Manchester Airport
Template:Short description Template:Other uses Template:Redirect-multi Template:Protection padlock Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox airport
Manchester Airport Template:Airport codes is an international airport in Ringway, Manchester, England; it lies Template:Convert south-west of Manchester city centre.<ref name="Nats-uk.ead-it.com">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2024, it was the third-busiest airport in the United Kingdom in terms of passengers (the busiest outside London), and the 19th-busiest airport in Europe in 2024, with 30.9 million passengers served.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The airport comprises a cargo terminal and three passenger terminals – although a £1.3 billion redevelopment programme will merge Terminals 1 and 3 in 2025. It covers an area of Template:Convert and has flights to 199 destinations, placing the airport thirteenth globally for total destinations served.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Officially opened on 25 June 1938,<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> it was initially known as Ringway Airport. During the Second World War, as RAF Ringway, it was a base for the Royal Air Force. The airport is owned and managed by Manchester Airports Group (MAG), a group owned by the ten metropolitan borough councils of Greater Manchester, with Manchester City Council owning the largest stake, and the Australian finance house IFM Investors. Ringway, after which the airport was named, is a village with a few buildings and a church at the western edge of the airport.
In 2017, an eight-year redevelopment programme commenced which will culminate with the closure of Terminal 1 and enlargement of Terminal 2 to better facilitate transfers.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The new terminal, due for completion in 2025, will take 80% of all passenger traffic.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Terminal 3 will remain with a focus on low-cost, short-haul airlines.
History
Construction commenced in Ringway parish on 28 November 1935 and the airport was partly operational by June 1937, with full construction completed on 25 June 1938.<ref name="ourhistory">Template:Cite web</ref> In 1938, KLM became the first airline to launch scheduled commercial flights to Manchester.<ref name="History of MAN">Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Better source needed
During the Second World War, RAF Ringway was important in military aircraft production and training parachutists. After the war, the base reverted to a civilian airport and gradually expanded to its present size. By the 1960s, Manchester was Britain's second-busiest airport (after Heathrow).<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
In 1946, Air France began operations from Manchester following the commencement of peacetime passenger services from the airport, and remains the airport's longest continuous operator, celebrating 75 years of service in 2021.<ref name="History of MAN" /> In 1953, Manchester began 24-hour operation, with the ability to handle flights during the day and night, which helped the airport handle 163,000 passengers. 1953 also saw the start of intercontinental flights by Sabena Belgian to New York, followed closely by the launch of services to New York by BOAC.<ref name="History of MAN" />
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The former RAF buildings were replaced by a new purpose-built passenger terminal, which opened in 1962. The new terminal featured a modern departures hall with large Venetian glass chandeliers and the first covered airport passenger piers in Europe.<ref name="ourhistory"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
The first transatlantic flights to originate at Manchester began in 1963. The thrice-weekly service was operated by BOAC using a Boeing 707 via Glasgow Prestwick. In 1969, the runway was extended to Template:Convert, allowing aircraft to take off with a full payload and to fly non-stop to Canada.<ref name="History of MAN" />
In 1971, the airport reached a milestone of handling over 2Template:Nbspmillion passengers in one year. The following year saw the opening of a link road connecting the airport to the M56 Motorway, improving road access from Manchester, Cheshire and North Wales.<ref name="History of MAN" /> In 1975, Ringway was officially renamed Manchester International Airport.<ref name="History of MAN" />
The airport saw rapid growth and expansion during the 1980s and 1990s, shaping the airport for the coming decades. Many of the developments made during this period remain in place or have only recently been altered following the introduction of the Manchester Transformation Project. Passenger numbers continued to grow, reaching the milestone of handling one million passengers a month for the first time in 1987.<ref name="History of MAN" /> This growth boosted expansion plans, including planning for a new terminal. The following year, in 1988 Manchester celebrated its Golden jubilee.<ref name="ourhistory"/>
Terminal A, which now forms part of Terminal 3, was opened by Diana, Princess of Wales in 1989. In 1993, Terminal 2 was officially opened by the Duke of Edinburgh along with the official opening of Manchester Airport station. The main passenger terminal was redesignate Terminal 1.<ref name="History of MAN" /><ref name="ourhistory"/> From 1997 to 2001, a second runway was constructed, causing large-scale protests in Cheshire, especially in the village of Styal where natural habitats were disturbed and listed buildings demolished to make space for construction.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
During the early 2000s, British Airways scaled down operations from Manchester Airport with the sale of their BA Connect subsidiary to Flybe and the ending of their franchise agreement with GB Airways, a business subsequently sold to easyJet. In October 2008, the daily New York–JFK service was terminated and in March 2013 the daily to London–Gatwick was ended, although the service has resumed in recent years.
Since taking over BA Connect's select routes, Flybe has gone on to add several more destinations. In 2012, Flybe introduced the "mini hub" concept co-ordinating the arrival and departure times of various domestic services throughout the day and thereby creating combinations such as Norwich–Manchester–Belfast, Glasgow–Manchester–Southampton and Edinburgh–Manchester–Exeter with conveniently short transfer times.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Airbus A380 arrived in 2010, operated by Emirates, which continues to operate the aircraft three times daily on its route to Dubai.
Manchester Airport celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2013. That year also saw the completion and opening of the newly constructed air traffic control tower – which is now located in an independent tower, not on top of the airport as previously – and Airport City Manchester gained planning approval.<ref name="History of MAN" />
In 2014, the Manchester Airport Metrolink route launched as part of the route expansion plans of the Manchester Metrolink tramway, aiding transport to and from the airport to the city centre.<ref name="History of MAN" />
In 2019, the first phase of the new Terminal 2 extension was completed, and Pier 1 opened on 1 April 2019. The second phase of the extension plan opened on 14 July 2021.
During the later part of the decade, Monarch Airlines, Thomas Cook Airlines and Flybe all entered administration and ceased operations, having a major impact on local employment and operations at Manchester, as well as leaving thousands of passengers stranded, many abroad. Monarch was an operator at Manchester between 1981 and 2017, operating short and medium flights to Europe, and had its own maintenance base at the airport.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It entered administration and ceased operations in 2017.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Thomas Cook Airlines was a major operator at Manchester, operating scheduled and charter flights to over 50 destinations in Europe, America and the Caribbean. Its parent company also had a maintenance base at the airport.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The airline entered compulsory liquidation in September 2019, with many aircraft left parked at the airport while payment disputes were concluded.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Flybe was a British airline with a significant base at Manchester, which provided more than half of UK domestic flights outside London. Plans were formulated by a consortium Including Stobart Air and Virgin Atlantic to save FlyBe with the launch of Connect Airways, but plans were dropped in early 2020 and all operations ceased.
Like most British and international airports, Manchester has been severely affected by the global COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent reduction in air passengers. A number of airlines ceased, paused or reduced routes to the airport. The reduced passenger numbers saw the temporary closure of both Terminals 2 and 3.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In late 2020 American Airlines announced that its daily flights to Philadelphia would cease operation amid ongoing travel disruption caused by the Coronavirus outbreak.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The departure of American Airlines also marked the final US-based airline at Manchester. American Airlines had previously operated services to New York–JFK, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, Boston, and Charlotte.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Data recorded and published by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) show that during the first 11 months (January through November) of 2020, passenger 'Terminal & Transit' numbers dropped from 29,374,282 in 2019 to 6,787,127 in 2020.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Future
Template:See also As part of the Government's Future of Air Transport white paper, Manchester Airport published its Master Plan on its proposed expansions. Demolition of older buildings, such as old storage buildings, the old Alpha Catering Building and Males Garage, to the east of Terminal 2 has already begun, to make way for a new apron and taxiway towards runway 05L/23R and an eastwards extension of Terminal 2, which is planned to provide fifteen more covered stands.
The World Logistics Hub is also part of the Airport City Enterprise Developments in south Manchester. This development is designed to meet the growing demand for cargo handling space and infrastructure outside the southeast. Positioned on the southwest side of the A538 road, next to the southeast side of the M56 motorway across the A538 from the World Freight Terminal, it provides access to the trunk motorway network via Junction 6.
Manchester Airport has development plans to meet the growing demand to fly. One document, "The Need for Land", outlines several development ideas. Five affected areas are:
- Area A is a triangle of land between the A538 road and Runway 1 and the cargo terminal which is currently under development. It will be used together with Area E, a triangle of land west of the A538 up to the M56, with its west corner opposite Warburton Green, for the expansion of aircraft maintenance, vehicle maintenance/storage and cargo handling. The Clough Bank and Cotterill Clough areas are being enhanced with mitigation areas that will become part of the extensive Landscape Habitat Management Area. The A538 alignment to be retained and capacity has been added, as required, to meet increased traffic volumes.
- Area B is north of Ringway Road and east of Shadow Moss Road, and a car park has been provided to replace spaces lost to the Airport City development and apron/terminal expansion.
- Area C consists of several areas of land mainly inside the M56/M56 spur junction, around Hasty Lane east of M56 and around the current M56 spur. The land will be used for hotels and office space.Template:Citation needed Terminal 1's current capacity is around 11Template:Nbspmillion passengers a year,<ref name="masterplan" /> compared with an annual capacity of 2.5 million passengers when it first opened.<ref name="masterplan">Template:Cite web</ref>
In the summer of 2009, a £50 million redevelopment programme for Terminal 1 was completed, as well as the construction of new car parking facilities and taxiways for aircraft.
- Area D consists of areas of land on both sides of Manchester Airport railway spur, at Smithy Farm and east of B5166 Styal Road around and inside railway spur junction where car parking, offices, hotels, etc. can be developed.
Passenger terminals
Manchester Airport has three passenger terminals (Terminals 1, 2 and 3). Terminals 1 and 2 are linked by the skylink, with travelators to aid passengers with the 10–15-minute walk. Terminal 3 is linked to Terminal 1 and the skylink by a covered walkway. The skylink also connects the terminals to the airport railway station complex (known as The Station) and the Radisson BLU Hotel. Skylink 1 started construction in 1991 and opened 1993. Skylink 2 opened in September 1996 along with the Radisson.
Terminal 1
Terminal 1 was opened in 1962 by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It was used by airlines with scheduled and charter operations, flying to European and other worldwide destinations, and before its closure was a base for easyJet. Terminal 1 is spread over an area of Template:Convert.
The terminal had two piers which combined have 29 stands, of which 15 have airbridges. Gate 12 was specially adapted to accommodate the Airbus A380, which is operated by Emirates on their route three times per day from Dubai to Manchester.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Better source needed Terminal 1's current capacity was around 11Template:Nbspmillion passengers a year,<ref name="masterplan" /> compared with an annual capacity of 2.5 million passengers when it first opened.<ref name="masterplan" />
In mid-2009, a £50 million redevelopment programme for Terminal 1 was completed, which included a new £14 million 14-lane security area.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2023, it was announced that Terminal 1 was not planned to be included in the ten-year airport expansion project, and would shut in 2025 when the new Terminal 2 was completed.<ref name="MAG announces £440m final phase of Transformation Programme">Template:Cite web</ref> On 13 May 2025, it was announced that MAG had planned to use some of the space in Terminal 1, including the entrance, to expand and improve Terminal 3.<ref name="ManchesterAirportMediacentreT3">Template:Citation</ref> The majority of Terminal 1 closed on 19 November 2025, aside from the entrance, security and World Duty Free areas, which are planned to be rebranded as Terminal 3 in early 2026.<ref name="manchesterairport.co.uk">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Manchester Airport Media">Template:Citation</ref><ref>Template:Citation</ref>
Terminal 2
Terminal 2 opened on 5 March 1993 by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who had also opened Terminal 1 31 years earlier.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It is used by the majority of airlines at Manchester, operating both charter and scheduled flights to many European and worldwide destinations, and is a base for Aer Lingus UK, EasyJet, Jet2.com, TUI Airways and Virgin Atlantic.
Upon its opening, Terminal 2 was spread over an area of Template:Convert and had 16 gates, of which 14 had airbridges, and had a capacity of around 8 million passengers a year.<ref name="masterplan" /> In 2007, an £11 million project commenced to redevelop Terminal 2 by improving security facilities and enhancing retail and catering services.
The design of the terminal made it capable of extensive expansion, and in June 2015 it was announced that Terminal 2 would receive a major expansion, a project that was planned to take 10 years to complete. The expansion included new piers and a larger security hall as well as more outlets.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and would increase the terminal's capacity to handle 25 million passengers a year.<ref name="masterplan" />
The first phase of the new extension, Pier 1, opened on 1 April 2019.<ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref> <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The second phase, the terminal extension, was due to open in April 2020 but was delayed due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, finally opening on 14 July 2021.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The third phase, which was announced on 25 January 2023, includes the refurbishment of the existing Terminal 2 featuring a brand new security hall, and also includes the construction of Pier 2. The new security hall opened on 22 May 2025 and a section of the refurbished terminal opened on 28 July 2025. The remainder of the refurbished terminal and the new pier, Pier 2, opened in late 2025.<ref name="MAG announces £440m final phase of Transformation Programme"/><ref>Template:Citation</ref> <ref>Template:Citation</ref>
Terminal 3
Terminal 3 was opened in 1989 by Diana, Princess of Wales as Terminal A, as it was then known. It opened as a self contained new domestic terminal to replace the original pier A. It had many names before its expansion and re-designation as Terminal 3 in May 1998. The terminal was known in succession as "Terminal A"; "Terminal A – Domestic"; "Terminal 1A" after Terminal 2 opened in 1993; "Terminal 1A – British Airways and Domestic"; "Terminal 3 – British Airways and Domestic" before becoming simply known as Terminal 3 in 1998. In June 1998, British Airways opened their new £75 million terminal facility designed by Grimshaw Architects, this being a major extension to Terminal A and became the primary user of the terminal along with codeshare partner airlines (Oneworld). Today, Terminal 3 is home to most domesitc flights operating out of Manchester and is a base for Ryanair. Terminal 3 now spreads over an area of Template:Convert.
On 13 May 2025, it was announced that Terminal 3 would receive a multi-million pound refurbishment and expansion. The project includes the relocation of the entrance and the expansion of the departure lounge using existing space from Terminal 1.<ref name="ManchesterAirportMediacentreT3" /> The existing Terminal 3 Check-In and Security area was closed on 20 October 2025, with flights moving over to the existing Terminal 1 entrance the following day. The existing Terminal 1 entrance as well as the Security and World Duty Free areas will be rebranded as Terminal 3 in early 2026.<ref name="manchesterairport.co.uk"/><ref name="Manchester Airport Media"/>
Aether Private Terminal
Work began on the private terminal (adjacent to the Runway visitor park) in 2019<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and it opened on 21 October 2019.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The terminal had closed during the COVID pandemic, and re-opened on 4 November 2024.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Passenger terminals at Manchester Airport
-
The airport viewed from south-west -
Terminal 1 -
Check-in hall at Terminal 2 -
Terminal 3
.JPG)
Airlines and destinations
Passenger
The following airlines operate regular scheduled and charter flights to and from Manchester:<ref>manchesterairport.co.uk – Flight Timetables Template:Webarchive. Retrieved 7 November 2016.</ref>
Template:Airport destination list
Cargo
Statistics
Annual statistics
| PassengersTemplate:Efn | MovementsTemplate:Efn | Freight (tonnes) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 10,475,641 | 121,744 | 72,255 |
| 1991 | 10,463,667 | 124,269 | 66 045 |
| 1992 | 12,051,220 | 131,010 | 74,713 |
| 1993 | 13,099,080 | 135,406 | 84,087 |
| 1994 | 14,547,477 | 142,936 | 91,055 |
| 1995 | 14,732,034 | 146,107 | 79,876 |
| 1996 | 14,642,385 | 141,070 | 78,628 |
| 1997 | 15,948,454 | 147,405 | 94,318 |
| 1998 | 17,351,162 | 162,906 | 100,099 |
| 1999 | 17,577,765 | 169,941 | 107,803 |
| 2000 | 18,568,709 | 178,468 | 116,602 |
| 2001 | 19,307,011 | 182,097 | 106,406 |
| 2002 | 18,809,185 | 177,545 | 113,279 |
| 2003 | 19,699,256 | 191,518 | 122,639 |
| 2004 | 21,249,841 | 208,493 | 149,181 |
| 2005 | 22,402,856 | 217,987 | 147,484 |
| 2006 | 22,422,855 | 229,729 | 148,957 |
| 2007 | 22,112,625 | 222,703 | 165,366 |
| 2008 | 21,219,195 | 204,610 | 141,781 |
| 2009 | 18,724,889 | 172,515 | 102,543 |
| 2010 | 17,759,015 | 147,032 | 115,922 |
| 2011 | 18,892,756 | 158,025 | 107,415 |
| 2012 | 19,736,502 | 160,473 | 96,822 |
| 2013 | 20,751,581 | 161,306 | 96,373 |
| 2014 | 21,989,682 | 162,919 | 93,466 |
| 2015 | 23,136,047 | 164,710 | 100,021 |
| 2016 | 25,637,054 | 183,731 | 109,630 |
| 2017 | 27,791,274 | 203,631 | 123,576 |
| 2018 | 28,275,972 | 201,239 | 117,264 |
| 2019 | 29,397,357 | 202,892 | 108,382 |
| 2020 | 7,034,856 | 66,760 | 48,938 |
| 2021 | 6,085,103 | 60,376 | 52,564 |
| 2022 | 23,364,471 | 158,575 | 65,403 |
| 2023 | 28,077,659 | 180,246 | 67,830 |
| 2024 | 30,859,196 | 196,091 | 88,872 |
| Source: United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority<ref name="stats two">Template:Cite web</ref> | |||
| <timeline>
ImageSize = width:auto height:350 barincrement:29 PlotArea = left:30 bottom:15 top:10 right:15 AlignBars = justify Period = from:0 till:240 TimeAxis = orientation:vertical Colors = id:gray value:gray(0.5) id:line1 value:gray(0.9) id:line2 value:gray(0.7) ScaleMajor = start:0 increment:20 gridcolor:line2 ScaleMinor = start:0 increment:10 gridcolor:line1 PlotData= color:green width:24 bar:1990 from:start till:121.744 bar:1991 from:start till:124.269 bar:1992 from:start till:131.010 bar:1993 from:start till:135.406 bar:1994 from:start till:142.936 bar:1995 from:start till:146.107 bar:1996 from:start till:141.070 bar:1997 from:start till:147.405 bar:1998 from:start till:162.906 bar:1999 from:start till:169.941 bar:2000 from:start till:178.468 bar:2001 from:start till:182.097 bar:2002 from:start till:177.545 bar:2003 from:start till:191.518 bar:2004 from:start till:208.493 bar:2005 from:start till:217.987 bar:2006 from:start till:229.729 bar:2007 from:start till:222.703 bar:2008 from:start till:204.610 bar:2009 from:start till:172.515 bar:2010 from:start till:147.032 bar:2011 from:start till:158.025 bar:2012 from:start till:160.473 bar:2013 from:start till:161.306 bar:2014 from:start till:162.919 bar:2015 from:start till:164.710 bar:2016 from:start till:183.731 bar:2017 from:start till:203.631 bar:2018 from:start till:201.239 bar:2019 from:start till:202.892 bar:2020 from:start till:66.760 bar:2021 from:start till:66.310 bar:2022 from:start till:158.575 bar:2023 from:start till:180.246 bar:2024 from:start till:196.091 </timeline> |
| Updated: 16 February 2024<ref name="stats two"/> |
Busiest routes
| Rank | Airport | Total passengers |
Change 2023/24 |
Airline(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dubai–International | 1,185,732 | Template:Increase 3.3% | Emirates |
| 2 | Amsterdam | 1,078,095 | Template:Increase 14.1% | easyJet, KLM |
| 3 | Dublin | 1,060,229 | Template:Increase 9.9% | Aer Lingus, Ryanair |
| 4 | Tenerife–South | 961,869 | Template:Increase 1.5% | easyJet, Jet2.com, Ryanair, TUI Airways |
| 5 | Alicante | 896,568 | Template:Increase 6.6% | easyJet, Jet2.com, Ryanair, TUI Airways |
| 6 | Palma de Mallorca | 756,333 | Template:Decrease 1.3% | easyJet, Jet2.com, Ryanair, TUI Airways |
| 7 | Antalya | 718,810 | Template:Increase 8.3% | Corendon Airlines, easyJet, Jet2.com, Pegasus Airlines, SunExpress, TUI Airways |
| 8 | Paris–Charles de Gaulle | 714,138 | Template:Increase 6.5% | Air France, easyJet |
| 9 | Doha | 688,835 | Template:Increase 18.4% | Qatar Airways |
| 10 | London–Heathrow | 629,227 | Template:Increase 8.9% | British Airways |
| 11 | Málaga | 609,978 | Template:Increase 10.9% | easyJet, Jet2.com, Ryanair, TUI Airways |
| 12 | Dalaman | 560,570 | Template:Increase 2.9% | easyJet, Jet2.com, Pegasus Airlines, SunExpress, TUI Airways |
| 13 | Belfast–International | 543,715 | Template:Increase 7.6% | easyJet, Ryanair |
| 14 | Lanzarote | 543,384 | Template:Increase 2.1% | easyJet, Jet2.com, Ryanair, TUI Airways |
| 15 | Barcelona | 538,342 | Template:Increase 7.1% | easyJet, Jet2.com, Ryanair, Vueling |
| 16 | Faro | 470,642 | Template:Decrease 6.3% | easyJet, Jet2.com, Ryanair, TUI Airways |
| 17 | Istanbul | 429,368 | Template:Increase 6.9% | easyJet, Turkish Airlines |
| 18 | Abu Dhabi | 427,708 | Template:Increase 6.8% | Etihad Airways |
| 19 | Frankfurt | 365,870 | Template:Decrease 3.5% | Lufthansa |
| 20 | Lisbon | 362,291 | Template:Increase 11.2% | easyJet, Ryanair, TAP Air Portugal |
Operations
Maintenance bases
Manchester Airport is the home to the engineering base of Jet2.com and, up until 23 September 2019, it was also the engineering base of the Thomas Cook Group Airlines. Airlines such as Etihad Airways also have one of six maintenance bases worldwide in Manchester with their newly opened (2011) line maintenance facility.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
World Freight Terminal
Manchester Airport has a World Freight Terminal, serving cargo-only freighter services and cargo carried on regular passenger flights.<ref name=freight>Template:Cite web</ref> It was opened in 1986, west of the original airfield. There are Template:Convert of warehouse and office space on site, including a chiller unit for frozen products and a border inspection post. There are three aircraft maintenance hangars, with five transit sheds, operated by British Airways World Cargo, Swissport Cargo, Menzies World Cargo, and dnata UK. There are over 100 freight forwarding companies on site.<ref name=freight/>
Freight throughput at the airport grew from 94,000 tonnes in 1997 to the peak at 165,000 tonnes in 2007, but then declined to around 93,000 tonnes in 2013, subsequently increasing to over 109,000 tonnes in 2016 making Manchester the fourth-busiest UK airport for freight behind London–Heathrow, East Midlands and London–Stansted airports.<ref name="stats"/>
Runways
Manchester Airport has two parallel runways. Runway 1 (23R/05L) Template:Convert and Runway 2 (23L/05R) Template:Convert.<ref name="Nats-uk.ead-it.com"/> The parallel runways lie Template:Convert apart and staggered by Template:Convert so that landings can be conducted independently on one runway whilst takeoffs are conducted on the other.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The original main runway, then designated 06/24 and initially Template:Convert in length,<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> opened on 17 May 1937<ref name=MANRDS>Template:Cite web</ref> when the airport was used as an RAF base and a military aircraft assembly centre. It was extended in stages from 1952, reaching its current length in 1981 to attract long-haul international traffic. The runway extensions necessitated acquisition of land and diversions of local infrastructure. When the runway was extended in 1968–69, the A538 road (Wilmslow Road) was diverted via a tunnel beneath the runway. When the runway was further extended in 1981–82, the road was again diverted through a pair of tunnels further south and the River Bollin was re-routed through a culvert under the runway.Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
As demand and aircraft movements both increased during the mid-1990s, mainly due to the newly completed Terminal 2, the airport studied the option of a second full-length runway. A consultation process began and planning permission was approved in 1997, with construction work starting the same year. The second runway, initially designated 06R/24L,<ref name="Factsheet">Template:Cite web</ref> became operational on 5 February 2001<ref name=MANRDS/> at a cost of £172 million,<ref name="Factsheet" /> and was the first full-length commercial runway to open in Britain for over 20 years.<ref name="Factsheet" /> The site where the second runway was constructed was on the southern airfield boundary, which is near the village of Styal in the Cheshire countryside. The project was deemed controversial because of the destruction of natural wildlife habitats<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and because of changes to flight paths to enable aircraft to fly in and out of the second runway. Aircraft landing from the southwest on to Runway 2 (05R) fly lower over the residential area of Knutsford.<ref name="knutsfordguardian 2007">Template:Cite web</ref> As aircraft rarely land on to Runway 2 from the northeast (Runway 23L) or takeoff from Runway 2 to the northeast (Runway 05R) there has been no change to the path of aircraft over Heald Green, Cheadle and Stockport.
Planning permission for Runway 2 (23L/05R) permits use of both runways between the hours of 06:00Template:Ndash22:00.<ref name="MANRDS"/> At night between the hours of 22:00Template:Ndash06:00 single runway operations based on Runway 1 (23R/05L) are used.<ref name=MANRDS/> Exceptions are made for emergencies and planned maintenance. In practice, dual runway operations incorporating Runway 2 (23L/05R) are only used at peak demand, which is currently in the morning and then again between 13:00Template:Ndash20:00.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Most aircraft arriving at Manchester Airport use the instrument landing system, which in line with most other airports has a glide slope of 3Template:Nbspdegrees, equal to descending Template:Convert per nautical mile.<ref name=MANRDS/> The prevailing wind direction is westerly, so normally aircraft fly from northeast to southwest. In practice this means that normally aircraft land from the northeast over Stockport, Cheadle and Heald Green, and take off towards Knutsford. In dual runway operations, aircraft will usually land on to Runway 1 (23R) and depart from Runway 2 (23L). When the wind direction changes, usually affecting 20% of movements per annum,<ref name=MANRDS/> operations are reversed with aircraft landing from the southwest, lining up to the south over Northwich and over Knutsford and taking off towards Stockport.<ref name=MANRDS/> In dual runway operations aircraft will usually land on to Runway 2 (05R) and depart from Runway 1 (05L).<ref name=MANRDS/> Sometimes, aircraft arriving into Manchester Airport are held in stacks, usually in poor weather when the movement rate decreases.<ref name=MANRDS/> The airport has three stacks: DAYNE, MIRSI and ROSUN, each located approximately 15/20 miles from the airport.<ref name=MANRDS/> DAYNE serves arrivals from the south, ROSUN from the north and east and MIRSI from the west.<ref name=MANRDS/> Residents living within Template:Convert of the airport will probably see and hear aircraft.<ref name=MANRDS/>
Control tower
A new control tower was opened on 25 June 2013. At Template:Cvt tall, it is the UK's second-tallest control tower, after that at London Heathrow. It replaced the old tower on top of Terminal 1.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Security
Manchester Airport is policed by the Greater Manchester Police and Manchester Airport Fire Service. Several security-related incidents have occurred at the airport in recent years.
- In 2002, a security firm successfully smuggled fake explosives, detonators and genuine firearms onto a flight.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- In 2004, the BBC's Whistleblower programme revealed security failures at the airport, including faulty metal detectors and a lack of regular random baggage checks.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- In 2005, police used a taser on a man spotted acting suspiciously on the apron, after he appeared to resist arrest.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- On 6 June 2006, Aabid Hussain Khan, 21, of West Yorkshire and a 16-year-old boy were arrested at the airport and later charged under Section 57 of the Terrorism Act, for conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to cause public nuisance by using poisons or explosives.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- On 24 July 2012, an 11-year-old boy went straight through security and managed to board the nearest boarding flight from security in T1, which was a Jet2 flight to Rome. Halfway through the flight one passenger reported him to the cabin crew, who then detained the boy at Rome and put him on the next flight back to Manchester.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- On 5 August 2014, a 47-year-old man was arrested after the pilot of a plane became aware of a potential explosive device on board. This turned out to be a hoax. As a result, Manchester Airport airfield operations were suspended for around 30Template:Nbspminutes whilst the man was led away by armed police. The incident required an escort from an RAF Typhoon jet into Manchester.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- In April 2015, the passengers arriving from Madrid on a Ryanair flight entered the UK without having their passports checked. A spokesman for the airport said it was the responsibility of the airline's handling agent to notify the UK Border Force about flights from outside the UK.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- In November 2017, the passengers arriving on an EasyJet flight from Paris were mistakenly directed to departures rather than arrivals. The situation was caused by a door that was opened by a staff member, which led to the cross-contamination of arriving and departing passengers. The security breach resulted in confusion and delays, with a spokesman for the Department of Transport stating that it is the responsibility of airlines and airport operators to ensure passengers arriving in the UK are directed through the correct route.<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
- 2024 Manchester Airport brawl; On 23 July 2024, Mohammed Fahir Amaaz went to the airport to pick up his mother, and headbutted a member of the public whom he alleged had racially abused her. When Amaaz and his brother were being arrested, they resisted and assaulted the police, with Amaaz breaking the nose of one female police officer and punching another. He was convicted in July 2025.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A short video clip of the arrest, showing a third police officer kicking Amaaz in the head after his three assaults, had been spread on social media, leading to protests and allegations of police brutality.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Ground transport
Railway
Manchester Airport station opened in May 1993.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> It lies between Terminals 1 and 2, linked to them by a Skylink moving walkway. Services are operated by Northern Trains, TransPennine Express and Transport for Wales, which connect the airport to Manchester Piccadilly, Crewe, Template:Rws and Template:Rws in north-west England; Template:Rws and Template:Rws in Scotland; and Holyhead and Llandudno in Wales.
A third platform was completed in 2008 to allow for an increase in rail capacity. In 2009, Network Rail stated that the third platform meant that capacity will become constrained by the layover of the trains and recommended building a line underneath the airport towards Northwich by 2024.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Work on building a new fourth platform at the station commenced in early 2014, with a blockade required in February 2015 to allow completion.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Construction finished in May 2015 and the platform opened to passengers in autumn 2015.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Metrolink
A Metrolink service from Cornbrook station to the Airport opened in November 2014 and runs at 12-minute frequency. Journeys along the 15-stop line from Cornbrook take approximately 35 minutes. The Manchester Metrolink light rail system has had plans to extend to the airport for many years. When the idea of a congestion charge was mooted, part of the scheme was to have extended the Metrolink to the airport. However, when this was rejected, the future of the scheme was in doubt. In 2009, it was announced that the line to the airport would finally be built.
The Airport Line is one spur of the line from St Werburgh's Road to East Didsbury and Manchester Airport, which opened on 3 November 2014 – 18 months ahead of schedule.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> As of November 2022, Metrolink services from the Airport operate to Manchester Victoria, via Market Street.
Buses and coaches
The Station is the airport's ground transport interchange and brings bus, coach and rail passengers under one roof. Over 300 trains, 100 coaches and 500 buses a day use the facility,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> including the 24-hour bus service 43,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> which runs every 10 minutes (every 30 minutes at night) to Manchester city centre via Wythenshawe, Northenden, Withington, Fallowfield and Rusholme. There is also Skyline service 199 operating every 30 minutes to Buxton via Stockport, Disley and Chapel-en-le-Frith, as well as a number of Stagecoach Manchester and Arriva North West services to Stockport, Altrincham and various parts of South Manchester. A network of National Express, Flixbus and Megabus coach services serve Manchester Airport and operate to destinations further afield.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Roads
The airport is a 20-minute drive from Manchester city centre and is reached by the M56 motorway, with a dedicated approach road from the motorway at junction 5. The M56 is the main route used by traffic to reach the airport. There are also minor local roads serving the airport from the north (Wythenshawe) and the east (Heald Green). The M56/A538 road junction serves the World Freight Terminal, to the west of the airport. The A538 runs east–west serving the local towns of Altrincham and Wilmslow. Taxi ranks are situated by arrivals at all three terminals.
Proposed as part of the SEMMMS (South East Manchester Multi-Modal Strategy) Relief Road Scheme, a new link road to the A6 south of Stockport opened in 2018. Planning permission had been granted, with inquiries for Compulsory Purchase and Side Roads Orders following up in September 2014.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> After significant delays, the link road opened on 15 October 2018.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Parking
The airport's official short-stay car parking can be found in the multistorey car parks adjacent to Terminals 1, 2 and 3. In addition there are a number of long stay and valet parking options.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Drop off zones
Until 2018, cars dropping off passengers could do so outside terminals for free. On 10 July 2018, Manchester Airport took the step of introducing a fee of £3-to-£4 for vehicles dropping off passengers at terminals.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Alternatively, passengers being dropped off can be taken to an off-site car park from where a shuttle bus operates to the terminals. The airport issues fines of up to £100 to vehicles which breach its terms and conditions for the drop off zones.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The changes have been seen as unwelcome and nonconstructive by passengers and taxi drivers, with some saying they will boycott the airport.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Effect on the area
Template:Unbalanced section Between 1997 and 1999 three protest camps were set up to oppose the building of the second runway, the felling of nearby trees on land owned by the National Trust in Styal, Cheshire, and air transportation in general. Camps were set up in Flywood, Arthur's Wood<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Cedar's Wood. Swampy, a well-known activist, was among many protesters.<ref>War in the Woods: A History of Runway 2 Template:Webarchive BBC, 24 April 2007.</ref>
The south-west end of the new runway is closer to the town of Knutsford and to the village of Mobberley. There was initially an increase in noise experienced by local residents from the aircraft being lower and closer.<ref name="knutsfordguardian 2007" /> All residents that were able to prove that their property had lost value, as a result of the operation of Runway 2, were compensated in 2010.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Manchester Airports Group made a further, voluntary payment in 2012, to compensate those who felt aggrieved but had been unable to prove financial harm as a result of the operation of Runway 2. The precepts for Knutsford Town Council and Mobberley Parish Council residents were paid and money invested in local schools.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Manchester Airport applied in 2007 to build on land in Styal in order to increase its car parking. However, the then Macclesfield Borough Council refused to give it planning permission to do so and expressed annoyance at the airport for not investing enough in public transport.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Accidents and incidents
- On 27 March 1951, a Douglas C-47A-75-DL Dakota 3 cargo aircraft operated by Air Transport Charter<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and en route to Nutts Corner in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, crashed at Heyhead shortly after take-off from runway 06, following the aircraft's failure to gain height. There were four fatalities – two of the three crew on board and two of the three passengers. The subsequent investigation found that the crash resulted from a loss of engine power, caused by ice forming in the carburettor intakes, attributable to the captain's failure to use the heat controls. An extended undercarriage and snow on the wings may have also been contributory factors.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- On 14 March 1957, British European Airways Flight 411 operated by Vickers Viscount 701 (registration G-ALWE) inbound from Amsterdam crashed into houses in Shadow Moss Road, Woodhouse Park. The aircraft was on final approach to Runway 24 at Manchester Airport and the crash was due to a flap failure, caused by fatigue of a wing bolt. All 20 occupants on board died, as did two on the ground.
- On 4 June 1967, a British Midland International Canadair C-4 Argonaut (registration G-ALHG) was inbound from Palma and crashed near the centre of Stockport after loss of engine power due to fuel problems and an aborted approach to Manchester Airport, with 72 fatalities.
- On 20 March 1969, Vickers Viscount G-AVJA of British Midland International crashed on take-off. Three of the four people on board were killed.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- On 22 August 1985, an engine of a Boeing 737–236 Advanced, operated by British Airtours, failed during take-off from runway 24, the fire spreading into the cabin, resulting in 55 fatalities (mostly from smoke inhalation) aboard the Boeing 737–236 Advanced G-BGJL. The uncontained engine failure was later traced to an incorrectly repaired combustor causing the turbine disc to shatter and puncture the wing fuel tanks.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> As a result, fire resistance and evacuation procedures were improved.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Runway visitor park
Manchester Airport has had public viewing areas since the airport opened to the public in 1938. The 1960/1970s pier-top viewing facilities have been closed because of security concerns. In May 1992, an official "Aviation Viewing Park" (AVP) was created just off the A538 road on the south-western side of the airfield. This was moved to the western side of the airfield in May 1997 to allow construction of the second runway.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> Renamed the "Runway Visitor Park" in June 2010, the facility is regarded as providing the best official viewing facilities for aircraft spotting at any major UK airport by aircraft enthusiasts.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Visitors can view aircraft taking off and landing from both runways and aircraft taxiing to and from the runways. This attraction now draws around 300,000 visitors a year and is one of Greater Manchester's top 10 attractions.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The Runway Visitor Park is also home to a small number of retired aircraft exhibits. These currently are:
- Avro RJX100 Prototype (Registration: G-IRJX). This was the last British-built jetliner. It was delivered in 2001 from the nearby, but now-demolished Woodford Aerodrome. It was the first exhibit to be added to the park.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- British Airways Concorde (Registration: G-BOAC 'Alpha Charlie'). Was acquired shortly after the retirement of the British Airways Concorde fleet in 2003. It has since been enclosed in a purpose-built hangar with a conference centre hosting regular events. This particular aircraft was the flagship of the British Airways fleet due to its G-BOAC designation, a reference to BOAC – a forerunner airline to British Airways.<ref name="Runway Visitor Park">Template:Cite web</ref>
- Front Fuselage of Monarch Airlines DC-10-30 (Registration: G-DMCA). This was the only DC-10 operated by now-defunct Monarch Airlines, operating between 1996–2001. The original complete airframe was held at Manchester for a short while after being retired and subsequently scrapped, the front section being moved to the park in 2003. It is the only remains of a DC-10 in the UK.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- BEA Trident 3 (Registration: G-AWZK). This aircraft last flew in 1985 and had been used for tug and de-ice training at Heathrow Airport. It was moved to the park in 2004, and opened to visitors in 2007. It is both the oldest and longest retired of all the exhibits.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- RAF Nimrod MR2 (Registration: XV231). First deployed in the 1970s and retired in the late 2000s. This aircraft was used in specialist search and rescue missions. It had been deployed in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It was flown into Manchester and put on display in 2010. It is the only military exhibit.<ref name="Runway Visitor Park"/>
References
Notes
Citations
Bibliography
External links
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