All aircraft must have their critical structures free from contamination prior to take off. This because it can have a massive impact on aerodynamic performance if not removed. In times of active snow or other frozen precipitation , after de icing with a thin fluid, a thicker mix is applied to stop further accumulation. This second step comes with a hold over time which is calculated using information about the type of fluid, the type and heaviness of the precipitation and the temperature. The holdover time is the time from when this second application started to the time when the aircraft must be airborne. If that time is exceeded, and the weather is unchanged, the aircraft should return to stand and start the whole de icing process again. In the air, any ice will build up on the leading edges, and aircraft have systems to deal with that in all bar the most severe cases.
My experience of the de icing arrangement here is pretty much as per @Andy Onchan has said above. De icing fluid isn’t cheap, and has a defined (short) shelf life. Unlike milk at the supermarket, a sniff test is not allowed!.
I have also experienced the entire stock of de icing fluid being used on one business jet, leaving absolutely none for the commercial aircraft sitting covered in snow and ice.
That was quite some years ago though, and nothing to do with Menzies.
The other issue is that last I heard there is only one de icing rig, and it is very rarely used thanks to our maritime climate. As we know, machines that aren’t used regularly tend to develop technical issues more than those that are in frequent use.
The bottom line as usual comes down to cost. Menzies would be taking a massive risk on their own part if they ordered massive quantities of de icing fluids on the chance that they would be required, not to mention the hundreds of thousands a new de icing rig would cost.
As the airport is supposed to be a critical part of our infrastructure, perhaps this de icing function should be funded by the government to ensure its provision. However, with the head on drive into commercialisation of the airport underway at the moment, that is extremely unlikely to happen.
Like the southern pool - the cost of everything is known (or guessed at in that case) and the value of things is ignored.