Life at MAN - Joe Marquis, Senior Engineering Manager (baggage)

On a busy day in Manchester Airport's Terminal 2, tens of thousands of passengers' hold bags will make their journey from the check-in desks through a cavernous system of more than two miles of conveyor belts, where they will be screened, sorted, processed and loaded onto aircraft. Likewise, an equivalent number of bags will make their way off inbound flights and onto baggage carousels in Arrivals, ready for collection.

Senior Engineering Manager, Joe Marquis, and his team are responsible for keeping the physical infrastructure of the baggage system working as it should, playing a vital role in making sure passengers' bags are there and waiting for them when they get to their destination, or when they arrive home. It's no mean feat to keep everything running smoothly but here, Joe talks us through what's involved - and explains why he loves a challenge.

How long have you been working at Manchester Airport? 

I've been here for two years now.

What does your job involve on a typical day? 

A typical day in my role involves the management and the maintenance of all baggage systems at Manchester Airport. The main goal is to have all baggage assets available and operating correctly, but it also involves troubleshooting when things don't go to plan. 

Managing our assets day to day might involve maintenance work - whether that's what we call Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM), designed to address any issues before they become a problem, or Reliability-Centred Maintenance (RCM) which is scheduled work.

Asset management can also involve looking at things that have gone wrong and identifying how they can be avoided in future, through Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) or Root Cause Analysis (RCA).

What makes for a good Senior Engineering Manager?

As an engineer working on this system it's crucial to have end-to-end knowledge of how it works, and this is something you'll develop over time, but covers everything from check-in, infeed, sortation, and reclaim systems, to conveyors, tilt trays, X ray machines, safety systems and troubleshooting systems.

And as a team leader, People Management is key. I'm leading multi-skilled engineering teams so a part of my role is monitoring performance and development planning along with coaching and mentoring, and generally ensuring my team is happy and have the tools they need to do the job.

You've also got to be able to make decisions under pressure and manage important relationships. I'm responsible for 24/7 operational decision-making, incident and escalation management, along with updating stakeholders like our terminal operations teams, airlines, and ground handling agents on the work my team is doing. On top of all that, I hold responsibility for departmental budget.

What is the most memorable thing you’ve worked on? 

Since Joining MAG the most memorable thing I have worked on is the Go Live & Reliability phases of the new T2 Baggage system. This was a large task which involved aligning our Internal Engineering & Baggage operations teams with the delivery contractor Vanderlande, who built the system, to make sure everything worked as it should. It was incredible to see a brand new system on such a huge scale going into action, and to be a part of making that happen.

How are advancements in technology helping your team deliver a better experience for passengers?

Our new baggage handling technology in Terminal 2 plays a key role in enhancing the overall passenger experience by improving speed, reliability, and confidence throughout the journey. 

Modern self-service bag drop systems reduce queuing times and allow passengers to check in quickly and independently, which is particularly important during peak periods. 

Advanced sortation technology and intelligent routing improve the accuracy and resilience and resilience of the systems, ensuring bags go where they're supposed to and significantly reducing the number of mishandled or delayed bags. 

Real-time system monitoring and predictive maintenance help us keep on top of any work that needs to be done, which means capacity remains where it should be and disruption is minimised, ensuring a smoother flow from check-in through to baggage reclaim. 

Faster, more consistent baggage delivery at arrival, combined with improved safety features and clearer system control, all come together for a more efficient, stress-free experience for passengers. Everyone at the airport is committed to running our operations as smoothly as we can to ensure the best possible experience for you, the passenger, and this new technology is without a doubt playing a key role in allowing us to do that.

What do you enjoy the most about working at the airport? 

Everyday I get an exciting challenge, no matter what day it is, and I find that very enjoyable. 

What one piece of advice would you give to someone considering a career at the airport? 

You will enjoy it and as cliche as it sounds, no two days are the same.

What do you like to do when you're not at work? 

I spend a lot of my spare time in the Gym or doing some form of physical activity to challenge myself. I also like to spend time with my parents, niece and nephew.

Which destination that we fly to do you most want to visit? 

Norway!