take off - winter edition

MAG’s COLLEAGUE MAGAZINE | SPRING 2013

1

GETTING TO KNOW… MAG’s ApprenticesPLUS... The Contact Centre goes 24/7, Your New Year’s

Resolutions, and Highlights from 2013.

MAG’s COLLEAGUE MAGAZINE

WINTER 2014

Inside...

NEWS

MAG’s COLLEAGUE MAGAZINE | SPRING 2013 2

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).

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.

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.

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.

Charlie Cornish Chief Executive

Safe hands

Finger on the pulse

Brilliant at what matters

Power of teamwork

Our Values

Why not?

Our VisionTo be the

premier airport management and services

company.

FeaturesNews 3

Meet the Apprentices 9

The Role of Occupational Health 13

Contact Centre Goes 24/7 15

MAG Marketing 17

22 Lanes in 18 Days 21

Your Choir Needs You! 23

MA Security Development Team 25

New Year Resolutions 27

Community and Social News 29

Manchester Enterprise Academy 33

Highlights from 2013 35

6 9

24 25

30 33

17

CONTENTS

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.

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.

Advita PatelInternal Communications Lead

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

https://www.facebook.com/MAGColleagues

https://twitter.com/magcolleagues

1 MAG’s COLLEAGUE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2014 2

Welcome to the Winter editionof Take Off

Contact the Editor!Telephone: 0161 489 8678 Email: [email protected]

Cover stars Chris Wood and Lucia Manfredi

NEWS

3

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

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.”

American Airlines has honoured its local airport team with the Customer Cup Award for improved customer service in the third quarter of 2013.

AMERICAN AIRLINES AWARD MANCHESTER AIRPORT TEAM

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

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.”

CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY REMOVES STANSTED AIRPORT FROM ECONOMIC REGULATION

Well done to all involved in the TUPE process, especially, Amanda Reyland, HR Business Partner, Russell Wide, Engineering Service Delivery Manager and Cara Stewart, Procurement Manager.

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.

MAG’s COLLEAGUE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2014 4

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.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.

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,

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.

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.

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

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.”

BOURNEMOUTH AIRPORT RECOGNISED FOR ACCESSIBILITY AND ASSISTANCE OF PASSENGERS WITH REDUCED MOBILITY

AMEY INSOURCING

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.

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!

NEWS

STANSTED LAUNCH NEW

‘SHOPPING BAG’

CAMPAIGN

NEWS


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.

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.

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.

5

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK AND BE IN WITH A CHANCE TO WIN £50!We are always looking to improve our communication channels and we would be grateful if you could take a few minutes and let us know what you think of Take Off. For your time and effort, all comments received will be entered into a prize draw to win £50 of high street vouchers. If you would like to enter the prize draw please complete the below details. Thank you!

NAME:

DEPARTMENT:

EMAIL:

TELEPHONE:

You can send your answers via:POST: Internal Communication, Olympic House, Manchester Airport, M90 1QXEmail (with your contact details): [email protected] you can complete the online survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/TakeOffFeedback

* If you would like to receive information about your airport to your personal email address, email [email protected] with your name, department and the email address you would like to use.

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

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.”

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

Do you enjoy reading Take Off?

Yes No

If no, what could we include in future editions to make it more enjoyable?

Where do you read Take Off?

In our staff area e.g. rest rooms, kitchens

At my desk

At home

Other, please state:

Would you read the magazine if it is was only available digitally?

Yes No

How do you read Take Off?

On my work PC

Via personal email*

On my smart device e.g. iPhone, iPad

A printed copy

Other, please state:

What would you like to see more of in future editions? (Tick as many as appropriate)

Business updates

Personal stories

Meet the teams

News

Community and Social News

Other, please state

What would you like to see less of in future editions? (Tick as many as appropriate)

Business updates

Department updates

Personal stories

Meet the teams

News

Community and Social News

Other, please state

How could we improve our magazine further and make it more enjoyable for you to read?

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.

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.

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

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.”

RUNWAY VISITOR PARK CELEBRATES 10 YEARS OF CONCORDE

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.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.”

R-L: Andy Cliffe, Managing Director EMA and Andrew Bridgem, MP for North West Leicestershire

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.”

DAVIES COMMISSION

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.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.”

LOCAL MP VISITS STANSTED TO CHECK PROGRESS ON TERMINAL TRANSFORMATION

NEWS

8

NEWS

7

PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL TOWN PLANNING INSTITUTE PRAISES MANCHESTER AIRPORT’S PLANSThe 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

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.”

NATIONAL RECYCLING

STARS AWARD GOLD TO STANSTED AIRPORT

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.”

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 high-calibre 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.”

DHL BECOME FIRST BUSINESS TO LOCATE AT AIRPORT CITYDHL, 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.

MAG’s COLLEAGUE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2014

MEET THE APPRENTICESMEET THE APPRENTICES

9 10

“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.”

MEET THE APPRENTICES Mihir Patel

Apprentice Airfield EngineerI am part of a small team that makes sure all of the lighting on the runway, taxiways and aprons are illuminated, and also to maintain various pieces 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 scheduled maintenance, college work or equipment 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 aviation industry and airport environment, and I want to follow the footsteps of my colleagues and be a long-term employee at East Midlands Airport. In five years 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 an Apprenticeship ambassador for

Leicester College, and I also DJ for

several local events and private parties”

Stephen Mitchell

Apprentice Air Traffic Safety

Electronics Technician

My main role is the repair and

maintenance of all airside equipment,

ranging from replacing runway lights

to accessing and repairing equipment

inside the radar. I’m really enjoying

the hands-on approach to learning,

as well as being able to get involved

with everything that happens here,

and getting to spend time with the

different departments and meeting lots

of people. I thought an Apprenticeship

would be great opportunity to enter

the world of work whilst continuing my

education, as it means I get the vital

experience I need for this line of work.

I hope to one day enter Management

in the airport whilst remaining in

the Engineering sector. After I finish

my four year Apprenticeship, I hope

to continue learning and gaining

experience at Bournemouth Airport.

“Outside of work,

I’m currently training for a cycling marathon”


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.

MEET THE APPRENTICES

12

MEET THE APPRENTICES


Adam receiving

his award

Lucia ManfrediCustomer Service ApprenticeAfter 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!”

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. 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

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

APPRENTICE TRAINED AT MANCHESTER AIRPORT WINS PRESTIGIOUS PRIZE!

Chris Wood

Apprentice IS Network

Engineer at Manchester Airport

As a Network Engineer it is my

responsibility to maintain network

access for all devices on the company

network, including Wi-Fi for passengers

and internet access for colleagues

across the whole airport. I chose to

do an Apprenticeship as I preferred

the idea of learning in a working

environment and getting a ‘hands on’

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

career. The atmosphere of the airport

is really friendly and my peers are very

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”

Megan HinchcliffeCustomer Service ApprenticeDay-to-day, I take calls regarding car park enquiries, fast track and the RVP, Car Park and Escape Lounge bookings, as well as dealing 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, experiencing and getting paid! I enjoy dealing with the general public over the telephone, and no two days are the same. It’s also really fun and I’m constantly learning.

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

In my career I would love to stay at MAG and progress within the airport. At the end of my Apprenticeship I’ll be able to do a Level 3 Customer Service Apprenticeship in Team Leading and Management, which may be useful and enable me to gain even more experience.

Clarence BrownMaintenance Technician at Stansted AirportMy 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!

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.”

“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!”

14

THE ROLE OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

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,

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 FernleyOccupational Health Co-ordinatorWorked 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.

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.

THE ROLE OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTHOccupational 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.

13

Team

member Helen,

Physiotherapist

Michaela and Marie

14

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


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

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!

Marie BrocklehurstOccupational Health AdvisorWorked 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

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!!

Free confidential support for colleagues now availableAt 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.

CONTACT CENTRE GOES 24/7

15 16



Daniel King Manager

Tony Dyke

The contact

centre

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.

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!

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.

Meet some of the team!


Carol Bradley

The live

comms

area

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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!

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!

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.

MAG MARKETING


MAG MARKETING

MAG MARKETING

Look out for our new redesigned websites in 2014!

Multichannel marketing

is marketing using many

different marketing channels

to reach a customer,

typically websites, emails,

social media, PR and more

traditional media such as

press, radio or outdoor

advertising

Our airport websites receive over 45 million visits every year and we send over 50,000,000 emails every year!

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

In 2013 there

were over

300 million

opportunities

to hear or see

our marketing

activity!

Marketing DirectorJeff Howarth

I joined the business in December 2012, prior to that I spent 4 ½ years as the Group Head of Multi Channel Marketing at JD Sports. 2014 is set to be an exciting year for the marketing department with, among other things, 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

I am here to:• Drive 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. Developing and centralising a Single View of 2.9 million customers including contact details, survey responses plus cutting-edge 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.

Head of Commercial & BrandJoanne Street

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-commerceTony Wood

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.

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

I am here to:• Drive FSS passenger numbers

in both our core and extended catchment to ensure they are flying with carriers from our airports.

• Create joint sales and marketing campaigns with our FSS aviation partners to maximise the opportunity 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 encourage them to come and visit.

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

I am here to:• Drive LCC passenger numbers.• Lead 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.

Meet the Team

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.

What we do in a nutshell (amongst other things!)

Delivering Passengers

Driving passenger numbers

by working with airlines,

tour operators and trade partners

Convincing people to fly from our

airports

Working with PR to promote the

airports and the brand in different

ways to attract customers

Supporting Marketing Manchester

and Aviation Development to open

up more capacity, new routes and

attract new partners

MAG MARKETING

19

MAG MARKETING

Generated over 175 million opportunities to see or hear the campaign

MAG web sales grew

faster in West

Yorkshire by 21%

We made sales of £188,000 from viewers of the campaign

3.3 million Campaign emails were sent along with

Facebook and Twitter posts

We saw a 10% increase

in the number of people who

“viewed Manchester as a major

international airport“

20MAG’s COLLEAGUE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2014

217,000 viewed the campaign landing pages

Our Fly Manchester Campaign...

Online visitors rose by 17% in the campaign area

Manchester Airport’s market

share rose by 1.2% in 2013 and

passengers number are now over 20

million!

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.

The Marketing Team in ActionFly 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!

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.

22 LANES IN 18 DAYS...

21

22 LANES IN 18 DAYS...

22

Long lanes are 17.5m in

length compared to the

normal length of 12m.

This means that there is more

space before the x-ray scanner

for passengers to load their

trays and more space after

the scanner for them to

collect their belongings and

move onto the departure

lounge

If you would like more

information on either

of these developments,

then please contact the

Internal Communications

Team by emailing

mymag@

magairports.com

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

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!”

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!


£1.5 million has been invested in a brand new security hall at EMA which will help improve the security procedure for customers. The first phase of this development was introduced during Christmas where the airport opened five long lanes in the area with new security technology. The opening of this new area was a great success with many colleagues enjoying the new space as Cheryl Rowe, an ASO from EMA explains: “The new space is brilliant, it’s airy, brighter and it doesn’t feel as claustrophobic for us now, which is definitely helping with our own wellbeing. In the old search area we always felt a bit closed 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 introducing an exciting range of retail and catering units in both landside and airside locations. Many of the food units, including a unique pub called Castle Rock Taproom and Kitchen, Flat White Coffee shop and Burger King are set to open in February on the First Floor. In spring 2014, EMA will also welcome Leon, a new fast-food concept, which will become a key food and beverage offer for customers 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 Director MAG, said: “We are delighted to have worked with HMSHost to introduce these new exciting food and beverage concepts to East

Midlands Airport. By introducing 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 deliver a unique experience for our passengers. The new concepts blend naturally with our own aspirations of providing excellent customer service and providing a variety of options for our passengers whilst being innovative with our retail and catering products.”By summer 2014, the new World Duty Free outlet will be completed and this new retail area will give customers at EMA a fantastic state of the art shopping experience, where they will be able to purchase the latest leading brands and products.

To give passengers and colleagues an idea of what the redevelopment will look like once its completed, 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/TerminalRedevelopment.

EAST MIDLANDS AIRPORT HAS ALSO BEEN VERY BUSY OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS WITH THEIR TERMINAL REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT.

YOUR CHOIR NEEDS YOU!

23 24

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.

To find out more or to get involved, send an email to [email protected] or check out our Facebook page: search ‘Manchester Airport Choir’YOUR CHOIR NEEDS YOU!

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!

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

“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


MA SECURITY DEVELOPMENT TEAM


MA SECURITY DEVELOPMENT TEAM

The Manchester Airport

Security Development

Team are (L-R):

Steve Galligan, Paul

Shaw, Gaynor Hallows,

David Quayle and

Alan Kemp

An Aviation Security Officer uses the CEIA Bottle Scanner

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 regulationsIn 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?

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

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.

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

Airport. They told us: “We’re currently

developing a security improvement

programme for summer 2014,

as we constantly strive to further

enhance both our customers and our

colleagues experience at the security

search areas.”

Tricia Williams, Customer Services

Director at Manchester Airport, said:

“The Security Development Team’s

role is critical as it brings together

knowledge from our commercial and

assets teams about what the future

is likely to be and works with our

terminals and capital delivery teams

to improve our processes.

“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

Developments Team have played a

significant part in delivering.”

Look out for updates on the team

and their work in future issues of

Take Off and on MAG TV, or email

them at security.developments@

manairport.co.uk

MA SECURITY DEVELOPMENT TEAMMAG is always looking for ways to continuously improve our Customers’ Journey

through the airport, and Manchester Airport’s Security Development Team

introduced a range of large and complex programme improvements across all

terminals during 2013 to improve one of the most critical parts of that journey.

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

MAG NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS!


“Finally get round to

watching all eight series of 24”

Ken Sumner

Learning Design Consultant

at Manchester Airport

Jane SinfieldCSTM at Stansted

“Make more time for myself”

“Make more time for the things that matter” Lisa King

Internal Communications Lead at Stansted

“Brush up on my juggling skills”Simon Brooks Business Development Manager at Manchester

“More gardening...if the rain ever stops!”

Ruth Osborn

Administrator at Bournemouth

“More travelling and sightseeing” Wendy Jones

Administrator at Bournemouth

“Finally learn how to drive!”Brad Gibson

Supply Chain Projects Lead at Stansted

For many people, the beginning of a new year signals the opportunity for

a new start, whether it’s taking up a new hobby or giving up a bad habit.

We asked colleagues in all our airports what they were resolving to do

differently in 2014, and this is what they told us…



Nicholas Goff

Airfield Security Officer at Manchester

“Give my Grandchildren less money!”

“To not take life for granted - don’t worry, be happy!” Dipika PatelAdministration Co-ordinator at Manchester

“Stop being such a smart alec when playing Bridge!”

“Party more!”

Maria Hamilton

HR Analyst at Stansted Airport

Jacob WattsTerminal Services Assistant at East Midlands

COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL NEWSCOMMUNITY AND SOCIAL NEWS

Cheadle Hulme students celebrate with the Airport Dragons and their mentor Chris Horton (pictured far left) from Supply Chain

Special thanks goes

to onsite retailers

WHSmiths, Greggs and

Frankie & Benny’s, who

generously donated

goody bags, food and

drink to passengers.

WHEN YOU WISH UPON A STAR

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.”

NEW LIFE FOR BOURNEMOUTH AIRPORT’S HEATHLANDBournemouth 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.

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

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

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

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,

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.

“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.”

KEITH DUFFY SUPPORTS AIRPORT AWARENESS AUTISM VIDEOIn 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.

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.

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.

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’’.

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.

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.

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.



COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL NEWSCOMMUNITY AND SOCIAL NEWS

CHILDREN IN NEED

Bournemouth supports MovemberColleagues 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.

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.

31

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.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:

• To bring the community closer together through facilities for sport, recreation and other leisure time activities

• To offer environmental improvement and/or heritage conservation

• To 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.

BOH COMMUNITY

FUND PASSES £50K MILESTONE

‘JUST CULTURE’ CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED AT MANCHESTER AIRPORTManchester 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.

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

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!

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

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.”

MOCK INTERVIEWS

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.

MANCHESTER ENTERPRISE ACADEMYMANCHESTER ENTERPRISE ACADEMY


“Since the academy opened, the

attendance is up 5% in two years, 5A*-C grades with English

and Maths have leapt by 19%...”

If you would like to volunteer as a mentor or would like more information on the Academy then please contact the Community Relations Team on 0161 489 3046.

James Eldon

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.

“We’ve had a wide range of MAG

colleagues give an hour a week to support MEA sixth form students...”

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.”

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.

THE TRANSFORMATION

OF A SCHOOL THROUGH BUSINESS

SPONSORSHIP

Not everyone has easy access to email/Intranet so we produce a limited

number of printed copies to help reach everyone on MAG sites.

Highlights from 2013

take off - winter edition

Documents