I've always been baffled by Aetherial Manipulation. You're pretty unlikely to use it even when you could use it to any effect, since you'd have to identify who you wanted to teleport to before targeting and casting on them. In that time frame, you probably could have just run over to where you need to be. I'm guessing the thinking was you could use this skill to dash over to the PLD so they could Cover you? There's not really any scenarios where the PLD is so far away that you need to do that, though...
Why not change Aetherial Manipulation to act more like Shukuchi? At least then it would get more use, as you could plot out your own destination. I mean, if ninjas can do it, I don't see why wizards can't.
I'm willing to bet, as is, Aetherial Manipulation is one of the least-used skills, below even Tri-Disaster.