Airport.

[Maugholdmafia]

5 hours ago, John Wright said:

Complete redesign of the departure lounge. It’s approved and in the budget. Yes it’s shabby, but it’s not necessary for the next few years. A lick of paint would do. It’s all designed to make you comfortable for longer stays, and to spend more.

Of course the travelling public don’t want to stay in departures longer or to spend more.

We do want planes on time, fewer cancellations, and no ATC close downs.

So, what should they be spending our cash on? Tarting up departures? Or additional ATC, end of runway gantry lighting, gps navigation aids to back up our renewed ILS, and improve landing visibility criteria, then CATII ILS on 26.

Then, and only then redesign the departure lounge.

One thing they could do is in the boarding holding lounge downstairs. The seat squabs all slope forward. They’re uncomfortable. The canter needs changing.

Redesigning the departure lounge now is the airport equivalent of fiddling whilst Rome burns or rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic.

@Chris Thomas read, challenge your CS, especially the airport director. Don’t let them flannel you and pull the wool. They’ve already sold the lies about adjustable trolley parks ( sawing one side off ) and the replacement ILS being an upgrade ( it isn’t it’s a renewal with exactly the same parameters as the retired one ). Have you gone native? It does look like it.

Or move to Jurby

[asitis]

5 hours ago, Non-Believer said:

Let's consider that about 12 years ago, individuals controlling the airport decided to do away with certain equipment and facilities that allowed aircraft to land safely in the sort of adverse conditions that we have recently, in particular, experienced.

But now because of the lack of that equipment and facilities, those aircraft are frequently unable to land in those similar adverse conditions and are obliged to return whence they came or divert.

This is not the fault of carrier airlines or their passengers.

Ever since 2006 when the ' de rigeur' masterplan of the time was accepted by that intellectual colossus Tony Brown, as the way forward, loads of money has been spent for little benefit, particularly in respect of the physical aids aircraft needed to operate in less than optimal conditions. We had people in charge whose only discernible, ego driven, talent was to spend money unwisely, despite advice from people who they obviously considered their inferiors. It took us seven years to buy and install a radar which reduces our operating capacity whilst we ran primary only. There was a movement to attract easy jet at any cost and much was done to encourage them whilst neglecting the routes serviced by smaller operators. The mantra of the past many years has been develop, develop,develop, without any real clue as to what for ? Remember the pie in the sky 2.5 million passengers a year, we can't even cope with many less than that !

I hope this new guy injects some common sense and commerciality, but having met him I really won't hold my breath. They all love masterplans and the future, but we never reach the future and have to cope with the present !

[madmanxpilot]

11 hours ago, The Voice of Reason said:

Sorry I’m just a layman. 

But have been using the airport for flights to and from the Island for about for about forty years.

Never have I experienced such delays and cancellations as of recent times.

Talk of CAT II and ILS doesn’t mean much to me.

Could someone just explain to me please,  in layman’s terms why delays and cancellations are much more prevalent now than they used to be?

I would be very grateful 

As has been previously stated, the big retrograde step in terms of navigation facilities happened when the runway extension project was started and the approach lights to runway 26 were demolished.

I’m not sure that low visibility is more common now either, but with the subtle changes in climate, it is entirely possible.

A few things have definitely  changed since that time though.

1) The airlines who come here. Previously Flybe had four aircraft based here, they would do everything they could to get the aircraft back to base when conditions permitted, so delays rather than cancellations would often occur. EasyJet need their aircraft back at LGW or LPL for non IOM services, so can’t hang around waiting for things to improve.

2) Lack of Air Traffic Controllers leading to less flexibility to cope with days when the weather is poor. A lot of folk are saying that the lack of staff is a worldwide issue, but I know for a fact that the current management were reluctant to even consider appointing more until relatively recently, even though the looming issue was highlighted to them.

3) Awareness of what’s actually going on due to social media.

4) Apparent issues with staff levels with the agent, especially when flights are running off schedule.

The one thing that would alleviate all of the above points would be the improvement of the navigation facilities. I was pleased to hear Chris Thomas float the idea of CAT2 on the radio the other day, but, I have deep concerns about the ability of the current management to get it right and to consider all of the salient technical issues. After all, they haven’t got a good track record in that regard having shown their incompetence by making erroneous policies and pronouncements. 

The upgrading of the navigation facilities is a critical project, it’s far too important to f**k up.

 

[Mikimoto]

New Easyjet base starting up in B'ham next year - maybe competition for Slowganair?

[hissingsid]

If we think our Airport is looking a bit unloved you should see the one in Maryland, a drama on ITV which is set in the Isle of Man a new filmed in Ireland,  it looks like something from the Australian Outback in the 50s.    I hope people realise this is not the real article, the opening scene supposedly Laxey beach was less than impressive as well.   Cheeky lighters 🤨.

 

 

 

[hissingsid]

Just now, hissingsid said:

If we think our Airport is looking a bit unloved you should see the one in Maryland, a drama on ITV which is set in the Isle of Man a new filmed in Ireland,  it looks like something from the Australian Outback in the 50s.    I hope people realise this is not the real article, the opening scene supposedly Laxey beach was less than impressive as well.   Cheeky blighters 🤨.

 

 

 

 

[WTF]

8 hours ago, hissingsid said:

If we think our Airport is looking a bit unloved you should see the one in Maryland, a drama on ITV which is set in the Isle of Man a new filmed in Ireland,  it looks like something from the Australian Outback in the 50s.    I hope people realise this is not the real article, the opening scene supposedly Laxey beach was less than impressive as well.   Cheeky lighters 🤨.

 

 

 

so it's giving people false hope then  ?

[offshoremanxman]

On 5/16/2023 at 5:52 PM, John Wright said:

Have you gone native? It does look like it.

Sadly I think you’re right. 

[Capt_Mainwaring]

Ezy from LGW stuck here overnight by the looks of things at the airport... trying to find places for crew, pax etc.

[alpha-acid]

On 5/22/2023 at 10:45 PM, hissingsid said:

If we think our Airport is looking a bit unloved you should see the one in Maryland, a drama on ITV which is set in the Isle of Man a new filmed in Ireland,  it looks like something from the Australian Outback in the 50s.    I hope people realise this is not the real article, the opening scene supposedly Laxey beach was less than impressive as well.   Cheeky lighters 🤨.

 

 

 

That's what ours looked like not many years ago

[newaccount]

20 minutes ago, Capt_Mainwaring said:

Ezy from LGW stuck here overnight by the looks of things at the airport... trying to find places for crew, pax etc.

Premier Inn and sefton express currently have vacancies, so hotels shouldn't be a problem 

Edited May 25, 2023 by newaccount

[Dirty Buggane]

3 hours ago, alpha-acid said:

That's what ours looked like not many years ago

Yeah but, No but, at least the planes flew frequently and on time 

[Banker]

8 hours ago, Capt_Mainwaring said:

Ezy from LGW stuck here overnight by the looks of things at the airport... trying to find places for crew, pax etc.

Is that an airport issue of ezy one?

[WTF]

14 minutes ago, Banker said:

Is that an airport issue of ezy one?

they'll blame each other.

[Nellie]

44 minutes ago, Banker said:

Is that an airport issue of ezy one?

The inbound landed at 22.24, almost two hours late. That gave him 36 minutes to get out again, before the 23.00 closure time. Why that didn't happen is anyone's guess. 

One thing I'd suggest that Cobb should be working on is getting that flight to night-stop here, on a planned basis, and return the next morning as a 'red eye'.

IOM is the only easyJet domestic route into Gatwick which has no early departure since Jersey, Aberdeen and Belfast Harbour all had them added in recent months.