Customers
The main direct customers of the airport are airlines with the passengers being the end-users/ consumers.
The airport charges the retailers for the grounds that they place there business on, like rent to the airport.
Charges are also for airlines for the provision and maintenance of the passenger terminals known as passenger facilities charge. They are also charged for each departing airline.
Ownership
Manchester Airport plc was formed in April 1986. The main owner of Manchester airport is Manchester City Council and then the 9 Metropolitan Borough Councils, Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Salford, Stockport, Rochdale, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan.
Manchester airport is unique in that all the shares in the public limited company are local authority owned so even though it is a plc its shares are not for sales on the stock exchange.
The airport re-invests some of the profit for the future development of the airport. The total of 204,279,999 (£1) shares is divides so that Manchester City Council owns 55% (i.e. 112,353,999 shares) and each of the 9 remaining district councils own 5% each (i.e. 10,214,000 shares each).
These shareholders will have limited liability so they can only loose what they have put into the business.
The advantages of this type of ownership is that it can raise extra finance by issuing shares but the disadvantages are that the accounts of the business are held at the Companies house so everyone can see them so rival companies can find out the profit or sales the airport has made and it is more complicated to set up the business.
Competitors
Manchester Airports competitors are airports and other modes of transport. The biggest threats two Manchester airport are the two other local airports, Blackpool airport and Liverpool airport. I would say Blackpool is a threat because it has low-cost regional flights and Liverpool as it’s a fast growing airport which is getting more popular. The other competitors of Manchester airport are Ferry companies, Rail network companies, cruise ships and all alternative modes of transport. These are also threats because many people are choosing different ways to travel because it might be cheaper and quicker.
Sector of the Economy
Manchester Airport is unique as it is a public limited company but its shares are not bought and sold on the stock exchange. It is in the public sector as the government have ownership over the business. The government consider it to be in the public sector even though its shares are not bought and sold on the stock exchange because the shareholders are in the local authorities.
Business Location
There are many factors that effect the location of a business, the main factors are:
- Availability and Cost of Premises or Land,
- Labour,
- Financial Help,
- Transport and Communication,
- Customers, Consumers and Suppliers.
Manchester Airport Location
Manchester airport is located very near to the motorway. It is 10 miles in the direction of south west from the city centre. It is near the M56 so there is easy access to passengers from all over the area. There is also a direct train, bus, coach and metro link services running straight to the airport so this will help passengers get to the airport. The airport is also within a 2 hour drive between over 50% of all UK manufacturing industry, and in the middle of the UK, halfway between London and Edinburgh. This benefits the airport because the airport will be known nationally which could bring more passengers to the airport, it has easy access and many ways to get to it so passengers will think it’s an easy option, its in the middle of a large city with a big population so many local people will use this airport, it has many facilities to offer, and it has flights flying to all over the world.
Availability and Cost of Premises
This is an important factor in the location of a business because if they are renting the premises the rent will depend on both the location and the type of premises. Where ever they have to pay business rates to the local authority so they want to set up in a place where the rates are low, they need room to expand incase of an increase in the business, and the choice of premises available at the time when the business is buying.
Labour
Labour is a very important factor in the location because it is the biggest cost in a business, because there is a variation of the cost of labour between town and country or different cities so you want a location with a lower wage but still skilled labour. Also they have to see where there is skilled labour for their type of business and the availability of the labour.
Financial Help
A business might decide to locate their business where there are low local taxes. The UK's taxes on labour are among the lowest is Europe so companies would prefer to locate their business in the UK than in any other country in Europe.
Transport and Communication
Transport is a important factor in choosing the location of a business, because the staff need to be able to get to work easily, the customers need to be able to access the premises, the suppliers need to be able to access the premises. Communication is also important because the business will want cheap broadband and phone connection.
Customers, Consumers and Suppliers
This, I would say, is the most important factor for the location of a business. I think this because without the customers, consumers, or suppliers the business wouldn’t be able to make profit as the suppliers need access to deliver the goods and the customers and consumers need to be able to access the premises as well to be able to purchase the goods or get the service the business provides.
Aims/Objectives
The Aims and Objectives of a business are the short and long term goals of the business.
Aims are a general, non-specific statement of what a business wants to do. These are long term and some businesses have a mission statement of their main aims.
Objectives are a precise and measurable goal of a business these are short term, have a time limit and are realistic goals.
The main seven aims of a business are:
- Survival - When the business wants to ‘stay in business’, Most of the time this is new business that have just set up.
- Reputation – When the business wants to be known in the market.
- Maximise Profit – When a business wants to make as much profit as possible or a satisfactory profit.
- Sales Maximisation – When the business wants to maximise sales, which is when they try and sell more products. The managers of the business want to maximise sales so they get paid higher salaries.
- Customer Satisfaction – This is when you keep the customer happy by supplying its need and wants in the business.
- Expansion/Growth – the act or process, or a manner of growing; development; gradual increase.
- Market Share – The proportion of the total available market that is being serviced by a company.
Manchester Airport Aims/Objectives
Manchester Airport has a mission statement, the mission statement reads:
“Manchester airport aims to be the airport of choice – internationally recognised by airlines and tour operators as the preferred partner in the development of their business.”
The mission statement is a general statement of what the airport wants to do as a business over a long period of time. This is an aim as its long term and non-specific and does not have a time limit.
Manchester airport plan to reach this mission statement is to aim to continue in growth in the services it provides, by adding new destinations and adding frequencies to provide the best possible quality of service at a competitive fair.
The objectives of Manchester airport is to:
- Increase passenger traffic by the development of domestic and short-haul international scheduled services and by protecting and increasing the airports share of the inclusive tour and charter market.
- Reduce charges made to the airlines and tour operators.
- Increase the number of retail outlets throughout the airport.
- Develop new revenue streams.
- Improve utilisation of capital assets.
These are the objectives as these are specific, measurable and realistic.
Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Business Activity
Blackpool pleasure beach is a business that provides many different services and products to many different people. The pleasure beach is a:
- Visitor attraction (theme parks),
- Arts and entertainment (theatres, cinemas, gallery, themed evenings),
- Catering (pubs, cafes and restaurants),
- Sports and physical recreation (ice skating).
These are the main components that the pleasure beach says it has to offer, this is what draws people to want to go to Blackpool pleasure beach for the many thing they offer.
The products it provides are:
145 rides and attractions,
- Over 50 themed restaurants, bars and cafes,
- 3 shows: Hot Ice, Mystique and Eclipse,
- 156 bed roomed 4* Big Blue Hotel,
- Bowling at Bowladrome,
- Ice skating at Arena,
- Venus catering form 2 to 1800 guests,
- Stageworks, the pleasure beaches own Production Company.
These are the products that Blackpool pleasure beach offer to their customers.
The services the pleasure beach provides:
- Lessons and classes,
- Customer service desk,
- Purchase and hire of equipment,
- Corporate hospitality,
- Dress design,
- Civil ceremonies,
- Ride design,
- Left luggage,
- Wheelchair hire,
- Guide book for disabled guests,
- Buggy service offered,
- Bureau De change,
- Public telephone,
- First aid.
These are the services it provides to the customers of the park and to the general public.
History
Alderman William George Bean opened Blackpool Pleasure Beach in 1896. The Pleasure Beach was built in Blackpool as it is a seaside resort/tourist town, it had 42achres of free land on the coast and it’s close to lots of industrial towns. The first ride that was built was the Sir Hiram Maxim’s Flying Machines. In1930 Leonard Thompson took over, the Grand National was built and also the Casino building. In 1976 Geoffrey Thompson took over, he launched the pleasure beach two pronged attack for survival which was marketing and advertising. In Geoffrey years the Pepsi Max Big One was built (the tallest fastest ride in the UK) and the Big Blue hotel so people could o=o for a package holiday to the pleasure beach. Later in 2004 Amanda Thompson took over the park and started the re-branding of the pleasure beach with the exclamation mark.
Ownership
Blackpool Pleasure Beach is a Private Limited Company. It is a private limited company as it is family owned and no shares are bought and sold on the stock exchange.
Location
Blackpool pleasure beach is located on the front/promenade. It was built here in 1896 because it was a seaside resort and tourist town, it also had 42 spare aches of land on the front/coast of Blackpool and is close to lots of industrial towns. It also had a large variety of employment opportunity of working class residents. It was built close to Blackpool airport, the train station, bus and tram networks, the M55 so these all bring in the customers and if they travel in by car there is a car part that caters for 1000 cars plus coach parking.
Labour
Blackpool pleasure beach employ many different people for different jobs and periods of time because they have permanent (maintenance/mechanics) and seasonal staff (ride operators) and extended seasonal employment.
Transport and Communication
The pleasure beach is in the ideal location for its transport and communication as it’s close to Blackpool airport, the train station, bus and tram networks, the M55 and for the people that do drive there is a car park that caters for 1000 cars plus coach parking. This is good as it is easy assessable and will help bring more customers to the park.
Customers
Blackpool airport provides services and products to many different people and so they have many different customers.
Blackpool pleasure beaches markets are:
- Schools,
- Travel trade – coach operators, tour operators,
- Tourist information services,
- Youth groups,
- Promoters,
- Grey markets,
- Corporate clientele.
The people that visit Blackpool pleasure beach are also the customers, these are two different clientele, day and stay. In 2005 62% of the visitors were stay. This shows that more people are taking it as a holiday to the pleasure beach instead of just a day trip and that people are travelling further and are having to stay over.
Aims/Objectives
Blackpool pleasure beach has a mission statement, the mission statement reads:
“To make adults feel like children again!”
The mission statement is a general statement of what the airport wants to do as a business over a long period of time. This is an aim as its long term and non-specific and does not have a time limit.
Blackpool Pleasure Beach’s statement means that the rides and facilities they offer will make the adults feel more like children by going on the rides.
The objectives of Blackpool Pleasure Beach are to:
- Remain Britain’s number one tourist attraction,
- Provide a first class service in quality leisure entertainment to all markets,
- Be at the forefront of amusement park design,
- Entertain visitors through first class, live entertainment,
- Increase footfall – people through the door day per year,
- Increase brand awareness,
- Become a destination in ourselves – a one stop shop.
These are the objectives as these are specific, measurable and realistic.
