Man moves house, Manston issues press release

This seems to be another fine example of PR puffery in action. It appears that Mr McQuarrie was already "Group Manager Freight Development for both airports" - so it's unclear what he'll be doing that wasn't already in his job description. The only bit of news appears to be that is moving house from Scotland to Margate. Rather poignantly, he is another employee who tries to play up Manston's lack of business as an advantage: "no congestion".

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Manston Airport’s ability to attract freight operators has been given a boost with the appointment of an experienced freight development manager - Allan McQuarrie, 46, joined Infratil in 2007 and until recently, has been based at their airport in Prestwick, Glasgow.

Having moved to Margate, Allan will now be based at Manston, Kent, full time, concentrating on encouraging cargo operators to use the airport for chartered and scheduled flights. Allan McQuarrie, Group Manager Freight Development for both airports, said:

“I see a huge future for Manston which was part of my reason for moving here. Many freight carriers are looking for an airport that is near to London and Manston has some key selling points that are difficult to rival. There is no congestion so there will never be a situation where an aircraft is circling for an hour. Our dedicated team on the ground can turn a 747 round in around 90 minutes with freight being loaded straight into a lorry rather than a warehouse to be moved at a later date – this can often add an extra day to a product’s shelf life. At some airports, including Heathrow and Gatwick, the turn around time can be up to four hours which is obviously less attractive for operators.”

Originally from Zimbabwe but UK-based since 1984, Allan has worked in air cargo since leaving school and has experience as a freight forwarder, as well as working for airlines such as Air UK and now airports.

“Having had experience in all areas of air cargo I have a very good idea of what the customer is looking for. Manston’s proximity to London with easy access to the UK’s motorway network is a huge selling point. Being based within easy reach of the Channel ports, and therefore Europe, is also an advantage.”

Manston’s Master Plan shows the airport handling 167,000 tonnes of freight by 2018. Recent independent research by York Aviation, a leading aviation consultancy, shows that these levels are achievable, provided a managed and limited Night-time Flying Policy is implemented as submitted to Thanet District Council recently.

Charles Buchanan, Chief Executive Officer of Manston, said:

“Our investment in Allan’s role is a very important one for the airport as its long term success depends on attracting airlines here. As well as researching prospective customers, he will attend trade shows around the world to speak to anyone that could make use of Manston and spreading the message of the economic potential of East Kent.”

onlykent 1st Dec 2011

Comments

[Bothered in Beltinge]

Ooo... Will he be living directly under the flight path so he can experience first hand the joy of being rudely awaken by night flights?? No??? Hmmm, thought not...

[craig under the flight path]

Maybe he's moved to Thanet so that Manston can claim they've created another job for 'local' people.

Now if they can just convince another 2999 to move....

[onlyfools]

Bearing in mind Infratil are losing so much money @ Manston is it not stupid to bring Allen McQuarrie to Manston from his home town in Scotland where he apparently already looks after the frieght of Manston, & then send him to trade shows around the world, would it not been cheaper to leave him in Scotland & send him from Prestwick airport where he has more chance of getting a flight around the world than here in Manston, or is he another of Infratil's big guns to come & con TDC.

[GR]

There would appear to be a bit more to the sudden move of Allen McQuarrie, than is being stated by Infratil. I have have the feeling that his job may well be in jeopardy, if he fails to increase traffic at Manston.

As already mentioned, I trust he will be moving under the flight path so that he does actually fully experience the effects of what his actions will have on others.

[craig under the flight path]

For me it's win - win really.

If we end up with night flights the pretend jobs and trade will not appear and Buchanan will go as will a lot of his sycophantic, gullible supporters in local government when the voters who live under the flight path give their opinion at the ballot box.

If we don't, Buchanan will move on to his next pr job and we can close Manston and build something that may create real jobs.

If you want a real airport nearby you'd do just as well to move near Gatwick - oh, we don't need to because it's close enough already.

[Ramsgate Resident (aged 25 3/4)]

Oh dear, our houses are already shaken by the noise from heavy jets. Are you saying that Manston has won some new business? Which tinpot operation that no other airport wants has decided to move to Kent then?

I see this type of posting across many blogs, and sometimes they are followed by new business. But quite often, they are not. Are you in the know, oh dear, or just another airport fanatic masturbating furiously at the whine of any jet engine?

[the real Malcolm]

Oh dear - seems to be some gutless spiv, get some in mate?

[Local business woman]

Hmmm. Why would you move an employee who has a role looking after an airport in Scotland and an airport in Kent to Kent? Maybe you move him from the airport you're talking openly about selling (Prestwick) to the loss-maker you know you can't sell to anyone who can read a profit and loss account (Manston) to avoid a significant redundancy payout or the cost of buying out a fixed-term contract or something similar? It's been done. Not all business decisions are what the company likes to present to the Press, after all.

[brian]

I live under the flight path, I have no problem with day flights, as many and as often as they like. I wonder if the people that live outside the flight path are aware that the existing agreement between Infratil and the local council does not allow night flights, this is why those on the flight path are protesting. I do not want to see Manston airport closed down, I want to see them operating within the existing framework.

[Den Ramsgate]

I applaud TDC in taking as long as it likes to consider the new report about Manston prospects. No rush at all, let's spend the rest of 2012 having a think about it. This is where patience IS a virtue. ......then we can vote NO.

Let's get Dreamland up and running first