A record-breaking September has pushed Manchester Airport into the ‘30 Million Club’, putting it on a level with other major international airports across the world, including in New York, Melbourne and Istanbul. The airport has experienced 12 record-breaking months in a row, welcoming 30.1million passengers since the end of September 2023.
Other airports in the so-called 30 Million Club include La Guardia, in New York, Melbourne Airport, in Australia, Hamad International Airport, in Doha, and Sabia Gokcen International Airport, in Istanbul. Manchester Airport boasts the most extensive route network of any UK airport outside London, connecting more than 200 destinations across the globe.
In the past year it’s added several new routes such as Shanghai with Juneyao Air, Las Vegas with Virgin Atlantic and Casablanca with Royal Air Maroc, offering even more choice for passengers. Last month 3.05million passengers passed through the airport, up eight per cent on September 2023. Despite the record number of passengers, 93 per cent waited less than 10 minutes to get through security.
Even though the school holidays were over, September still proved popular among travellers looking to make the most of ‘shoulder season’ when flights are usually cheaper but the weather is still pleasant at popular European sun-spots. Pala de Mallorca was the airport’s most popular destination last month, with 105,987 passengers jetting off to the Spanish island, followed by Dalaman in Turkey with 89,919 passengers, and Dubai was the third-most popular with 89,269 passengers.
Commenting on Manchester Airport’s record-breaking year, Manchester Airport Managing Director Chris Woodroofe said:
“Breaking through the 30million passenger barrier tells us we are giving people across the region great access to the places they want to travel to. It cements our position as the UK’s global gateway in the North – the biggest airport outside London – and means we are rubbing shoulders with some of the best-known airports across Europe and the world. That means greater choice, value and flexibility for the people and businesses of the North."
“Hitting this milestone comes at a really exciting time, with our transformation programme set to be fully complete next year. It means we’ll be welcoming passengers to an airport that rivals any in major capitals around Europe in its all-around look and feel, service, facilities and the destinations it serves.
“I’m proud of everything we’ve achieved in the last 12 months. We’ve had our busiest year yet but at the same time over 98per cent of our passengers waited less than 15 minutes to get to security. We’ve also been given a good rating by the Civil Aviation Authority for the service we provide to disabled passengers and seen more than 80per cent of our passengers tell us the service they receive from us is good, very good or excellent.
“I want to thank all my colleagues and partners across the whole airport and, of course, our passengers. Joining the 30 Million Club gives us a great platform to build on and I’m excited to see everything the next 12 months bring.”
Manchester Airport’s passenger numbers have been praised by the airlines who work alongside the airport. Dawn Wilson, Chief Operating Officer of TUI Airline, which flies to over 20 destinations, said: “Partnering with an international airport of Manchester’s status allows us to offer an incredible choice of destinations to customers in the North West.” easyJet employs more than 1,000 people at the airport and Ali Gayward, easyJet UK country manager, added: “This new milestone is great news, not only for our customers from across the North West, offering them even greater choice and connectivity, but also for the benefit it provides to the region’s dynamic economy.”
Ryanair, which has operated at the airport for 37 years, welcomed the news. Jade Kirwan, Ryanair’s Head of Communications said: “30 million passengers in the last 12 months is a fantastic achievement – one that not only further strengthens Manchester’s position on the international playing field but reaps economic benefits for the region also.
The airport’s visitor numbers also reflect Greater Manchester’s appeal as a tourist and business destination. Victoria Braddock, Managing Director at Marketing Manchester, points out that the achievement shows the opportunities to grow the visitor economy “which has continued to thrive and recover in recent years”. She said: “Manchester Airport plays a vital role in connecting the region to destinations across the world and is a key driver to positioning Greater Manchester as a global Gateway to the North."
Joe Manning
Joe Manning, Managing Director of MIDAS, Greater Manchester's Inward Investment Agency, added:
"Manchester Airport's record-breaking passenger numbers are a testament to the region's growing status as a global business destination. The increase in routes and connectivity has been instrumental in securing major international investments, including Roku, Safety Culture, S&P Global and BNY Mellon.
"The airport's direct routes to key global markets, particularly the strengthened connections to North America and Asia and frequent daily flights to areas of Europe have been a factor for many companies choosing Greater Manchester as their UK base.”
The record-breaking passenger numbers come as Manchester Airport nears the completion of its £1.3billion transformation project, due to be finished in 2025. When it is finished more than 70per cent of its passengers will use the brand-new Terminal 2, the first half of which opened in 2021.
Last month the airport announced a range of new shops and food and drink outlets – including a dedicated Chanel beauty outlet, a Lego Store, Pandora, a JD Wetherspoon pub and the Great Northern Market Hall - that will operate in the second phase of Terminal 2. As part of the project Terminal 1 will close and the number of airlines operating from Terminal 3 will be reduced to make the new terminal the heartbeat of the airport. A number of airlines have already moved from Terminals 1 and 3 and more will move over the coming months.