Airport’s passenger numbers soar
Manchester Airport has reported record passenger numbers as more than 1.7m people travelled through the Northern hub in November while adding more passengers than any other UK airport between April-September 2017.
The figure is up 2% on the previous year and marks another month of growth for the UK’s third biggest airport.
The airport added 1.27m passengers compared to Gatwick and Heathrow that added 1.25m passengers each.
Manchester Airport’s annual rolling passenger numbers now stand at 27.7m an increase of 9.7% year on year.
Growth has slowed at the airport due to the collapse of Monarch Airlines which has left some capacity unused for this winter season, the airport said but it added it remains confident that by the start of the summer season all capacity will be filled.
This has already started with Jet2.com, TUI and Thomas Cook Airlines all already increasing capacity for next year, it said.
The top five destinations in November were Amsterdam, Dublin, Dubai, Tenerife and Paris – Charles De Gaulle
Andrew Cowan, chief executive of Manchester Airport, said: “It is pleasing to see Manchester Airport continue to grow and fulfil its role of the UK’s global gateway in the North.
“Now the summer peak is over we are continuing to invest in the airport and passengers will start to see our £1bn transformation take shape and develop over the coming winter months.”
Last week saw the airport’s owner, MAG, announce its half year results, which saw the 10 boroughs of Greater Manchester receive an interim dividend of £35.7m, an increase of 18% on the previous year.
Through the airport’s unique ownership structure, this money is directly invested back into the region.
MAG’s airports at London Stansted and East Midlands also all grew passenger numbers, with East Midlands growing 20% year on year.
