Manchester airport manager quits after weeks of chaos

theguardian.com:

The managing director of Manchester airport has quit following weeks of chaos in which thousands of passengers have missed their flights because of queues lasting up to seven hours.

Karen Smart stepped down on Tuesday after coming under fierce criticism from airport staff as well as angry travellers. She had been in post for two years, the most turbulent time in aviation history.

“Having taken on the position at the start of the pandemic, she has decided now is the time to return to the south of England, where her family is based, to pursue fresh career opportunities,” Manchester Airports Group (MAG) said in a statement.

Ian Costigan, MAG group transformation director, will take on the role of interim managing director and will be responsible for delivering the programmes of recruitment needed to increase operational capacity over the summer.

Smart had been due to meet Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester on Tuesday, as well as Unite, the union.

Travellers have faced long delays and chaotic scenes with queues trailing outside terminals to reach check-in and hordes of people waiting to get through security and to pick up luggage. One man told the BBC on Sunday that he waited seven hours missing his flight, and saw “sick on the floor with no one clearing it up” as people queued in a “boiling hot confined area”.

Piles of suitcases have been left in terminals after travellers abandoned the wait to reclaim their baggage and instead left for home.

One airport worker publicly quit this week over what he called “dangerous” and “chaotic” operations.

Ray Ellis, who had worked at Manchester airport since 1994 and had been a health and safety rep, said he was speaking out because he was “genuinely concerned for passenger safety”.

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