Manchester airport is the worlds UK’s third busiest airport with only London Heathrow and Gatwick turning over more passengers.
The airport opened in 1938 and was originally called the Ringway Airport before changing its name to become RAF Ringway during the Second World War and eventually becoming Manchester International Airport as it is known today. The name Ringway came from the Manchester parish in which it was located.
The airport has two runways that run parallel to each other, the second of which opened in 2001 and cost a total of £172million to complete. The second runway was subject to criticism by several protest groups that set up camps to delay the construction.
The airport is made up of three terminals, all of which are interconnected.
Terminal 1 which opened in 1962 is used for international flights and is the base for several airlines including Monarch, MyTravel, and Jet2. The terminal has 2 aircraft stands 18 of which are connected to the gates through air-bridges. Terminal 1 is currently undergoing a major refit that will increase the terminal’s capacity and improve the baggage sorting system.
Terminal 2 opened in 1993 as a second international terminal, and handles long haul and European flights. It has 15 gates and currently has a throughput of 7.2million passengers each year.
Terminal 3 was opened by Princess Diana in 1989 with British Airways being the primary user, but is now used by several airlines including Flybe, BMI and BMI baby. Terminal 3 currently has the lowest annual throughput of passengers with around 5million passing through each year.
The airport has its own railway station which is located between terminals 1 and 2 and is linked to the terminals via a moving walkway. Trains are run regularly from Manchester Piccadilly station and other northern railway stations. There are also good bus links from Manchester city centre to the airport with a 24hour service available.
In 1997 a special public viewing facility was opened just off the A538 road and is regarded as one of the best areas to watch aircraft in the UK. There are also several aeroplanes on display at the airport that can be viewed by appointment these include the original flagship Concorde.
The airport is becoming a popular alternative to Heathrow particularly for people living in the North of the UK as it offers flights to many destinations and has better access than London Heathrow.
With the amount of passengers flying increasing each year the future looks bright for the airline industry and Manchester airport is looking to take advantage and secure its own future as one of Europe’s major airports.
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