Airport achieves record rolling passenger total with 28.5 million passing through
Manchester Airport is celebrating another month of growth as it saw passenger numbers in February grow by 7% year-on-year.
The UK’s third largest airport welcomed nearly 1.8 million people through its three terminals as it saw growth across a broad mix of its 210 destinations.
In Europe, passenger numbers to Portugal were up 69%, Greece was up 24% while Hungary saw growth of 18%.
Looking further afield passenger numbers to Morocco increased by 27%, Barbados 20%, Canada 19% and Hong Kong 13%.
The growth to destinations across four continents shows the important role the airport plays in connecting all parts of the North to all parts of the world.
It means the airport’s 12-month rolling passenger total has hit 28,502,330 for the first time in its history.
At the beginning of April, the airport will open the first phase of its £1bn transformation programme with the first pier and new multi-storey car park set to welcome passengers.
Chief executive Andrew Cowan said: “February was another busy month for the airport and we saw widespread growth across our route network.
“As we look ahead, the start of the Summer schedule is nearly upon us and it’s set to be our busiest ever with lots of airlines creating additional capacity and adding new routes.
“We’re also very excited that passengers travelling through Terminal 2 will soon be able to experience the first phase of our transformation programme when we open the first new pier in April.
“It will have a positive impact on the passenger experience when travelling through the airport and give customers a taste of things to come from the next phases of the project.”
He added: “As we invest in the future and continue to deliver benefits to the region, we are calling on Government to ensure we can maximise our potential through the creation of its new UK Aviation Strategy.
“The process must be used to identify the specific measures that will do most to unlock Manchester’s full potential, including a firm commitment to Northern Powerhouse Rail.
“Placing the North’s primary international gateway at the heart of a high-speed, east-west network will maximise our global competitiveness and ensure the benefits flow to all parts of the region.”
February also saw news that Loganair would start a daily service to Derry from May, while Ryanair has added flights to Bordeaux, Marseilles and Milan Malpensa.
