Airport Guide
Manchester Airport
The major gateway from the north of England to the rest of the world, Manchester Airport has boomed over the past couple of decades, particularly since the introduction of a highly-contested second runway.
Last year, the airport handled in excess of 22 million passengers, making it the UK's fourth busiest, after the London terminals of Gatwick, Heathrow and Stansted.
Manchester Airport started life back in 1934. Then named Ringway, after the church parish where it was situated, the site was chosen to host the city's first real air travel terminal, welcoming its first international flight in 1935, with KLM operating a service via nearby Doncaster.
However, as with most of the major UK airports, it was the Second World War which transformed Manchester's fortunes as permanent hangars were constructed and longer runways introduced to accommodate RAF planes.
Post-war expansion was rapid and in 1972 it was renamed Manchester International Airport in recognition of its being designated a major international gateway, with an additional terminal being built to accommodate the growth.
The completion of the £172 million second runway in 2001 firmly established Manchester Airport as one of Europe's major players, opening the north up to international trade and offering those living in the region increased competition and cheaper holidays, while a third terminal has since been opened.
As the airport has developed steadily over the decades, ground transportation links have grown in line with it and, as such, today it is easily acceptable from both Manchester and the rest of the country.
The airport is just a 20 minute drive from the city centre and a special spur road links it to the nearby M56, which offers links to the north-west of England as well as onto other regions, with drivers able to benefit from plentiful and secure parking spaces.
Those without cars are able to benefit from Manchester Airport's own railway station, which is linked by moving walkways to both terminals and offers links to Manchester Piccadilly station as well as to other northern cities including Leeds, Liverpool and York.
Plans to extend Manchester's Metrolink tram system to the airport are in place, though they have been mooted for years without being put into action.
Unlike its southern rivals, Manchester Airport plays host to a mixture of both low-cost airlines and bigger, long-haul carriers almost in equal measure. British Airways is, of course, well-represented at Manchester, offering flights to all corners of the world, though its trans-Atlantic services are generally the most popular. Virgin Atlantic, Singapore Airlines, Emirates and Pakistan International Airlines are among the dozens of other carriers that fly out of Manchester, while Canada's Zoom Airline has recently moved in to offer a low-cost alternative to long-haul travel.
Sitting alongside these on the tarmac are a host of budget flyers, including Ryanair, easyJet, Je2.com and bmibaby and over the summer months charter airlines such as Thomas Cook and MyTravel also use Manchester.
According to the latest figures, Manchester Airport offers flights to 226 worldwide destinations, more than Gatwick's 200 and Heathrow's 180.
Last year, the airport handled in excess of 22 million passengers, making it the UK's fourth busiest, after the London terminals of Gatwick, Heathrow and Stansted.
History of Manchester Airport
Manchester Airport started life back in 1934. Then named Ringway, after the church parish where it was situated, the site was chosen to host the city's first real air travel terminal, welcoming its first international flight in 1935, with KLM operating a service via nearby Doncaster.
However, as with most of the major UK airports, it was the Second World War which transformed Manchester's fortunes as permanent hangars were constructed and longer runways introduced to accommodate RAF planes.
Post-war expansion was rapid and in 1972 it was renamed Manchester International Airport in recognition of its being designated a major international gateway, with an additional terminal being built to accommodate the growth.
The completion of the £172 million second runway in 2001 firmly established Manchester Airport as one of Europe's major players, opening the north up to international trade and offering those living in the region increased competition and cheaper holidays, while a third terminal has since been opened.
Travelling to Manchester Airport
As the airport has developed steadily over the decades, ground transportation links have grown in line with it and, as such, today it is easily acceptable from both Manchester and the rest of the country.
The airport is just a 20 minute drive from the city centre and a special spur road links it to the nearby M56, which offers links to the north-west of England as well as onto other regions, with drivers able to benefit from plentiful and secure parking spaces.
Those without cars are able to benefit from Manchester Airport's own railway station, which is linked by moving walkways to both terminals and offers links to Manchester Piccadilly station as well as to other northern cities including Leeds, Liverpool and York.
Plans to extend Manchester's Metrolink tram system to the airport are in place, though they have been mooted for years without being put into action.
Major airline flying out of Manchester Airport
Unlike its southern rivals, Manchester Airport plays host to a mixture of both low-cost airlines and bigger, long-haul carriers almost in equal measure. British Airways is, of course, well-represented at Manchester, offering flights to all corners of the world, though its trans-Atlantic services are generally the most popular. Virgin Atlantic, Singapore Airlines, Emirates and Pakistan International Airlines are among the dozens of other carriers that fly out of Manchester, while Canada's Zoom Airline has recently moved in to offer a low-cost alternative to long-haul travel.
Sitting alongside these on the tarmac are a host of budget flyers, including Ryanair, easyJet, Je2.com and bmibaby and over the summer months charter airlines such as Thomas Cook and MyTravel also use Manchester.
According to the latest figures, Manchester Airport offers flights to 226 worldwide destinations, more than Gatwick's 200 and Heathrow's 180.