Take Off - Winter edition

MAG’s COLLEAGUE MAGAZINE

WINTER 2014

Inside...

GETTING TO KNOW… MAG’s Apprentices

ur New Year’s Yo , /7 24 es go tre en C ct ta on C e Th PLUS...

2013.

Resolutions, and Highlights from MAG’s COLLEAGUE MAGAZINE | SPRING 2013

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CONTENTS NEWS

Cover sta rs Chris Wo od and Lucia Manfredi

Welcome to the Winter edition of Take Off One of the best things about putting a magazine like this together is that you learn a lot about the different departments and people who work across our four sites.

Focusing on Customer Experience…

It’s been a busy few months since the last issue of Take Off, with 2013 seeing a number of improvements and changes across the Group, from the acquisition of Stansted to the commencement of the Airport City project.

We also celebrated some key milestones during this year and you can see some of these highlights on the back page of this edition.

As we approached the end of the year, it was great to see Manchester, Stansted, East Midlands and Bournemouth Airport all enjoying a busy December as passenger figures continued to rise, and with new routes announced across the Group in the last few months, hopefully we will see this success continue into 2014.

One of our key focuses this year is to ensure that we give our passengers a great experience at our airports so that they want to return the next time they fly. We have already started our journey in improving this experience, from the installation of new technology in our security areas in order to help improve efficiency, to the investments being made on the Terminal Transformation and Development projects at East Midlands and Stansted (pages 21 and 25).

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It was also imperative that in this modern technological world our customers could contact us whenever they wanted regardless of the time, and receive a quick response. To address this the Contact Centre who are based at Manchester Airport recently launched a 24/7 service which you can read more about on page 15.

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Advita Patel Internal Communications Lead

Our Vision

News

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Meet the Apprentices

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The Role of Occupational Health 13

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In this jam-packed edition we catch up with some of our talented apprentices who are working in various areas across MAG and asked them to tell us what they like the most about their role (page 12). We also caught up with the MAG Marketing Team who explain how the Fly Manchester campaign helped to drive customers to Manchester Airport (page 17) and on page 33 you can also find out how MAG has been supporting a local High School in Manchester.

We are looking to improve future editions of Take Off and we want to hear from you. We would be grateful if you could spend a few minutes completing the attached questionnaire on page 5 and let us know what we could do to make this magazine even better. For your time and effort we will be holding a prize draw where we will draw one winner from the feedback received to win £50.

I hope you enjoy reading this edition.

Features

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Contact Centre Goes 24/7

15

MAG Marketing

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22 Lanes in 18 Days

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Your Choir Needs You!

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MA Security Development Team

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New Year Resolutions

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Power of teamwork

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Manchester Enterprise Academy

33 Brilliant at what matters

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You can now keep up-to-date with all our latest news by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter.

Why not?

https://www.facebook.com/ MAGColleagues

All of these improvements that have been, and continue to be implemented really sum up what we’re trying to achieve here at MAG - to be the premier airport management and services company.

https://twitter.com/magcolleagues

Contact the Editor!

Telephone: 0161 489 8678 Email: magazine@magairports.com

Charlie Cornish Chief Executive

Our Values

Safe hands

Community and Social News

Highlights from 2013 35

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To be the premier airport management and services company.

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Finger on the pulse

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MAG’s MAG’s COLLEAGUE COLLEAGUE MAGAZINE MAGAZINE || WINTER SPRING 2013 2014

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NEWS

NEWS Left-right: Clive Cook, AA MD operations Europe and Pacific, Jon Snook, AA SVP Customer Relations, Phillip Morris, AA General Manager for Manchester Airport, and Tricia Williams, Customer Services Director at Manchester Airport

BOURNEMOUTH AIRPORT

RECOGNISED FOR ACCESSIBILITY AND ASSISTANCE OF PASSENGERS

WITH REDUCED MOBILITY

AMERICAN AIRLINES AWARD MANCHESTER AIRPORT TEAM American Airlines has honoured its local airport team with the Customer Cup Award for improved customer service in the third quarter of 2013.

The Customer Cup Award is categorised by market size and recognises employees for their performance in Customer Service, based on customer feedback.

The American team in Manchester were awarded the Customer Cup for improvements in various metrics, including likelihood to recommend, overall flight experience and on-time departures.

Phillip Morris, American Airline’s General Manager for Manchester, said: “We are very proud to have won American’s Customer Cup for the first time, especially because this award reflects the passion, commitment and hard work of our team, and it is evidence of our constant focus on our customers. This award recognises our commitment to delivering excellent customer service and creating a

memorable travel experience for all of our clients.”

Tricia Williams, Customer Services Director at Manchester Airport, added: “We are thrilled that the Manchester Airport American Airlines station has won this prestigious award. We take customer service very seriously both with our own colleagues and with all of our partner organisations on-site.

“The American Airlines Customer Cup is part of a wider focus of improving customer experience, and colleagues are encouraged to bring forward ideas and solutions to improve the travel experience.”

CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY REMOVES STANSTED

AIRPORT FROM ECONOMIC REGULATION Following a two year review, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has announced its decision to remove Stansted Airport from economic regulation from April 2014 onwards.

The CAA has concluded that Stansted does not have substantial market power, and the airport should be free to compete with other airports without the need for price regulation.

Andrew Harrison, Managing Director for Stansted, said: “This announcement is great news for Stansted. The CAA has recognised that since we acquired the airport in February last year we’ve quickly started to

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invest in Stansted and transform the airport.

“The fact we have built strong commercial relationships and have entered into long term growth deals with our key airline partners, Ryanair and EasyJet has given the CAA the confidence we are able to compete in the London market. We can compete in terms of service, quality and price - this is crucial as cost is one of the areas which they regulate.

“The benefit of the CAA’s decision means we can now focus directly on our airlines, passengers and customers, without having to dedicate time to engaging with our third party regulators. However, to secure sustainable growth we need to continue to be price competitive and continually look for ways in which we can operate our business as efficiently as possible in a very competitive market.

“This announcement is further endorsement by the CAA that we are able to compete in the London Market and become the Best Airport in London.”

Reduced Mobility Rights, an organisation encouraging access to aviation, believe that in a perfect journey, a passenger making use of the disabled parking will not have to walk more than 300 steps to get to the boarding gate, and little over 400 to get on-board the aircraft.

conveniently located opposite to the entrance of the departures terminal, and, upon request, be met by assistance services. The information desk is only a few steps from the check-in area and is equipped with hearing loops.

At Bournemouth Airport, the biggest obstacle for passengers with reduced mobility could be the slight slope from the parking bay to the entrance to the departures terminal - and once inside the terminal, there are zero steps to make to get to the tarmac.

Bournemouth also has an accessible food court and toilets, as well as an open space waiting area reserved just for

The duty-free shop - an area that can be challenging to browse in some airports because of space restrictions - is designed to give ample space to wheelchair users.

passengers with special needs, in a quiet area of the departure hall.

In addition, an Ambulift, (equipped with state-of-the-art on-board wheelchairs) is available to help passengers with severe reduced mobility make their way from the terminal to their seat on-board the aircraft, and vice versa.

Bournemouth’s peak traffic is in the summer, so, during this time, the airport hires additional staff to assist passengers with special needs. Staff are directly employed and trained by the airport, and all airport staff - including security officers - have to undergo disability awareness courses and yearly refreshment courses.

Tracey Hilsden, Customer Service Team Leader at Bournemouth, explains: “We want to give all our customers a memorable experience. Delivery of customer service excellence is our constant target, and we listen to the need of the passenger and deliver assistance to his or her requirement.”

Generally, the smaller the airport, the less likely that passengers will request assistance. However, Bournemouth is equipped to provide assistance to all passengers, in all circumstances.

Passengers departing from Bournemouth can use the disabled car park,

AMEY INSOURCING 2013 was the start of big things for the engineering team at Stansted. They’ve been an integral part of the Terminal Transformation Project, assisting in moving the check-in islands and transforming the complicated baggage links system - not an easy task!

Back in March 2013, during Stansted’s first welcome briefing, it was highlighted that MAG were keen to insource, where possible, so the customer journey could be owned from start to finish. An opportunity arose in the engineering department where real-time savings of approximately £0.75m per annum could be expected if AMEY and their services including: Hard Service Maintenance, Civil Works and management of third party specialist contractors such as plumbing and CCTV etc were insourced.

Work on the transition started in May, with November 28th set as the transition deadline. The team were put in place to coordinate the move and the work began.

Along the way much was learned and best practices shared as the team took on TUPE regulations, contract novation and general contract negotiations.

In November 2013 Stansted welcomed 16 new colleagues from AMEY and the team were warmly welcomed by Andrew Harrison at a two day bespoke induction

course. The course which was led by Amanda Reyland, HR Business Partner and Russell Wide, Engineering Service Delivery Manager provided colleagues with all the relevant equipment and information including an introduction to the MAG vision and values.

Well done to all invo lved in the TU PE proces especially s , , Amanda Reyland, HR Busine ss P Wide, Eng artner, Russell inee Delivery M ring Service Cara Stew anager and art, Procu rement Manager.

MAG’s COLLEAGUE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2014

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NEWS

NEWS

AIRPORT ACADEMIES PROVE TO BE A FLYING SUCCESS Manchester and East Midlands Academies have helped over 260 people get back into employment during 2013, with many working on-site at the respective airports.

R-L: Andy C Managing liffe, Director EMA and Andrew Bridgem, MP for North West Leicesters hire

East Midlands Airport’s dedicated employment and education facility for adults has seen over 110 potential recruits pass through its doors and has placed over half in employment in the eight months it has been open, while Manchester Airport’s Academy established in 2010 - has helped over 100 people get a job in the last 12 months.

At Manchester, the Academy offers local unemployed people the opportunity to complete a two week course. Upon completion of the course, successful participants will have a nationally recognised customer services qualification, as well as receive help with interview skills and preparing their CVs.

Manchester Airport’s Academy Manager, Tony Savage, explained: “We receive referrals from the local job centres and training providers for suitable candidates to go on the course. We assess their Maths, IT, English and Customer Service skills to enable us to judge their suitability for the training and roles that could be available for them. We try to show people the bigger picture - a Customer Services role could lead to many other roles at Manchester Airport or elsewhere.

“We do everything we can to help people get back into work, preferably at Manchester Airport, however the skills they learn whilst being here can be transferred to a variety of other jobs. We also, where

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possible, offer the course participants placements within the airport. In 2013, 40 people took up a work placement opportunity and following that, 36 of them are now in full-time or part-time jobs at Manchester Airport.”

At East Midlands, the Academy provides a week-long course, offering two Level 1 City and Guild qualifications in Customer Service and Personal Development, alongside some coaching on interview techniques and employability skills. At the end of the course, all candidates are offered the chance to apply for any of the vacancies that are currently available. So far, positions have been filled at many of the large employers on site, including Radisson Blu, Holiday Inn Express, Europcar, and in the Customer Service department for East Midlands Airport.

A recent candidate to be placed in employment at East Midlands Academy was Natalie Rene, who was unemployed for seven months and was looking for a permanent job. Natalie attended the Airport Academy course and is now waiting to begin a role with DHL, as a Customs Agent.

Natalie commented: “Attending the airport academy was a fantastic experience for me. I learned a great deal while I was on the course, and the placement allowed me to be in a work environment again and gave me the confidence I needed to apply for a vacant position with DHL. I have now been offered a job at DHL and am looking forward to starting. All in all, the Airport Academy was a hit for me and I would urge anyone who is out of work to give it a go.”

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RUNWAY VISITOR PARK CELEBRATES

10 YEARS OF CONCORDE In 2013, Concorde celebrated ten years since her last ever flight, when she carried British Airways VIP’s and touched down at Manchester Airport.

The magnificent plane went on public display at the already established Runway Visitor Park in April 2004, joining the Avro RJX and Monarch DC-10 nose that were already on display and becoming the first Concorde to go on display in the UK. Concorde was on display outdoors until February 2009 when a specialist hangar was built to protect the iconic aircraft from the outdoor elements. The hangar was officially opened by British Airway’s Chief Executive at the time, Willie Walsh, in February 2009.

next to the runway where enthusiasts could watch the planes coming and going. However, in 2002, planning permission was received to site aircrafts there as well as catering and other facilities including picnic tables, an aviation shop and a children’s play area.

“This summer saw the Runway Visitor Park cement its place in the top 10 most visited attractions in Greater Manchester, with over 330,000 visitors in 2012, so we’ve come a long way over the last decade and Concorde has and continues to be a huge part of that success.”

The Runway Visitor Park officially opened in May 1997, following relocation from the opposite side of the runway where the ‘Aviation Viewing Park’ had been established since 1992. When plans for the second runway came into force, the viewing park was relocated to its current spot on Sunbank Lane.

Stansted Airport has joined the other MAG airports in benefitting from one airport shopping bag being allowed on all departing flights, in addition to hand luggage.

Runway Visitor Park Manager, Rob Pattison, said: “For several years, the Runway Visitor Park was simply a field

EAST MIDLANDS AIRPORT WINS ‘BEST REGIONAL AIRPORT FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE’ East Midlands Airport was announced as the winner of ‘Best Regional UK Airport for Customer Service’ in the prestigious 2013 British Travel Awards.

The announcement was made at a glamorous Gala Awards Dinner, held at Battersea Evolution in London, which was attended by close to a thousand people from across the travel industry.

The British Travel Awards were created in 2001 to reward the best companies in travel, and are recognised by consumers and travel professionals throughout the UK. The awards, voted for exclusively by the travelling public, cover 72 award categories covering all types of holiday experiences and services.

STANSTED LAUNCH NEW ‘SHOPPING BAG’ CAMPAIGN

Andy Cliffe, Managing Director at East Midlands Airport, said: “We pride ourselves on the level of service we provide to our customers and it’s a great achievement to be recognised by our passengers and awarded this prestigious title.

“As work progresses on our redevelopment project, we look forward to building on this success to give our passengers the best possible experience.”

You can read more on the redevelopment project at EMA on page 22.

The new policy was implemented as a result of Ryanair, Stansted’s biggest airline, relaxing the restrictions they previously had in place. All other airlines at Stansted already sanction a second bag into the cabin, so now all passengers at the airport can benefit from the two bag rule.

To celebrate this and to ensure that all retail partners benefit from the change, an MAG-wide marketing campaign was launched across all key touch points with passengers, with the campaign’s primary objective being simply to raise awareness of the new policy. Campaign activity ranges from giant bags in the terminals to email communications being sent to passengers prior to their next flight.

Andrew Harrison, Stansted’s Managing Director, said: “This is really good news for our passengers.

The new and developing relationship between Ryanair and MAG at Stansted has seen the airline review its previous policy and deliver a positive change that ensures all Stansted passengers can buy from the wide variety of shops in the terminal, safe in the knowledge they will not breach this particular restriction.”

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NEWS

NEWS

NATIONAL RECYCLING STARS AWARD GOLD TO STANSTED AIRPORT

DAVIES COMMISSION

LOCAL MP VISITS STANSTED TO CHECK PROGRESS ON TERMINAL TRANSFORMATION Sir Alan Haselhurst, MP for Saffron Walden, paid a visit to Stansted Airport to see how work is progressing on the airport’s £80 million terminal transformation project.

PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL TOWN PLANNING INSTITUTE PRAISES MANCHESTER AIRPORT’S PLANS The President of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), the largest membership organisation of planners in Europe, praised MAG’s ambitious plans on a tour of the airport and the Airport City Enterprise Zone development.

Dr Peter Geraghty, President of the RTPI, said: “I was extremely impressed by the planning of Manchester Airport on its Enterprise Zone. Their ambition for, and commitment to, the Airport City development is evident and admirable and is a showcase for positive planning.

I was delighted to witness first-hand the role planners and planning has in delivering jobs, growth and sustainable development.”

MAG’s vision for the Manchester Enterprise Zone focuses on attracting businesses that will benefit from the high level of connectivity provided by proximity to an international airport, European Regional HQ, offices, logistics, advanced manufacturing and supporting retail and

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leisure, including hotels and conferencing facilities. Complementing these will be health and biotech related research and development, as well as training facilities associated with the MediPark.

John Twigg, MAG’s Planning Director, said: “We are delighted to welcome the RTPI President to Manchester Airport to showcase the role of planners in delivering sustainable growth at the UK’s largest airport outside London.

His site visit included the Airport City Enterprise Zone; where work is about to start on our 5 million sq ft development.

This will become one of the major new employment areas in the region, attracting global businesses and supporting regeneration in Wythenshawe.

“We demonstrated the wide range of planning work. Our long term master planning enables us to accommodate significant growth within the capacity of our two runways and three terminals.

While in the short term, we are helping deliver improved connectivity through the Metrolink tram extension, a fourth rail platform and strategic road improvements.”

Stansted Airport has been awarded the top ‘Gold’ accreditation by National Recycling Stars, one of the UK’s leading waste industry accreditation schemes.

As the biggest single site employer in the region, providing employment for over 10,200 people and welcoming nearly 18 million passengers through the door each year, it is unsurprising that the airport generates significant volumes of waste, over 5,000 tonnes annually.

Targets were set in 2010 to recycle 60% of total airport waste and send 0% of waste direct to landfill by 2015. Excellent progress has been made with the 60% mark already passed for total airport waste recycled, and by the end of 2013 just 7% of waste was sent direct to landfill, putting the airport on-track to achieve 0% by 2015.

Kathy Morrissey, Stansted Airport’s Environment and Utilities Manager and the driving force behind the improved waste recycling performance in recent years, said: “Achieving the highest award under the National Recycling Stars accreditation scheme is not just great for Stansted Airport as a business but for the wider airport community as it recognises the partnership approach taken by our cleaning contractor, waste disposal company and 190 companies and thousands of employees on-site who all play their part.”

MAG launched the £80 million project to redevelop the terminal in June 2013, planning to enhance the state-of-the-art building even further by making better use of existing space and providing passengers with new security facilities and an enlarged departure lounge. A highlight of Sir Alan’s visit included a behind the scenes guided

tour of the construction site by the project’s director, Martin Lyall.

Martin commented: “We are delighted to welcome Sir Alan to Stansted, and hope that he leaves us better informed about our very exciting terminal transformation project. Our new domestic reclaim area has been delivered ahead of schedule, and we’re on-track to open the new security search in the coming weeks. There’s still lots more to do and we will begin construction on the departure lounge shortly. Stansted is changing, and we’re confident that passengers, staff, and Sir Alan will love the new airport when it’s finished in 2015.”

DHL BECOME FIRST BUSINESS TO LOCATE AT AIRPORT CITY DHL, the leading global logistics company, has become the first business to locate at Airport City, after signing an agreement with MAG for the development of a 37,308 sq ft building.

Airport City Manchester is an £800 million, 10-15-year development by MAG that will transform Manchester Airport from a regional transport hub into an international destination in its own right. When complete, the new centre will offer international services and provide the core DHL Service Point offerings of drop-off and collection of goods for delivery overseas, with local businesses and residents benefitting from a parcel drop-off and pick-up point. It will have the most efficient operational processes and equipment, and be armed with the latest technology and up to date MHE equipment. It will also achieve

a BREEAM rating, demonstrating its environmental credentials. John Atkins, MAG’s Property Director, added: “This is fantastic news for the local area and the regional economy, as well as a highcalibre kick-off point for Airport City.

DHL is a global leader in its field and a well-established, highly-recognised global brand, which we are delighted to welcome as the first occupier at the UK’s first Airport City. The logistics sector is a key growth area and we aim to build on Manchester’s status as a major airport for cargo, with the logistics hub at Airport City becoming a catalyst for economic growth in the region.”

In December, the Airports Commission published its shortlist of runway options.

The Commission was appointed by the Government to examine the need for additional UK airport capacity and make recommendations on how demands can be met in the short, medium and long term.

It’s sometimes referred to as the ‘Davies’ Commission as it is chaired

by Sir Howard Davies, the former Director of the London School of Economics.

The Airports Commission announced: Stansted is not shortlisted for a new runway before 2030 although Stansted has been identified as a possible longer term option for additional runway capacity by 2050.

The shortlisted options feature one additional runway at either Heathrow or Gatwick by 2030.

Charlie Cornish, MAG’s CEO, said: “We welcome the Commission’s support for measures to increase capacity at the airport in the short term, including improving rail links between the airport and central London. We also support the Commission’s finding that Stansted is one of the viable options for a runway beyond 2030.

“Stansted has a bright future, indeed we are the only London airport that can grow substantially in the next ten years. Since we took ownership in February this year we have already signed up new airlines and destinations to meet growing passenger demand. Our immediate priority is to continue to transform the airport experience for our passengers.

“MAG continues to be committed to developing Stansted to be the best and fastest growing airport in London.

It is very much business as usual and we need to keep focused on our immediate priorities of transforming Stansted and ensuring we provide our passengers and airlines with the best possible customer experience.”

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MEET THE APPRENTICES

MEET THE APPRENTICES

MEET THE APPRENTICES In 2013, MAG recruited seven Apprentices to work in various departments across all four airports. Take Off finds out more about some of our young Apprentices, as Talent & Resourcing Specialist, Nicky Sidebottom, explains why Apprentices are so essential to MAG. “Our Apprenticeship programme offers young, talented individuals the opportunity to begin their career on a structured and supported programme as an alternative to continuing on to higher education.”

“Apprenticeships are made up of on and off the job learning, supported by a professional qualification. This enables the Apprentices to gain a strong technical and professional understanding of their chosen field and of MAG, which is a fantastic base to start their careers with us. The Apprenticeships range in length from 12 months up to four years and the Apprentices will emerge from the programme in to customer facing or technical roles. They will then be given continued support to grow and develop their career with us.”

“Apprentices are essential to MAG to help us build our talent pipeline and allow our experienced colleagues to pass on their invaluable knowledge to their future successors. This is particularly important amongst our technical roles where we often face challenges in recruiting externally.

Furthermore, having a diverse workforce brings fresh ideas and perspectives allowing MAG to continue developing and progressing as a business.”

Stephen Mitchell

Safety Apprentice Air Traffic ian nic ch Te Electronics

air and My main role is the rep e equipment, sid air all maintenance of runway lights ranging from replacing equipment ing to accessing and repair joying en lly rea I’m inside the radar. rning, lea to ach pro ap n the hands-o olved inv t ge as well as being able to re, he s en pp ha t with everything tha the h wit e tim nd spe to and getting and meeting lots different departments Apprenticeship an of people. I thought nity to enter rtu po op would be great continuing my ilst wh rk wo of the world get the vital I s education, as it mean line of work. this for ed experience I ne Management I hope to one day enter ing in ain rem in the airport whilst I finish er Aft . tor sec ing the Engineer ip, esh I hope my four year Apprentic d gaining an to continue learning th Airport. ou em urn Bo experience at

Mihir Patel Apprentice Airfield Engineer

I am part of a small team that mak es sure all of the lighting on the runw ay, taxiways and aprons are illuminat ed, and also to maintain various piec es of equipment that allows Air Traffic Controllers to communicate with Aircrafts, identify their position and monitor their movements.

There is never a time where I have nothing to do. Whether it’s schedule d maintenance, college work or equ ipment repairs, I always have something to do and no two days are the same, as I may have to work out on the airfield one day and in a workshop the other. It’s been a life-long dream to work in the avia tion industry and airport environment, and I want to follow the footsteps of my colleagues and be a long-term emp loyee at East Midlands Airport. In five year s I want to be taking on a few more responsibilities by completing big projects, and hopefully East Midlands Airport will employ other apprentices that I can work closely with and guide. Eventually I would like to be in my manager’s position as it proves that apprenticeships can still take you a long way!

“Outside of work, I’m currently training for a cycling marathon”

“Outside of work, I’m an Apprenticeship ambassador for Leicester College, and I also DJ for several local events and private parties”

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MAG’s COLLEAGUE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2014

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MEET THE APPRENTICES

MEET THE APPRENTICES

Clarence Brown I plan to stay at Stansted and shoot up the ranks. Maybe in 10 years or so I will take a sabbatical to work in the Caribbean for a few years, and then hopefully return to Stansted.”

Maintenance Technician at Stansted Airport My job consists of planning routine maintenance as well as fault-finding and repairs. I contemplated doing an Apprenticeship in this industry for many years, and after doing some research I realised experience counts for more than qualifications alone, and with an Apprenticeship you get both - plus you get paid! I love the day-to-day variety. In the five months I’ve spent here, there have not been two days the same -and it’s the same with the people. There are so many different cultures here and everyone has been kind. My favourite memory is a day working at the TTS. We were at lunch and received a call to say there was a fault in one of the cars. We dropped everything and jogged through the airport to the fault - thank goodness the metal detectors sensed our urgency!

Megan Hinchcliffe

Customer Service Appre ntice

Chris Wood

Apprentice IS Network Engineer at Manchester Airport

As a Network Engineer it is my responsibility to maintain network y access for all devices on the compan rs enge pass for i network, including Wi-F es agu colle for ss acce and internet across the whole airport. I chose to do an Apprenticeship as I preferred the idea of learning in a working on’ environment and getting a ‘hands approach as opposed to the more ‘book learning’ environment that university would provide. On my first day, I felt very welcome and excited about taking the first step into my ort career. The atmosphere of the airp very are s peer my and dly frien ly real is helpful.

After my Apprenticeship I am hoping to stay at the airport as a full time Network Engineer. In five years time I would like to be a valuable member of the networking team.

“Outside of work, I play guitar and enjoys martial arts and snowboarding” 11

Day-to-day, I take calls regarding car park enquiries, fas t track and the RVP, Car Park and Escap e Lounge bookings, as well as de aling with customer complaints. I decided to do an Apprenticeship after leaving sixth form. I hadn’t applied to university, but from my part-time job I knew I wanted to work with the public , and I liked the idea of learning, experi encing and getting paid! I enjoy de aling with the general public over the telephone, and no two days are the sam e. It’s also really fun and I’m con stantly learning.

“In five years I would like to be in a secure full time job which I love.”

In my career I would lov e to stay at MAG and progress wit hin the airport.

At the end of my Appre nticeship I’ll be able to do a Level 3 Cu stomer Service Apprenticeship in Team Leading and Management, which ma y be useful and enable me to gain even more experience.

Lucia Manfredi Customer Service Apprentice After finishing college I was unsure as to what I wanted to do as a career, but after studying Travel and Tourism I thought an Apprenticeship in Manchester Airport would be a great opportunity. I enjoy the day-to-day activities within the Customer Contact Centre and the people I work with - on my first day everyone was extremely friendly and welcoming. After my Apprenticeship finishes, I would like to continue on with the Level 3 Customer Service Apprenticeship.

“What do I do outside of work? Enjoy my days off!”

“I’ve just moved from London to Bishops Stortford, so the weeks I go back to London are normally filled with parties and video games!”

APPRENTICE TRAINED AT MANCHESTER AIRPORT WINS PRESTIGIOUS PRIZE! Adam Glover started his Apprenticeship with Cross Services and has undertaken all of his Apprenticeship based within the Manchester Airport environment, dealing with all manner of projects from small maintenance works to larger fit out operations within the airside frame works and various locations within the buildings and boundaries. Adam recently completed his Apprenticeship and is now a qualified electrician with Boulting Group, who provide mechanical and electrical services at Manchester Airport.

Birmingham, Adam came runner up, and was awarded with a shield and a cheque for £500 - a magnificent achievement!

Adam receiving his award

Upon completing his Apprenticeship Adam’s name was put forward by his Training Officer as a nomination for ‘Regional Apprentice of the Year’, and from over 600 Apprentices in the region and after attending a formal interview process, Adam was shortlisted to a group of twelve.

At the awards ceremony, held at the National Motorcycle Museum in

MAG’s COLLEAGUE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2014

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THE ROLE OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

THE ROLE OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

9.30am: I answer telephone queries as and when the unit is contacted.

This can involve booking / re-booking medical appointments, advising of cancellations etc. I then go on to arrange relevant medical training for the staff and telephone various companies for information with a view to meeting them onsite in order to take / improve the service we offer

Michaela and Marie

11.00am: After triaging any received OH Referral Forms, I contact colleagues, who are waiting for an appointment, agree a date for them to attend and update their line manager / colleague of the appointment details.

12.00pm: The rest of the afternoon, in between appointments, is generally spent paying invoices, ordering medical equipment, arranging for the medical equipment within the unit to be calibrated, and advising any faults to IT or terminal control.

4.30pm: At the end of my day, I put the OH answer phone back on, lock the doors and turn the lights off and head home to recuperate!

THE ROLE OF H T L A E H L A N IO T A P OCCU Occupational Health (OH) is a specialist area of medicine which specifically deals with the effect of work on health and health on work. The role of the Occupational Health unit at Manchester Airport is to provide appropriate and relevant advice based on clinical expertise.

The team at Manchester, led by Mark Lakin, Health and Safety Risk Manager, consists of Marie Brocklehurst, Occupational Health Advisor, Michaela Fernley, OH Co-ordinator, Denise Toms, Complimentary Therapist and Helen Webley, Physiotherapist. A visiting doctor, Dr Lister, also attends once a fortnight.

“There are two main objectives of the unit,” explained Mark. “One is to support the management of absence and work with managers and colleagues to help return people safely to work after a period of absence. The other primary aim is to assess people to see if they are able to carry out their role in a safe and healthy manner. The team also offer health surveillance, health promotion services,

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and general medical advice and support to the group function.”

Take off caught up with Marie and Michaela to find out more about their average day in the unit.

Michaela Fernley Occupational Health Co-ordinator Worked at Manchester Airport for seven years.

My role is very involved and changes from one minute to the next. For example, I could be in the middle of an email and when an urgent call takes place advising me of medical information that needs to

be passed on to one of my colleagues or, I could be arranging a medical with a colleague at reception and a caller may require me to telephone for medical assistance for them. Part of the role also involves me liaising with external medical companies for various reasons, from seeking medical reports to speaking with Independent Physicians, colleagues or ex colleagues of both MA and Service Partner.

Marie Brocklehurst Occupational Health Advisor Worked at Manchester Airport for four years 6.15am: My day begins with waking up my children, organising breakfast, sorting lunch boxes etc. I live eight minutes away, and aim to leave the house for 7.30am, but inevitablyt there is a request for bus fare or a note for a teacher just as I am trying to escape!

07.45am: Arrive at the unit. My first task of the day is preparing the screening room dependent upon what appointments

7.45am: My day normally starts with the opening of the unit in preparation for the day’s clinics. I then spend some time responding back to any phone messages that have been left.

8.00am: Before the clinics start I give my medical colleagues their schedules for the day, so they know what is coming up throughout the day. I then spend the rest of the morning prioritising emails which require my attention. Throughout the day I greet colleagues as they arrive and check medical paperwork accordingly depending on the type of medical being carried out.

are booked in whether its airside drivers medicals, pre-employment medicals, CAA medicals or HGV/PCV. I then check all the equipment and make sure it’s ready and in working order.

08.00am: I review my schedule for the day which has been prepared with the relevant files by Michaela. Any sickness absence referrals require me to read the previous history and make any notes if necessary in advance of the consultation.

08.30am: I spend some time reviewing the referrals that have been submitted by managers and decide which health professional to allocate the case to. This can be either myself, the occupational health physician or the physiotherapist.

09.00am: Appointments start. Every day is different which is why I love the variety and diversity of my job. I can have a full day of medicals, a day of medicals and sickness absence reviews or I can be out assessing a workstation and offering advice on ergonomic issues. I also get the opportunity to meet interesting people, not only MAG colleagues but our service partners as well who work throughout the airport in such diverse roles. I always have a chat about their roles as I am genuinely interested in what they do but it also helps me gain a better understanding of the airport environment.

Throughout the rest of the day I deal with queries from managers and staff and regularly offer advice regarding referrals.

I attend regular meetings regarding policy review and review of the unit and services we offer. It’s an exciting time for Occupational Health as we are in the process of reviewing the services that we offer to colleagues.

4.00pm: Home time, quick change from occupational health advisor to domestic goddess. I prepare the evening meal for my husband and four children and the family all sit down together to enjoy a meal together, everyone telling the story of their day. Time to relax after dinner and listen to the squabbles over who has done the least clearing up!!

“ Every day is different which is why I love the variety and diversity of my job.”

Team en, member Hel ist p a er th Physio

Free confidential support for colleagues now available At MAG we are committed to providing an environment that supports all of our colleagues in making individual wellbeing choices. We believe that if you are healthy and happy in your work life then you will be able to face the challenges of your day-to-day working life.

In response to the last Employee Opinion Survey, where only 45% of colleagues felt that their manager cared about their health and wellbeing, we have introduced a new free Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).

The programme is managed by Health Assured and is in place to help colleagues deal with personal problems that might adversely impact their work performance, health, and wellbeing. This service, free to colleagues, offers cover for colleagues and their immediate family members who reside at the same address, including children in full-time education.

EAP offers colleagues support in: • Stress management • Eldercare • Child care • Medical information • Tax advice Colleagues can also take advantage of the free online health portal (www. healthassuredeap.co.uk) where they can access instant and unlimited access to emotional support video content, engaging fitness videos and over 200 easy to read and understand medical factsheets. It also includes the personal coaching and health assessment areas, where colleagues can confidentially enter their personal details and produce clear reports and advice.

This confidential service is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all year round. Your calls will be answered by a fully trained and qualified counsellor who will provide initial emotional support. If further support is required then you will be referred to a lawyer, nurse or doctor depending on your own specific requirements.

You can access this free service by calling 0800 030 5182 or you can find out more information by visiting the intranet and following MyWorklife.

MAG’s COLLEAGUE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2014

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CONTACT CENTRE GOES 24/7

CONTACT CENTRE GOES 24/7

CONTACT CENTRE GOES 24/7 Since the MAG contact centre opened its doors in February 2012 they have handled almost 750,000 phone calls, taken over £2.2 million in revenue, received over 52,000 bookings and have dealt with more than 22,000 pieces of customer feedback.

Dani

el Ki ng age

Man

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The centre was originally set up so customers could get the support and information they needed easily. It’s divided into two sections Live Communications and Sales, Feedback and Bookings centre.

The Live Communications centre provides the switchboard service, emergency lines and compliance functions such as flexigate and alarms for Manchester Airport.

The Sales, Feedback and Bookings centre looks after car park and ancillary sales for all four Airports and also handles all customer feedback for Manchester, East Midlands and Bournemouth Airports.

e The liv s m m co area Carol Bradley

RP: Meeting Keith Duffy to film a video to accompany Airport Awareness literature, aimed at helping families with autistic children when travelling through the airport.

TD: When Terminal 1 and Olympic House were evacuated last year in April!

TO: How have you seen the Contact Centre change since you started?

DS: It truly is a dynamic and forward thinking department. We started off two years ago with ten people looking after Manchester, and we now have 25 colleagues looking after all four airports.

The job today is totally different to two years ago!

Meet some of the team!

Take Off: So, what kind of things could you be doing on a typical day in the Contact Centre?

CB: Every day is different and you never know what you will be asked next - oh, and working for the best boss, Daniel!

Ryan Pilkington: Making bookings for the Escape Lounge, the Runway Visitor Park, and fast track, and also answering the Airport switchboard and the emergency phone line.

RP: The variety of the work we do, my colleagues, and the boss!

To help improve this service further, the centre has recently launched a 24/7 operation, which means that passengers can now contact MAG anytime they want as Charlotte Wienholt, the centres supervisor, explains: “Following the introduction of additional work in to the Contact Centre it was quickly determined that we would need to be a 24/7 department.This is a fantastic achievement for us as now customers can contact us at any time of the day and it also means that we can handle additional work within our live communications centre. We are all very excited for what the next challenge may be and all look forward to continue being part of the Contact Centre!

Charlotte Doolan: Dealing with car park bookings, customers complaints, and general airport enquiries.

“...now customers can contact us at any time of the day...”

TD: I really enjoy the working environment and working alongside my colleagues.

Tony Dyke: Answering feedback and enquiries over the phone, email, and through the website.

TO: Is there anything difficult about the job?

CD: At first, learning how all our systems worked was tricky, but I seem to have conquered that now!

TD: I wouldn’t say difficult, but dealing with angry customers over the phone can present a challenge.

Carol Bradley: Operating the flexi-gates and liaising with other airport bodies, such as UKBA and GMP.

DS: It can be a challenge to keep up with changes all of the time, and outside influences have a massive impact on our department.

TO: What do you enjoy about working in the Contact Centre?

TO: What’s the most memorable thing that’s ever happened on shift?

Donna Slinger: I work with a fantastic team, and no two days are the same.

Being in a position to help our customers and really influence their perception of our airports is great.

CD: A man called up claiming he had seen four lights in the sky which were multiplying at regular intervals, so assumed they were UFO’s!

CB: It’s gone from a Contact Centre dealing with car parking and customer feedback to a 24/7 live comms operation in just two years.

TD: There’s new and more colleagues in here, as well as more duties.

RP: From a team of 10 to more than 25 there’s a lot more work to do, too!

TO: Finally, when you’re not helping to keep the Airports running, what do you do?

DS: As little as possible, although I watch a lot of sports! I live a few hundred yards from Old Trafford Cricket Ground and the Football Ground, which is nirvana for me!

CD: I enjoy camping, and I’m also learning to kick box, which is great fun.

TD: I have a family, so much of my time is taken up with the usual family routine when we can, we go to the cinema, and when I’m off in the week and they are all at school, I love to play golf.

The t contac e r t n e c

Tony Dyke

r

MAG’s COLLEAGUE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2014

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MAG MARKETING

MAG MARKETING

M eet the Tea m Marketing Director Jeff Howarth

ting l marke y e n n a h Multic g man ting usin is marke keting channels mar different h a customer, to reac mails, bsites, e e w y ll a ore typic PR and m s , ia d e m social such a al media n io it d oor a tr io or outd d a r , s s e pr g advertisin

I joined the business in December 2012, prior to that I spent 4 ½ year s as the Group Head of Multi Channe l Marketing at JD Sports. 2014 is set to be an exciting year for the marketin g department with, among other thin gs, the roll out of new airport websites and going live with our first Stansted Airport marketing campaigns on the streets of London!

Head of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Roger Westerbeek

Head of Commercial & Brand Joanne Street

Head of Aviation Marketing Full Service Scheduled (FSS) Bev Ridyard

I am here to: • Deliver an insightful Commercial Product Marketing strategy to support income targets for car parks, retail, food & beverage, lounges and for the Runway Visitor Park at Manchester.

• Plan and deliver multi-channel airport campaigns in highly targeted locations to combat leakage to competitors.

• Ensure all activity is “on brand”, managing the supply chain and looking for economies of scale.

Head of Digital & e-commerce Tony Wood

MAG MARKETING Based on the 5th floor of Olympic House, Group Marketing is a busy, fast paced department that supports the commercial performance of all four Group airports.

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there 3 1 0 In 2 e over wer illion m 300 tunities r oppo r or see a to he arketing our m tivity! ac

r things!) tshell (amongst othe What we do in a nu ers Delivering Passeng ers Driving passenger numb s, line air by working with de partners tour operators and tra fly from our Convincing people to airports mote the Working with PR to pro in different airports and the brand ers tom cus ways to attract Manchester Supporting Marketing nt to open me op vel De and Aviation routes and up more capacity, new attract new partners

Delivering Income Increasing profits through the online sales of products and services including car parks, retail, lounge, aviation and third party activity (e.g. hotels, flights and car rental) Driving in-terminal retail spend

Our airp websites ort receive over 45 million visits eve ry year and we send ove r 50,000,0 00 email s every ye ar!

I am here to: •D rive FSS passenger numbers in both our core and extended catchment to ensure they are flyin g with carriers from our airports.

•C reate joint sales and marketing campaigns with our FSS aviation partners to maximise the opportu nity for our messages to be ‘seen’ or ‘heard’ in the market.

• Manage the inbound marketing strategy, in partnership with Marketing Manchester and various tourist bodies to educate people from across the globe on the services from Manchester Airport and to encourag e them to come and visit.

Head of Aviation Marketing Low Cost and Charter (LCC) Patrick Alexander

I am here to: •D rive income from the Customer Relationship Management programme, engaging and promoting products and services to customers - as well as pushing seat sales for our airline and tour operator partners.

• Deliver business insights. Develop ing and centralising a Single View of 2.9 million customers including contact details, survey responses plus cutti ngedge insights around customer behaviour, emotions and attitudes and wider consumer market trends.

• Translate detailed customer knowledge into a highly targeted CRM strategy ensuring we talk to the right customer, with the right airport product, through the right communications channels to increase revenues.

I am here to: • Develop ecommerce and mobile strategies throughout the MAG digital estate.

• Enhance the digital user journey and capitalise on commercial opportunities.

• Optimise all digital channels so they are best in class and to drive maximum visibility, growth and revenue.

Look ou t for our new redesig ne website d s in 2014!

I am here to: • Drive LCC passenger numbers.

• L ead the marketing strategy to ensure that the travel trade supports MAG. • To work with third party travel business partners, such as tourist boards and travel associations, to ensure maximum exposure of the MAG airports Low Cost and Charter offer.

MAG’s COLLEAGUE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2014

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MAG MARKETING

MAG MARKETING

Manchester Airport’s market share rose by 1.2% in 2013 and passengers number are now over 20 million!

The Marketing Team in Action Fly Manchester 2013 The challenge Manchester Airport loses four million people every year who travel down to London - often to fly onto destinations that Manchester already serves directly.

Our task was to identify key areas that we lose customers from, (Leeds, Bradford, Halifax and Huddersfield), and promote Manchester as the local ‘Global’ Airport.

The campaign Using a broad range of online and offline marketing media we successfully positioned Manchester as “Your Global Airport” - to re enforce the global status and promote long haul direct routes such as New York, Abu Dhabi, Istanbul, Toronto, Washington and Dubai!

..

Our Fly Manchester Campaign.

We also highlighted the number of direct flights a day to these destinations.

“New York only 56 miles away” - was used as a tagline in Leeds to show just how easy it is to travel if passengers chose to fly locally from Manchester.

on Generated over 175 milli campaign opportunities to see or hear the We made sales of £188,000 from viewers of the campaign Low Cost 2013 We also ran a low cost campaign in key towns within Liverpool positioning Manchester as the North’s low cost airport.

Our PR team helped us get some great coverage of the campaign in the media with featured articles in Manchester Evening News, BBC 1 North West and radio coverage on BBC Radio Merseyside.

Look out for our next Fly Manchester Campaigns and the very first Fly Stansted Campaign in February.

3.3 million Campaign emails were sent along with Facebook and Twitter posts

ease

We saw a 10% incr in the number of people who “viewed Manchester as a major international airport“

ign landing pa 217,000 viewed the campa

Online visitors rose by 19

MAG web sales grew faster in West Yorkshire by 21%

17%

ges in the campaign area MAG’s COLLEAGUE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2014

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22 LANES IN 18 DAYS...

22 LANES IN 18 DAYS...

22 LANES IN 18 DAYS...

That’s the achievement made by the Terminal Transformation Team at Stansted! Since the last issue the project has moved on at an incredible pace, having gone from holes in the ground to completed Security Search areas!

The team have successfully transitioned through running two search areas, old and new, and managed to maintain a positive experience for passengers throughout the entire process. All 22 long lanes are operational and customers and colleagues alike are already benefiting from the extra space created by them. Phase one of installation is complete and all that is required now is the finishing touches which include: • The arrival of the re-check system • Completion of the search benches • Changing of the x-ray monitors • New wayfinding • Completion of the PODS (small booths) The PODS were the brainchild of a colleague led workstream who identified a need for additional work space for the business. There are 13 PODS in total including a training POD, administration, private search booths, UKBF and a control

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POD which has the best view over the entire area.

Whilst one workstream were designing for the business, another one was designing for themselves and on 20th December the brand new All Colleague Welfare Facility opened. The new space is more than twice the size of the previous one and boasts a fully fitted kitchen, a dedicated dining area, a quiet area, social zones and a shift preparation area. It is a space designed by colleagues, for colleagues.

Phase two of the transformation will see the development of Stansted’s new World Duty Free store which will open by summer 2014, giving customers a bespoke retail experience.

Martin Lyall, Transformation Director said of the project: “Do not underestimate the amount of work that has been achieved over the last few months - it’s a fantastic achievement!”

m in are 17.5 the s e n la Long d to ompare length c ngth of 12m. le more normal there is t a th s an anner This me re the x-ray sc ir the efo space b engers to load er ft s s a a e p c r a fo sp d more them to n a s y a tr ner for the scan belongings and eir re collect th to the departu n o e v mo lounge

EAST MIDLANDS AIRP HAS ALSO BEEN VERY ORT OVER THE PAST FEW MBUSY WITH THEIR TERMINA ONTHS L REDEVELOPMENT PRO JECT. £1.5 millio

n has been invested in a brand new secu rity hall at EMA which will help improve the security procedur e for customers. The first phase of this development was introduced during Ch ristmas where the airport op ened five long lanes in the ar ea with new security techno logy.

The opening of this ne w area was a great success with many colleagues enjoying the new space as Cheryl Rowe, an ASO from EMA exp lains: “The new space is brilliant, it’s air y, brighter and it doesn’t feel as claust rophobic for us now, which is definitely helping with our own wellbeing. In the old search area we always felt a bit clo sed in but with the longer lanes there is much more room for passengers to get ready, which I think helps with their overall customer experience. I’m really looking forward to it all being completed.”

By Easter all lanes are expected to be fully functional with the new security queuing area opening around May 2014.

A part of this extensive redevelopment project, EMA are introd ucing an exciting range of retail and cateri ng units in both landside and airside loc ations. Many of the food units, including a unique pub called Castle Rock Taproo m and Kitchen, Flat White Coffee shop and Burger King are set to open in Februa ry on the First Floor. In spring 2014, EM A will also welcome Leon, a new fas t-food concept, which will become a key food and beverage offer for custom ers in the Check in Hall and Grab and Fly , which will offer passengers something fresh, fast and portable for the plane in gates 1-5.

Beth Brewster, Retail Dir ector MAG, said: “We are delighted to ha ve worked with HMSHost to introduce these new exciting food and beverage con cepts to East

Midlands Airport. By intr oducing these brands, as part of the airport’s £12 million redevelopment, we are hoping to combine culture and regional taste with innovation and we are confident that these outlets will de liver a unique experience for our passe ngers. The new concepts blend na turally with our own aspirations of pro viding excellent customer service and pro viding a variety of options for our passe ngers whilst being innovative with ou r retail and catering products.”

By summer 2014, the new World Duty Free outlet will be com pleted and this new retail area will giv e customers at EMA a fantastic state of the art shopping experience, where they will be able to purchase the latest lea ding brands and products.

To give passengers an d colleagues an idea of what the redeve lopment will look like once its comple ted, the team at EMA have developed a short two minute ‘fly thru’ video which you can view by following this link : http://www. eastmidlandsairport.com /emaweb.nsf/ Content/TerminalRede velopment.

e more k i l d l u o r If you w tion on eithe , informa developments he e of thes ase contact t ns e o then pl ommunicati C l Interna by emailing Team @ mymag s.com t rpor magai

MAG’s COLLEAGUE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2014

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YOUR CHOIR NEEDS YOU!

YOUR CHOIR NEEDS YOU!

YOUR CHOIR NEEDS YOU! In the last edition of Take-Off, we met some of Manchester Airport’s finest singing men, from Fire Fighters to Engineers, and a few Customer Service Officers thrown in for good measure! They let us in on a few secrets, told us what they get up to when they aren’t keeping the airport running, and explained why they thought every man should sing.

In this issue, we’re turning to our glamorous Sopranos and Altos to learn a little more about the ladies. Since the choir is open to all Manchester Airport Staff, our ladies come from Escape Lounges, Airlines, Customer Services, Recruitment - and there’s even one member who sees herself as the next CEO! Charlie had better keep a close eye on Linda Warren.

It’s no wonder that when asked to describe the choir the first response was cheeky!

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Formed in 2012 for the BBC singing competition ‘Sing While You Work’, the choir is made up of around 25 colleagues, with a healthy split of men and women however, the choir are always on the hunt for new members to join them!

Rehearsal takes place once a week, (conducted by Musical Director Ian Chesworth) with performances ranging from big to small, indoor to outdoor, in the terminal to on the telly. Lizzie Lavan (Internal Communications, MAG), the

choir’s youngest member, has already stepped on the pitch to sing with the choir at the Rugby World Cup, and commented: “It was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience”.

Although the choir admit that a lot of hard work and commitment is involved, the support of the other members and the satisfaction of a great performance more than outweighs this, and as Dianne Anderson, Escape Lounge, puts it: “We are a very friendly choir and we get to perform at some fantastic venues.” Rehearsals are always recorded online, as well, so anyone can listen back later if they couldn’t make a rehearsal.

The choir make sure their dance moves are perfected before performances, and although every single female we asked claimed they were better dancers than the men, soprano Dawn Howard (Premier Work Support) did give the gentlemen some credit, admitting: “We do have a couple of men who can bust a few moves!”

Their main focus though is of course singing. Despite their glitzy appearance and their bubbly nature when they roll up on stage, many of our ladies felt nervous when they first joined the choir and didn’t have much confidence in their own voices.

Toni Fordyce, a Security Officer, explained: “I joined the choir because I was told I

had a good voice, and I needed to prove it to myself.” This was also the case for several others, including Heather Boyd, a Customer Service Officer, and Lisa Hughes, a Security Officer, who admitted to Take-Off: “I had no confidence singing in front of others before joining.” Despite the initial nerves, Lisa - along with several of our other members - recently sang a solo in front of a crowd of 800 people at a concert in the Bridgewater Hall!

So what are you waiting for? Here’s some final advice from our ladies…

‘Go for it. It’s a great learning experience and a lot of fun’.

Janet Nix (Security Officer)

“Being in the choir has been the most rewarding and enjoyable experience for me, as it’s brought special friendships, a chance to sing in so many different venues, and represent Manchester Airport Group.”

Linda Warren, Organisational Development & Internal Communications Co-ordinator

To find ou t more or to get send an e involved, mail manairpo to choir@ check out rt.co.uk or our Fa page: sea cebook rc ‘Manches h t Airport C er hoir ’

“If you like to sing, are prepared to work hard at learning new lyrics, want to have fun and meet new people from all over the airport and can put in the commitment, then come along and join us!”

Dianne Anderson, Escape Lounge.

“The choir is like a great big airport family - very close and fun to be with.”

Sandra Lloyd, Security Officer

MAG’s COLLEAGUE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2014

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MA SECURITY DEVELOPMENT TEAM

Y T I R U C E S A M

M A E T T N E M P O L E V DE rs’ Journey tinuously improve our Custome con to ys wa for g kin loo s ay alw MAG is Team Airport’s Security Development er est nch Ma d an rt, po air the through ments across all complex programme improve d an ge lar of ge ran a d uce introd critical parts of that journey. st mo the of e on ve pro im to terminals during 2013

MA SECURITY DEVELOPMENT TEAM

The team had a busy year as they delivered a number of throughput and capacity improvements, cost efficiencies and compliance improvements.

What happened in 2013?

You may have read about exciting changes the team have made in previous issues of Take Off. Here’s a recap…

In 2013, the team introduced new state-of-the-art self-service boarding pass scanners - similar to that of the Oyster card system in use at London Underground stations.

Spring saw the implementation of longer lanes across all terminals, which have considerably improved the experience for passengers, by giving them more time to load their trays before the X-ray scanner, and more space after the scanner to gather their belongings without the rush they may have experienced previously.

Elsewhere, in all terminals, extra searcher stations were implemented.

LAG’s/LEDS regulations In Spring 2013, regulatory changes were announced with regards to LAG’s/LEDS. The team explain more about what this meant for them and our customers…

What are LAG’s and LEDS? LAGs are Liquids, Aerosols and Gels.

LEDS are Liquid Explosive Detection Systems.

What are the new regulations?

Any medicines, dietary items and Duty Free items placed in Security Tamper Evident Bags over 100ml, have to be screened. The new process began on 30 January.

What did the team do?

t r Airpor te s e h c n The Ma Development Security are (L-R): l Team an, Pau , ig ll a G s e Stev r Hallow o n y a G Shaw, Quayle and David Kemp Alan

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We carried out a trial at Manchester by testing various pieces of equipment. This enabled us to evaluate and identify the most appropriate system for Manchester, East Midlands and Bournemouth, and led us to select and upgrade a number of our existing Rapiscan x-rays plus a piece of

An Aviation Security Officer uses the CEIA Bottle Scanner

equipment completely new to us the Ceia Bottle Scanner.

What will this mean for customers?

Nothing will change for our customers, apart from removing the need to now taste liquids, which is an unpopular, unhygienic, and slow process. Also, the new process enhances our capability of detecting liquid explosives, and - of course - the safety of customers and aircraft is paramount.

Why didn’t the trial include Stansted?

The trial was conducted in Manchester to ensure we could identify the correct LED’s for Manchester, Bournemouth and East Midlands, whilst Stansted have conducted their own trial because they use different x-ray machines and tray handlings systems, so the systems they will select will be slightly different. However, the Security Development team at Manchester have collaborated with colleagues at Stansted on this project and shared information, despite there being a different solution needed.

“Spring saw the implementation of longer lanes across all terminals, which have considerably improved the experience for passengers...”

So, what ’s next?

The Security Development team are already hard at work to ensure that 2014 sees just as many process improvements rolled out across the ently Airport. They told us: “We’re curr t men developing a security improve 4, 201 programme for summer as we constantly strive to further our enhance both our customers and rity secu the at ce rien expe es agu colle search areas.”

Tricia Williams, Customer Services : Director at Manchester Airport, said ’s Team t “The Security Developmen role is critical as it brings together and knowledge from our commercial re futu the t wha ut abo s team assets is likely to be and works with our s terminals and capital delivery team s. esse to improve our proc “Security performance has been transformed over the last year and we are now achieving consistently high levels of service for our customers which the Security a Developments Team have played ng.” veri significant part in deli Look out for updates on the team and their work in future issues of il Take Off and on MAG TV, or ema @ ents opm evel rity.d them at secu manairport.co.uk

MAG’s COLLEAGUE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2014

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MAG NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS!

MAG NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS!

R A E Y W E N G MA !

S N O I T U L O S RE year signals the opportunity for w ne a of g nin gin be the le, op pe For many hobby or giving up a bad habit. w ne a up ing tak it’s er eth wh rt, a new sta do ports what they were resolving to We asked colleagues in all our air at they told us… differently in 2014, and this is wh

“Make more time for the things that matter”

“M ake more time for myself” to “Finally gethinrgouanlld watc f 24”

Ja

ne Si CSTM a nfield t Stanste d

eight series o

er t Ken Sumn Consultan

esign Learning D hester Airport at Manc

Lisa King

Internal Communica tions Lead at Stansted

“Party more!”

“Brush up on my juggling skills” Simon Brooks

Business Development Manage r at Manchester

Jacob

Watts Terminal S ervices As sistant at East Mid lands

. . . g n i n e d r a g e r o “M stops!” if the rain ever

Ruth Osborn emouth tor at Bourn

Administra

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“Give myren Grandmc hoilndey!” less Nicholas Goff

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fficer at Manches

Airfield Security O

“Stop beinlegc swuchhen a smart aBridge!” playing milton irport a H a i r Ma nsted A

lyst HR Ana

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“To not take life for granted - don’t worry, be happy!”

Dipika Pa

Administr

tel

ation Coo at Manche rdinator ster

“More travelling and sightseeing” Wendy Jones

Administrator at Bournemouth

” ! e iv r d o t w o h n r a e l “Finally Gibson

Brad Stansted Projects Lead at n ai Ch Supply

MAG’s COLLEAGUE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2014

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COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL NEWS

COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL NEWS

KEITH DUFFY SUPPORTS AIRPORT AWARENESS AUTISM VIDEO In 2013, Manchester Airport launched a new video to accompany refreshed ‘Airport Awareness’ literature, aimed at helping families with autistic children when travelling through the airport.

NEW LIFE FOR BOURNEMOUTH

AIRPORT’S HEATHLAND Bournemouth Airport has, within its boundary, 250 acres of rare lowland heath which is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and a new partnership between Bournemouth Airport and Dorset County Council will help protect this site in the future.

Thanks to a successful application for 10 years of funding from Natural England, a Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) agreement is now in place which will ensure that the special character of the area will be restored and enhanced. The Council will

manage the land on behalf of the airport and will install new fencing so that grazing cattle can be re-introduced.

Danny Alder, senior ecologist with Dorset County Council’s natural environment team, said: “Dorset County Council looks

forward to continuing working alongside Bournemouth Airport and Natural England in managing this important landscape.

The HLS will enable threatened species such as the Nightjar, Dartford Warbler and Sand Lizard to continue to thrive and help develop educational visits for local schools to explore the ecology of the habitats found here.

“This is a new phase in the conservation work being undertaken here as grazing stock will be introduced within the next two years to help maintain the diversity of heathland and riverside wildlife.”

WHEN YOU WISH UPON A STAR

anks goes Special th tailers te to onsi re ggs and Gre WHSmiths, enny ’s, who B & ie k n ra F y donated generousl food and s, g goody ba ssengers. a p to k drin

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The booklets and videos show a typical scenario, from arriving at the airport to checking in, going through security, boarding, and the return journey.

Chronological information about each stage of travelling through the airport is included, and the booklets are also illustrated with photographs.

The Airport Awareness initiative was originally launched in 2009, and has now been refreshed to include a booklet and video for each of the three terminals.

Singer and actor, Keith Duffy, is backing the initiative, and the videos are voiced by him.

Keith commented: “I’ve been actively fundraising and raising awareness for children with autism for many years now, ever since my daughter Mia was

“This initiative will make a real difference to families travelling through the airport and I’m delighted to be supporting Manchester Airport with this.”

The Dragon’s Den competition hosted by Manchester Airport had 18 schools vying for the winning trophy.

Each group of up to six students pitched their product ideas in front of Four Dragons during October 2013 in the hope of securing up to £100 financial backing.

Ideas included non-alcoholic fruit punch, snowglobes and hot chocolate snowmen.

Each year the charity provides the chance for young people with life limiting illness to have their wish come true and fly to Lapland to meet Father Christmas.

The schools aim to make a profit selling their products, the proceeds of which are given to local hospices; St Anns Hospice, Hope House and East Cheshire Hospice. Teams were encouraged to create sales opportunities of their own in addition to setting up stalls at Manchester Airport, outside local Waitrose stores and Sainsburys at Cheadle Hulme. The final took place at The Runway Visitor Park at Manchester Airport on the 12th December.

“The booklets and videos allow parents to plan their journey with their child, helping them to understand what to expect when they arrive at, travel through, and return to Manchester Airport, and we’re delighted that this initiative has already received so much positive feedback.”

Manchester Airport’s Customer Services Director, Tricia Williams, added: “This initiative is unique to Manchester Airport, and following feedback from parents and carers who have used our booklet in previous years, we decided to create accompanying videos to provide a visual aid as well.

“We appreciate that an airport can be a very confusing and even frightening place for someone on the autistic spectrum,

DRAGON’S DEN IS A ROARING SUCCESS

On Wednesday 11 December, EMA once again supported the annual flight to Lapland for local charity When you Wish Upon a Star.

Colleagues at the airport ensured that the party got away smoothly and the children were suitably entertained whilst they waited for their flight to leave. The airport also waived any fees associated with arriving and departing the airport. A great time was had by all.

diagnosed in 2001. I think it’s brilliant what Manchester Airport is doing to help both children and parents affected by autism.

so we have worked with local autism organisations over the last few years to help autistic children and their families as much as we can when they are travelling through our airport.

Students awaited eagerly for the winner to be announced; the school who had made the most profit. After a brief ‘summing up’ in front of the Dragons, Cheadle Hulme High school were declared the winners with £3,675 profit. Runners-up Wilmslow High School raised £2,009 and this contributed to the grand total of £13,560 which was

split between the Hospices. MAG’s Retail Director, Beth Brewster, presented the awards, she said: “Everyone had really fabulous ideas and so many teams showed extraordinary initiative and commitment to the project, with many tirelessly promoting and selling their products at school, parents evenings, the airport plus local Christmas markets and supermarkets.

“It’s been really hard work for everyone involved but all of the children can be really proud of themselves, they’ve all had a good time, learnt a lot and our congratulations go to everyone who made it this far’’.

Cheadle students Hulme cele with the A brate Dragons irport mentor C and their hri (pictured s Horton far from Sup left) ply Chain MAG’s COLLEAGUE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2014

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COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL NEWS

COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL NEWS

BOH

CHILDREN IN NEED

COMMUNITY FUND

PASSES £50K

MILESTONE

East Midlands Airport did their bit for Children in Need in November, raising money for this worthwhile cause.

A fun run took place around the airport site, alongside an airport quiz and a Great Pudsey Bake Off, all organised to raise money for children and families who need it most. A number of colleagues got involved in the activities to show their support. Anna Thomson, Community Relations Manager at East Midlands Airport, said: “It is always a privilege to get involved in charities such as Children in Need, and we hope that the money raised will go some way to improving the lives of children across the country”.

In total, East Midlands Airport raised £600, which included a passenger coin collection

by Frankie and Benny’s.

‘JUST CULTURE’ CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED AT MANCHESTER AIRPORT Manchester Airport’s Airfield Operations Safety & Compliance Team have been working with the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) on a collaborative ‘Just Culture’ campaign to raise awareness and encourage a fair open reporting culture of airside accidents and incidents.

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At a recent meeting of the Bournemouth Airport Community Fund, £8,500 was awarded to Christchurch Football Club - which means that the Fund has now awarded more than £50,000 to help support local groups.

MOCK INTERVIEWS Colleagues from around the airport have been supporting a number of secondary schools in Derby, by volunteering at mock interview sessions.

The sessions, organised by Derby City Council, are an opportunity for local business volunteers to go into schools and interview year 10 and 11 students. The sessions have been developed to help students gain interview experience, which will help them when they come to apply for college, university or jobs when they

The campaign, which was launched on Thursday 21 November, kicked off with an ‘Airfield Safety Day’, which was held at the Concorde Hangar at the Runway Visitor Park. The Airfield Safety Day was free to attend and marked the launch of the campaign, focusing on safety reporting, human behaviours, investigation, and identification of root causes.

The day started with an introduction by Manchester Airport’s Chief Operating Officer, Andrew Cowan, followed by a number of keynote speakers within

finish school. The sessions have proved to be very beneficial for students, giving then confidence and inspiration, and also for employers, developing their skills and expanding their knowledge.

Colleen Hempson, EMA colleague and volunteer said: “Firstly, I felt very welcomed and valued by the school as a volunteer.

I was pleasantly surprised by the students I interviewed, as the vast majority seemed to have a very clear idea of what their ambitions were and had a well thought out process of how they were going to get there. Students were very well presented, and most had a good level of confidence and a lovely attitude.”

Manchester Airport and aviation-related organisations, including Barrie Davies of Principle Consultant Human Factors.

Following lunch and the opportunity to board and tour Concorde, the afternoon was reserved for companies to exhibit and hold workshop sessions demonstrating how they achieve the key elements of the ‘Just Culture’ message. Judging by attendee feedback, the Airfield Safety Day at Manchester Airport - the very first of its kind - has been a total success!

The Fund was set up in 2008 and is open to community, social, recreational and environmental groups within the Borough of Christchurch and has four very clear objectives: •T o bring the community closer together through facilities for sport, recreation and other leisure time activities •T o offer environmental improvement and/or heritage conservation

Bournemouth supports Movember Colleagues at Bournemouth Airport did their bit for charity by taking part in Movember - a charity which raises awareness and helps men with prostate and testicular cancer, as well as mental health problems.

•T o improve awareness of environmental issues through environmental education • To encourage and/or protect wildlife Organisations which have previously benefited from the Community Fund include Mudeford Sea Scouts, Dorset Wildlife Trust, Bournemouth Aviation Museum, Christchurch Activities for Young People, British Legion and Highcliffe Sailing Club.

Movember encourages men to ditch the razor during the month of November, which, as the photos prove, Bournemouth’s Air Traffic Controllers and Air Traffic Engineers did indeed do, growing hefty moustaches and raising £556 in the process!

The UK was amongst the biggest contributors to the charity this year, and raised more than £200M.

MAG’s COLLEAGUE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2014

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MANCHESTER ENTERPRISE ACADEMY

MANCHESTER ENTERPRISE ACADEMY

Manchester Airport Group (MAG) is the lead sponsor of Manchester Enterprise Academy (MEA) in Wythenshawe and over the past four years has led the journey that has transformed outcomes for the students who attend the school. MEA serves an area of high social deprivation and MAG’s involvement had a clear agenda of transforming all aspects of what was previously the failing predecessor school.

Through support for leadership, financial management, HR, personal development and the delivery of a brand new building, MAG have assisted in the rapid improvement of outcomes for students of Manchester Enterprise Academy.

James Eldon, Academy Principal explains further: “Since the academy opened, the attendance is up 5% in two years, 5A*-C grades with English and Maths have leapt by 19% and Ofsted, in their most recent visit, recognised the Academy’s ‘relentless pursuit of excellence’ - which we are really proud of.”

“Since the academy opened, the attendance is up 5% in two years, 5A*-C grades with English and Maths have leapt by 19%...”

N IO T A M R O F S N A R T THE

OF A SCHOOL

S S E IN S U B H G U O THR

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If you would li ke to volunteer as a mentor or would like more information o n the Academy then please contact the C ommunity Relations Team on 0161 489 30 46.

Olivia Clayton, HR Director of Manchester and East Midlands Airport, is the Academy’s Chair of Governors and has supported the Academy by giving additional HR support and by also facilitating a very successful MAG mentoring process: “We’ve had a wide range of MAG colleagues give an hour a week to support MEA sixth form students,” said Olivia. “This brilliant process has seen students, who would have never normally considered further education, go on to university to study for a degree. For some of them they would have been the first undergraduates from their family to do this!”

In addition to the mentoring process, MAG has given support at many different levels.

MAG Chairman, Mike Davies, who also mentors James, has visited the Academy many times and has recently facilitated a very exciting working relationship with TRG, the catering firm which serves Manchester Airport. “TRG have given MEA students the opportunity to try out different

foods from around the world, see how a commercial kitchen operates and even produce an MEA smoothie! This has given our students an insight into both catering and more eclectic cuisine,” explained James.

The school, previously deemed as one of the most challenging in the country, is now a beacon for how an innovative partnership between business and education can transform the outcomes for children from one of the most socially deprived areas of the country.

James Eldon

“We’ve had a wide range of MAG colleagues give an hour a week to support MEA sixth form students...”

MAG’s COLLEAGUE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2014

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Highlights from 2013

limited email/Intranet so we produce a Not everyone has easy access to on MAG sites. one every h reac help to s copie number of printed