About Manchester Airport

Manchester Airport is the third largest airport in the UK and currently handles over 20 million passengers a year, with flights to over 180 destinations by over 90 airlines.

Manchester airport is owned by Manchester Airport Group plc (MAG). It is the second largest airport operator in the UK and includes Manchester Airport, Nottingham East Midlands Airport, Bournemoutrh Airport and Humberside Airport. The group is wholly owned by the following ten authorities of Greater Manchester:

• The Council of the City of Manchester - 55%
• The Borough Council of Bolton - 5%
• The Borough Council of Bury - 5%
• The Oldham Borough Council - 5%
• The Rochdale Borough Council - 5%
• The Council of the City of Salford - 5%
• The Metropolitan Borough Council of Stockport - 5%
• The Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council - 5%
• The Trafford Borough Council - 5%
• The Wigan Borough Council - 5%

The group has been structured into a holding company and five trading companies forming a family of businesses, as follows:

• Manchester Airport Division
• Manchester Airport Aviation Services
• Manchester Airport Ventures
• Manchester Airport Developments
• Regional Airports

Manchester Airport has won several awards over the years, most recently it won 'Best UK Airport' by Holiday Which? in 2004, it also won the 'Best UK Airport' award at the prestigious Travel Weekly Globe Awards 2003.

A Brief History of Manchester Airport

Manchester Airport's history can be traced back to 1928 when, Barton is chosen as the site of Manchester's new aerodrome. However in 1934 after discussions with KLM on a new Holland-North of England service, it is decided that Barton Aerodrome is unsuitable for larger aircraft, so necessary land at Ringway is chosen for a new airport.

Ringway is officially opened on the 25th June 1938 and operations commence two days later. Ringway handles 7,500 passengers in the first 14 months of operation.

The last scheduled flight before World War II takes off on 1st September 1939. During the war the airport is used as an aeroplane manufacturing centre until 1946 when normal service resumes at Ringway.

The airport continues to grow and many improvements are made including a new £2.7 million pound terminal opened by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh in 1962. In 1969 the runway is extended to 2,745 metres to allow aircraft to take off with a full load of fuel.

By 1978, 15 scheduled airlines operate flights to 37 destinations in the UK, Europe and North America, and in 1980 passengers top more than half a million in a month for the first time.

Terminal 2 is opened by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh in 1993, doubling Manchester Airport's Capacity to around 20 million a year. In May the railway station opened providing a direct rail link to many towns and cities in the north of England.

In 1999 Manchester Airport acquires a majority shareholding in Humberside Airport and later in 2001 completes the purchase of East Midlands and Bournemouth airports and becomes the UK's second largest airport operator.

The Station was officially opened by the Rt. Hon Margaret Beckett, MP in 2004, and in the the airport celebrates it's 20 millionth passenger in the space of a year.