect compromise" Mills enthused. "I grew up above the chippy on Vinegar Street, right in the heart of factory land. For me brick chimneys define the Manchester experience and we are thrilled to be giving something back to our city."



Belching smoke

Grimm emphasised that the chimneys would not be static repetitive museum pieces:

"We studied chimney design across the city, including stacks no longer standing from old photographs. Each chimney will be subtly different whilst still forming a cohesive cluster. We want everything to look right - the stacks will use second-hand blackened brick. We even had the idea of bricking up the control tower as well but eventually dropped that on grounds of cost. The tower is brick anyway, albeit somewhat redder than what we would have preferred."

"….instead of making a static architectural statement we wanted to recall the atmosphere of Manchester itself. To that end we'll have the chimneys belching smoke 24/7 using traditional coal furnaces at the base of each shaft. These days most coal produced in the UK is the highly refined smokeless kind. We will have to import smoking coals from Poland! How times have changed…."

However the plans are not universally popular. The BBC conducted a nationwide poll and message board on the shortlisted proposals. Samantha Snoote from Tunbridge Wells was unimpressed by any of them:

"Why couldn't they have chosen something more elegant? I thought an opera duet to welcome passengers in Arrivals would have been splendid. If they wanted to do something more "Northern" they could have had one of those charming traditional brass bands. That’s the trouble with Northerners, they drink too much beer and don't get enough polenta…."

The chimneys are expected to cost £12.4m of money funded jointly from the National Lottery and Northern Heritage Association. Work will commence next September and the chimneys are due to complete in June 2006.

[Mr_ed2]

^ Please keep your well seasoned hilarity confined to the other thread.

We don't want all of the manchester threads spammed up with your tat like a jar crammed full of jellied eels.

Ta cock.

[highriser]

Monkey have you ever ventured outside the M25,

Very funny though, it must have took you all weekend to come up with that.

BLESS