Manchester Airport

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For City Airport Manchester, UK, see City Airport Manchester.
For the United States airport, see Manchester-Boston Regional Airport.
Manchester Airport

IATA: MAN – ICAO: EGCC
Summary
Airport type Public
Owner/Operator Manchester Airports Group
Location Greater Manchester
Elevation AMSL 257 ft / 78 m
Coordinates 53°21′14″N 002°16′30″W / 53.35389, -2.275
Website www.manchesterairport.co.uk
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
05L/23R 3,048 10,000 Concrete/Grooved Asphalt
05R/23L 3,047 9,997 Concrete/Grooved Asphalt
Source: United Kingdom AIP[1]

Manchester Airport (IATA: MAN, ICAO: EGCC) is a major airport in Manchester, England. Opening to passenger traffic in June 1938, it was initially known as Ringway Airport. During World War II it officially became RAF Ringway, and from 1975 until 1986 the title Manchester International Airport was used. The airport complex is almost entirely located within the city of Manchester boundaries—the exception being the second runway, which lies mostly in neighbouring Cheshire[2][3]— 8.8 miles (14 km) south by west of the city centre.[4]

The airport is owned by the ten local authorities of Greater Manchester under the name Manchester Airports Group (MAG) which is controlled by the ten metropolitan borough councils and is the largest British-owned airport group. Each of these councils have their coat of arms displayed on banners hung from the lamp posts approaching the airport. The airport has won numerous awards including World's Best Airport 1995 and Travel Weekly Globe Awards' UK Best Airport 2008.[5]

The airport has two parallel runways, three terminals, a railway station and bus interchange. Manchester Airport has a CAA Public Use Aerodrome Licence (Number P712) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers and for flying instruction. In 2007, Manchester Airport handled 22,112,625 passengers with 222,703 aircraft movements, making it the fourth busiest airport in the United Kingdom in passenger numbers and third in terms of total aircraft movements.[6]

Contents

[edit] History

See also: RAF Ringway

The origins of the airport can be dated back to 1934 when the location was selected as a new site to build an airfield.[7] On 25 July 1934, Manchester City Council voted narrowly in favour of the Ringway site as the City's new airport. Construction started on 28 November 1935 and was complete by early summer 1938. The airport was opened and received its first scheduled flight, a KLM operated Douglas DC-2 from Amsterdam.[8] The airport at this time was called Ringway, named after the parish it lay within. Prewar, KLM was the only international operator out of Ringway and offered a request stop at Doncaster. 4000 passengers used the airport in 1938 and another 4000 during the first eight months of 1939, before declaration of war brought an end to civil operations.

Construction of a Royal Air Force station commenced in 1939 on the NE edge of the airfield. RAF Ringway was used for both operational flying and training. The main user was No.1 Parachute Training School which trained over 60,000 paratroopers. A complex of hangars and assembly sheds on the NW side of the airfield was used by Fairey Aviation for the construction, modification and testing of over 4000 aircraft of several types. From spring 1939, Avro used the 1938-built main hangar for assembly and testing the prototype Avro Manchester, Avro Lancaster and Avro Lincoln bombers. Three southside hangars were erected in 1942/43 and used for the assembly of Avro York military transport aircraft. The advent of heavier aircraft types resulted in the all-grass landing area being badly damaged in wet weather during the winter of 1940/41. Two runways of 3000 ft length were therefore hastily and skimpily laid down between June and December 1941. The runways were designated 06/24 and 10/28 and the former was lengthened to 4200 ft by January 1943 to accommodate the four-engined aircraft now using RAF Ringway.

After the war the airport grew massively and by 1958 the airport was handling 500,000 passengers annually. During the 1950s a range of developments took place, including another runway extension and the introduction of 24-hour operations. Terminal 1 was the airport's first purpose-built postwar terminal and opened in late 1962; Manchester was then the only airport in Europe to have aircraft piers. In 1972 the airport was renamed "Manchester International Airport" and was designated an "international gateway" in the 1980s. In 1981 the main runway was extended to its current length of 10,000 ft to attract long-haul flights from worldwide destinations. In 1988 the airport celebrated its Golden Jubilee and by this time was handling 9.5 million passengers annually. Due to increasing passenger numbers a second terminal was soon needed. In 1993, Terminal 2 and the airport railway station opened, connecting the airport to the national rail network. In 1997 planning approval was granted for the building of Manchester's second runway and construction started the same year. It opened in 2001 at a cost of £172 million and was the first full-length commercial runway to open in Britain for over 20 years. Another milestone was achieved in 2004, when the airport reached 20 million passengers a year. Also that year, the new £60 million integrated public transport interchange was opened (called "The Station"), bringing bus, coach and rail passengers under one roof. Manchester Airport plans to accept Airbus A380 aircraft in the next few years, as part of the larger expansion at the airport.[9]

On 7 June 2007, at 00:00 UTC (01:00 BST), Manchester Airport's runway assignments were changed in relation to the magnetic compass bearings. The previous headings for the runways were 056° and 236° with assignments 06L/24R and 06R/24L respectively. The new headings for the runways are 054° and 234° with new assignments of 05L/23R and 05R/23L respectively. The signs located on taxiways and entrances to the runway were changed on the evening of the 6th June, 2007.[10] The runway designators changed at the same time.

[edit] Passenger numbers

Number of Passengers [11] Number of Movements [12] Freight
(tonnes) [11]
1997 15,948,454 147,405 94,318
1998 17,351,162 162,906 100,099
1999 17,577,765 169,941 107,803
2000 18,568,709 178,468 116,602
2001 19,307,011 182,097 106,406
2002 18,809,185 177,545 113,279
2003 19,699,256 191,518 122,639
2004 21,249,841 208,493 149,181
2005 22,402,856 217,987 147,484
2006 22,422,855 229,729 148,957
2007 22,112,625 222,703 165,366
Source: UK Civil Aviation Authority [1]

Manchester is the fourth busiest airport in the UK and the biggest outside of London, in terms of annual passenger throughput.

In 2006 Manchester Airport was the world's 22nd busiest airport in terms of international passengers, down from 17th position in 2005.[13]

The airport's latest long range plan, published in July 2006, forecasts that passenger numbers will increase to approximately 38 million passengers annually by 2015. This would require a significant average annual growth rate from 2007 to 2015 of 7.1%. Further growth is postulated to 50 million by 2030. The airport authorities are examining measures to cope with this predicted increase.

In 2007 22.1 million passengers used Manchester Airport, a reduction of 1.5% compared with 2006 and below the 2005 total. There were 222,703 air transport movements during the year, the third highest in the UK.[14]

Per CAA preliminary statistics, the passenger total for the 12 months to April 2008 was 21.90 million, a 0.9% reduction on the previous comparable 12 months (UK Airports average : 2.2% increase).

[edit] Security

Manchester Airport is policed by the Greater Manchester Police. Several security related incidents have occurred at the airport in recent years. In particular:

  • In 2002, a security firm successfully smuggled fake explosives, detonators and genuine firearms onto a flight.[15]
  • In 2004, the BBC's Whistleblower program revealed a series of security failures at the airport, including faulty metal detectors and a lack of regular random baggage checks.[16]
  • In 2005, after spotted acting suspiciously, police used a taser to shoot a man on the apron, after he appeared to resist arrest.[17]
  • On 6 June 2006, Aabid Hussain Khan, 21, of West Yorkshire and a 16 year old boy were arrested at the airport and later charged under Section 57 of the Terrorism Act, for conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to cause public nuisance by using poisons or explosives.[18]

[edit] Terminals and destinations

Terminal 1 Skylink walkway
Terminal 1 Skylink walkway

Manchester Airport has three passenger terminals (Terminals 1, 2 and 3). Terminals 1 and 2 are linked by the skylink walkway, with travelators to aid passengers with the 10-15 minute walk. The skylink also connects the terminals to the airport railway station complex (known as "The Station") and the Radisson SAS Hotel. Terminals 1 and 3 are connected via a short external pedestrian route; alternatively, a free bus service exists, which also serves "The Station".

The airport provides regular direct flights to many destinations worldwide by 85 airlines. Major North American carriers at Manchester include American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines and US Airways from the United States, and Air Transat and Zoom Airlines from Canada. UK operators serving the USA market are bmi, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. Airlines serving the Asian market include Air Blue, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Libyan Airlines, Pakistan International Airlines, Qatar Airways, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Singapore Airlines and Syrian Arab Airlines. Manchester is an international hub for bmi which offers several destinations from Terminal 3. Charter airlines First Choice Airways, Thomas Cook Airlines and Thomsonfly use Manchester as their primary operational base. The airport also serves as a secondary hub for bmibaby, British Airways, Flybe, Jet2.com, Monarch Airlines, Pakistan International Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and XL Airways. Several other British airlines have a strong presence.

Manchester Airport offers flights to over 225 destinations[19] across the globe, which is more than any other UK airport, with more direct routes than Heathrow and Gatwick. Heathrow offers 180 destinations; all scheduled, whilst Gatwick has about 200 (although the two London airports handle considerably more flights and passengers than Manchester).[20] Many of Manchester's overseas routes are served by charter flights to holiday destinations, some being seasonal. The proportion of scheduled passengers from Manchester has climbed from just 40% in the early 1990s to reach 63% during 2007.

Manchester also offers more destinations than some of the biggest airports in the US, including New York, Chicago and Dallas, although it is still slightly behind the three biggest 'hubs' in the global aviation network - Atlanta, Frankfurt and Amsterdam - which each offer more than 250 destinations.[20] However, Manchester serves more foreign destinations than Atlanta and Frankfurt (but not Amsterdam), although being much smaller in terms of total passengers handled.[20]

[edit] Terminal 1

Terminal 1 handles international traffic and is served by many Star Alliance members, scheduled airlines and charter operators. It is also the base for Jet2.com, Monarch Airlines and Thomas Cook Airlines. The terminal has 24 stands, 18 of which have airbridges. Opened in 1962 with an annual capacity of 2.5 million passengers[21], the terminal has undergone many extensions and renovations since opening. Terminal 1's current capacity is around 11 million passengers a year.[22]

In 2007, a £35 million redevelopment program commenced for Terminal 1. A new £10 million 14-lane security area opened on 28 April 2008 and a revamp of the terminal's arrivals hall was completed in mid-May, complete with additional facilities. The departure lounge will be significantly expanded with a greater choice of shops and restaurants, following the virtual elimination of the landside area. With executive lounge enhancements also underway, Terminal 1's entire redevelopment is scheduled for completion by spring 2009. It is also planned that a brand new lounge, boarding area and a range of gates is to be added to the terminal, in preparation for Airbus A380 flights which are expected to begin operating from Manchester in 2010.[citation needed]

[edit] Terminal 2

Terminal 2
Terminal 2

Terminal 2 is mostly used by Skyteam airline members and long haul and charter airlines flying to international destinations only. It opened in 1993, handling many scheduled European and Intercontinental flights. Some European scheduled airlines such as Air France, Air Malta and KLM operate flights from the terminal, whilst charter airlines First Choice Airways, Thomsonfly and XL Airways use the terminal as a base.

Terminal 2 has 16 gates, of which 15 have airbridges. The design of the terminal allows it to be readily capable of extensive expansion; planning permission already exists for a major extension providing additional gates, together with the construction of a satellite pier. Terminal 2's current capacity is around 8 million passengers a year and will be extended to ultimately handle 25 million passengers a year.[23] In 2007 an £11 million project commenced to redevelop Terminal 2 by improving security and enhancing retail and catering services. The new security control area is scheduled for opening on 4 July 2008, with the first phase of the retail and catering improvements scheduled to be complete mid-September 2008.

Terminal 2 is expected to accommodate the Airbus A380. In the expansion plan, a dedicated new gate area facility and lounge is to be added to the terminal and most of the new gates and stands will be designed to accommodate the A380, should commercial flights begin at the airport.[citation needed]

[edit] Terminal 3

American Airlines at Terminal 3
American Airlines at Terminal 3

Terminal 3, for a short period known as "Terminal 1 - British Airways" and "Terminal 1a", was opened by Diana, Princess of Wales in May 1989. British Airways were the primary user of the terminal, but they have since scaled down operations from Manchester Airport with the sale of their BA Connect service to Flybe; the ending of their franchise agreement with GB Airways and from 30 October 2008, the retraction of the daily New York-JFK service. This leaves BA serving only London Heathrow and London Gatwick from Manchester. The airport hasn't actually lost any of these former British Airways routes and since taking over BA Connect, Flybe have gone on to add several more successful operations. Today, Flybe, bmibaby and bmi are the major operators at Terminal 3, flying to over 50 destinations, both domestic and international. Other carriers operating from the terminal include American Airlines, Brussels Airlines and other domestic carriers such as Air Southwest and Eastern Airways.

In March 2008, easyJet commenced services from Terminal 3 and over the next few years they plan to base more aircraft at Manchester for route expansion. Terminal 3 is due for expansion between 2008 and 2010, in an aim to provide extra stand capacity and a more spacious and logical check-in area. Security improvements are due to be completed by spring 2009, with project completion set for winter 2009/10.[citation needed]

[edit] World Freight Terminal

Antonov An-225 at Manchester Airport in 2006
Antonov An-225 at Manchester Airport in 2006

Manchester Airport has a dedicated World Freight Terminal. The terminal is served by 10 dedicated freighter services and by civil airlines carrying cargo on passenger flights. There is currently 550,000 square feet of warehouse and office space directly on site, this includes a chiller unit for frozen products and a border inspection post. There are 3 aircraft maintenance hangers, along with 5 transit sheds. These are operated by: British Airways Regional Cargo, Swissport Cargo , Menzies World Cargo, Plane Handling and Servisair. Currently there are over 100 freight forwarding companies on site..[24]

During 2006, 150,300 tonnes of cargo and mail were handled at Manchester, a small increase of 0.4% over the previous year (per CAA annual statistics table 2.2). Cargo growth sharply increased towards the thrid and forth quarters of 2007, with October of that year setting a new record of tonnage passing through Manchester, with 16,326 tonnes being handled in the month. The twelve-month total to end October 2007 of 164,300 tonnes was 9.8% ahead of the previous year.

In February 2008, the 12 month rolling total for cargo volume was 166,500 tonnes. This is a 10.3% increase on the previous 12 months. This increase comes despite a slowdown in the UK market, which has seen little cargo growth over the past year. This increase is partly thanks to the 6 new freighter services which started flying to Manchester throughout last year. 3 South-East Asia based airlines, FedEx Express from North America, MNG Airlines from Turkey and Aeroflot-Cargo from Russia. The latter was the inaugural direct cargo flight between the Russia and the United Kingdom.

Manchester's two biggest cargo markets are the Far East and North America. The Far East is predominantly a source of import cargo for the airport and North America is a key destination for exports. The main cargo destination from Manchester is Hong Kong, with Cathay Pacific making a total of 12 freighter round trips every week. On average each day the airport handles about 6 Boeing 747 freighter flights.

By 2015 the total figure for cargo handled is expected to be around 250,000 tonnes per year, achieveable if current growth continues.

Cargo airlines that serve Manchester are:

[edit] Runways

Manchester Airport has two parallel runways, both 10,000 ft in length. The original runway, 5L/23R, dates back to the Second World War when the airport was used as an RAF base. It was extended to its current length in 1981 to attract long-haul international traffic. As demand and aircraft movements both increased during the mid-1990s, mainly due to the newly completed Terminal 2, the airport studied the option of a second full-length runway. A consultation process began and planning permission was approved in 1997, with construction work starting the same year. The second runway, 5R/23L, opened in February 2001[25] at a cost of £172 million,[26] and was the first full-length commerical runway to open in Britain for over 20 years.[27] Manchester is the only UK airport, other than Heathrow, to have two commercial runways in operation. The site where the second runway was constructed was on the northern airfield boundary, which is near to the village of Styal in the Cheshire countryside.

The project was deemed controversial for two reasons; one being the destruction of natural wildlife habitats[28] and another being the added flightpaths which lead to and from the second runway. This results in landing aircraft or aircraft taking off flying low over the residental areas of Knutsford[29] and Stockport. (In particular landing aircraft which do not follow 'Preferred Noise Routes') [30]For the latter reason, Runway 2 cannot legally be used between the hours of 10pm and 6am.[31] However, the airport has permission to use Runway 2 between these hours if maintenance work is needed on the original runway.[32]

During the more quieter off-peak times which occur during the day, the airport reverts back to single runway operations, where the original runway, 5L/23R, is used to accommodate both landing aircraft and those taking off. Runway 2 is non-active during this time, with fewer local residential areas being affected by the operation of only one runway. The times of the day when this is effective are between the hours of 12pm-3pm and 9pm-6am.

[edit] Ground transport

TransPennine Express Class 185 arriving at Manchester Airport Railway Station
TransPennine Express Class 185 arriving at Manchester Airport Railway Station

The airport is approximately a 20 minute drive from Manchester City Centre and is reached by the M56 motorway, with a dedicated approach road from the motorway at junction 5. The M56 is the main route used by traffic to reach the airport. There are also minor local roads serving the airport from the north (Wythenshawe) and the east (Heald Green). The M56/A538 road junction serves the World Freight Terminal, to the west of the airport. The A538 runs east-west serving the local towns of Altrincham and Wilmslow.

Taxi ranks are situated by arrivals at all three terminals. Passengers driving to the airport can use the drop-off areas outside the terminal buildings, but when picking up passengers the airport requires that you park in the short stay car parks provided for a fee. Long stay car parks are situated both on and off site.

Manchester Airport railway station, forming part of The Station, is located between Terminals 1 and 2. It is linked to the terminals using a Skylink moving walkway. Trains are operated either by Northern Rail or TransPennine Express and connect the airport to Manchester Piccadilly Station and other railway stations mainly throughout northern England. Construction is now underway on building a third platform at the airport railway station, due to an increase in passenger numbers using the facility. The £15 million project will meet the extra future demand for rail services to and from the airport and is expected to be completed by December 2008. There has also been a proposal to link the Manchester to Manchester Airport line to the Altrincham to Stockport line which it crosses.[33]

The Station also incorporates a bus station (see GMPTE map) with buses to many locations within Greater Manchester as well as the 24 hour bus Skyline[34] to the City Centre at least every 30 minutes. National Express coaches link to places further afield.

There are also plans in place to build a Metrolink light rail extension to the airport from Manchester Piccadilly.

[edit] Future Airport Expansion

 This article or section contains information about a planned or expected expansion of an existing airport.
It may contain information of a speculative nature and the content may change dramatically as the construction and/or completion of the airport expansion approaches, and as more information becomes available on it.

As part of the Government's 'The Future of Air Transport' White Paper, Manchester Airport published its master plan on its future expansion up until 2030. Demolition of older buildings, such as old storage buildings, to the east of Terminal 3 has already begun. This is to make way for a new apron and taxiway towards runway 23R/05L, and an eastwards extension of Terminal 3, which is planned to provide an extra fifteen covered stands. A full length parallel taxiway may also be added to the second runway and more crossing points added across the first runway to improve ground movements of aircraft.

Passenger flow on Terminal 1's gating piers is due to be realigned, with plans to redesign the piers such that departures and arrivals do not contraflow on the same level, allowing for larger seating areas at the gates, express retail outlets and a dedicated lounge and gating area for future Airbus A380 flights. An early phase of which has seen the removal of the historic South Bay remote aircraft stands situated between taxiways Juliet and Kilo.

Terminal 2 is due to receive a major extension, to encompass current remote stands to the west. Up to an extra eight covered stands will be made available by this. An airside link for transferring passengers between Terminals 1 & 2 is at the planning stage, designed in an effort to boost Manchester's chances of becoming a major hub airport. There is uncertainty as to whether this link should provide extra stands for the two terminals, or merely exist as a transfer corridor.

All existing terminals are undergoing a retail and airport security refurbishment programme, with Terminals 1 and 3 due to be complete by spring 2009, and Terminal 2 by autumn 2009. The security control areas are undergoing upgrades of new X-ray machines and passenger authenticity control systems, which will ensure a higher and faster passenger throughput, whilst improving the already elevated levels of security at the airport. The new security control areas are due to be complete and in use by late April 2008 in Terminal 1 and early July 2008 in Terminal 2.

Terminal 3 acquired an extra security control area in November 2007, located near check-in zone C. This was initially dedicated to passengers travelling within the UK, the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands and Republic of Ireland, known as the Common Travel Area. In January 2008, the usage was extended to all Terminal 3 passengers, with the exception of those destined for Frankfurt, Paris Charles de Gaulle and Brussels.

The current fire station on the north of the airfield is becoming outdated and expensive to maintain and is also in the way of future apron and taxiway developments, so it is also stated that this may be demolished and a new facility built close to the original fire station site. A third runway and a Terminal 4 or satellite terminal may also be developed, however any such expansion would be subject to major public inquiry, and neither is currently accounted for in the airport's plans to 2015.

The taxiways are undergoing a phased renewal programme. Work on taxiway Alpha has recently been completed, and runway crossing point Delta Zulu is being resurfaced. The 'South Bay' stands at the end of B Pier recently closed to make way for a realigning of part of taxiway Juliet to allow the accommodation of the A380. The work also fits in with the airfields future taxiway strategy.

On 27th April 2008 it was announced that the Manchester Airport Group, which owns Manchester Airport together with the regional airports at East Midlands and Bournemouth, plans to sell its majority stake of 87% in Humberside Airport, which it has run since 1999. The money raised from the sale will go into developments and expansion at its other airports, a large proportion of which will most probably be used to fund the above expansion of Manchester.[35]

[edit] Criticism

Between 1997 and 1999 three protest camps were set up to oppose the building of the second runway, the felling of nearby trees on land owned by the National Trust in Styal, Cheshire and air transportation in general. Three different camps were set up Flywood, Arthur's Wood[36] and Cedar's Wood. Swampy, a well known activist, was among many protesters.[37]

Manchester Airport's second runway was built on around 100 acres (0.4 km²) of greenbelt land. Four Grade II listed buildings were taken down piece by piece and were re-constructed nearby, and over £20m was spent on environmental restoration and protection. Nonetheless, there is criticism that existing natural habitats were destroyed.[38]

The SW end of the new runway is closer to the town of Knutsford and to the village of Mobberley. There has been an increase in noise experienced by local residents from the aircraft being lower and closer [39] and home owners have not been compensated by the airport.[40]

In 2007 Manchester Airport wanted to build on further green belt land in Styal in order to increase its car parking. However, Macclesfield Borough Council refused to give them planning permission to do so and expressed annoyance at the Airport for not investing enough in public transport.[41] (Currently the town of Knutsford and village of Mobberley, directly under the flight path of planes, have no direct transport links to the airport.)[42]

[edit] Incidents and accidents

  • On 14 March 1957, British European Airways Flight "Bealine 411" operated by Vickers Viscount 701 G-ALWE inbound from Amsterdam crashed into houses in Shadow Moss Road Woodhouse Park on final approach to Runway 24 at Manchester Airport due to a flap failure caused by fatigue of a wing bolt. All 20 occupants on board died and two on the ground.
  • 1985 – British Airtours Flight 28M - an engine failed on the runway, the fire spreading into the cabin, resulting in 55 fatalities aboard the Boeing 737-236 Advanced G-BGJL. The uncontained engine failure was later traced to an incorrectly repaired combustor causing the turbine disc to shatter and puncture the wing fuel tanks.[2]
  • 16 July 2003 – Excel Airways Boeing 737-800 (G-XLAG) with 190 passengers and seven crew took off from Manchester Airport while vehicles were working near the end of the runway. Despite the crew being told the runway was operating at reduced length, they took off from a runway intersection with reduced length using a reduced thrust setting calculated for the assumed normal runway length. The aircraft lifted off over the vehicles, missing them by 56 ft (17 m), according to the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch report. Six safety recommendations were made.[43]
  • On March 1, 2005, after a PIA Boeing 777-200ER landed at Manchester Airport, fire was seen around the left main landing gear. The crew and passengers were evacuated and fire put under control. There were minor injuries to some passengers and the aircraft suffered minor damage.[44]

[edit] Public attractions

Concorde on display at the Aviation Viewing Park
Concorde on display at the Aviation Viewing Park

Manchester Airport has created several public viewing areas since the airport opened to the public in 1938. The 1960/70s pier-top facilities have been closed because of security concerns. In 1992, an official "Aviation Viewing Park" (AVP) was created just off the A538 road on the south-eastern side of the airfield, which was relocated to the western side of the airfield in 1997 to allow construction of the second runway. The Aviation Viewing Park provides the best viewing facilities for aircraft spotting at any major UK airport. Visitors can view aircraft taking off and landing from both runways, as well as aircraft taxiing to and from the runways. The popular attraction now draws around 250,000 visitors a year and is one of the North-West of England's top 10 attractions.

On display is G-BOAC, a retired British Airways Concorde, once the flagship of the airline's seven-strong Concorde fleet, with access to its interior being by prior booking. The last airliner to be built in the UK, BAE Systems Avro RJX G-IRJX is also on view. The forward fuselage of Monarch Airlines Douglas DC-10 G-DMCA is on display, which can be boarded by prior arrangement only. One of only two preserved Hawker Siddeley Trident 3B aircraft in the world, G-AWZK in full BEA livery, is open every weekend from April to October and is accessible ticket from the ticket office opposite the aviation shop.

Good views of the runways can be obtained from the AVP, especially between 12:00 and 15:00 when runway 23R/05L is used for both landings and departures, this being closest to the viewing area itself. The park also features a cafe, and an aviation shop selling related items such as airband scanners, aircraft models books and stationery, and Concorde merchandise.

Level 13 of the short-stay car park at Terminal 1 features another viewing location, popular with spotters for the last 32 years. As part of a recent refurbishment, the café and aviation shop which were once part of the viewing area have now been closed, with the aviation shop moving to the Terminal 1 arrivals area. Whilst the car park is no longer an official viewing area, signage within the airport still refers to it as a spectator's terrace, and the airport still tolerates spotting at this location.

[edit] See also

[edit] Bibliography

  • First and Foremost. Scholefield, R.A. Manchester Airport Authority, 1978.
  • Manchester Airport. Scholefield, R.A. Sutton Publishing, Stroud, 1998. ISBN 0-7509-1954-X.

[edit] References

  1. ^ UK Aeronautical Information Service. AIS. Retrieved on 2007-11-04.
  2. ^ http://www.cheshire.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/D035FEC9-BC3B-4150-BBCA-ED10AA3FE04F/0/airports.doc
  3. ^ Live Search Maps. Microsoft.
  4. ^ Live Search Maps. Microsoft.
  5. ^ Manchester Airport Awards
  6. ^ CAA 2007 Annual Airport Statistics
  7. ^ History of Manchester Airport UK. The Airport Guides (2005). Retrieved on 2007-11-03.
  8. ^ Kidd, Alan (2006). Manchester - A History. Carnegie Publishing, 199. ISBN 1-85936-128-5. 
  9. ^ MA Appoints New Airfield General Manager. Manchester Airport. Retrieved on 2007-10-16.
  10. ^ Runway Designation. Retrieved on 2007-11-04.
  11. ^ a b Number of Passengers including both domestic and international.
  12. ^ Number of Movements represents total air transport takeoffs and landings during that year.
  13. ^ International Passenger Traffic. Airports Council International. Retrieved on 2007-07-30.
  14. ^ [http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx? catid=80&pagetype=88&sglid=3&fld=2007Annual CAA 2007 Annual Airport Statisits]
  15. ^ Test exposes airport security lapse. BBC. Retrieved on 2007-11-04.
  16. ^ BBC finds airport security lapses. BBC. Retrieved on 2007-11-04.
  17. ^ Man detained after airport alert. Retrieved on 2007-11-04.
  18. ^ Airport arrest man in court on terror charges. The Guardian (Newspaper). Retrieved on 2007-11-04.
  19. ^ bmibaby announce more developments at Manchester Airport. Manchester Airport. Retrieved on 2008-03-03.
  20. ^ a b c Manchester Airport offering more flights. Airport News. Retrieved on 2007-07-30.
  21. ^ Manchester Airport Strategy Documents - Master Plan to 2030
  22. ^ Manchester Airport Strategy Documents - Master Plan to 2030
  23. ^ Manchester Airport Strategy Documents - Master Plan to 2030
  24. ^ [http:/http://www.manchesterairport.co.uk/manweb.nsf/Content/WorldFreightTerminal/ Manchester Airport World Freight Terminal]. Retrieved on 2008-06-06.
  25. ^ http://www.manchesterairport.co.uk/manweb.nsf/Content/AirportSummary
  26. ^ http://www.manchesterairport.co.uk/manweb.nsf/Content/AirportSummary
  27. ^ http://www.manchesterairport.co.uk/manweb.nsf/Content/AirportSummary
  28. ^ http://www.woodland-trust.org.uk/publications/publicationsmore/destruction.pdf
  29. ^ http://archive.knutsfordguardian.co.uk/2007/12/19/300005.html
  30. ^ http://www.manchesterairport.co.uk/manweb.nsf/Content/communityoperations
  31. ^ http://www.manchesterairport.co.uk/manweb.nsf/alldocs/B40F30197901518780257393003585FE/$File/Single+Runway+Operations.pdf
  32. ^ http://www.manchesterairport.co.uk/manweb.nsf/alldocs/B40F30197901518780257393003585FE/$File/Single+Runway+Operations.pdf
  33. ^ http://www.cheshire.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/D035FEC9-BC3B-4150-BBCA-ED10AA3FE04F/0/airports.doc
  34. ^ Service 43. GMPTE. Retrieved on 2007-06-29.
  35. ^ http:// http://www.uk-airport-news.info/humberside-airport-news-260408.htm
  36. ^ Save Arthurs wood Press statements. Retrieved on 2006-12-31.
  37. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/travel/runway2_history.shtml|title=War in the Woods: A History of Runway 2|publisher=BBC|accessdate=2007-04-24
  38. ^ http://www.woodland-trust.org.uk/publications/publicationsmore/destruction.pdf
  39. ^ http://archive.knutsfordguardian.co.uk/2007/12/19/300005.html]
  40. ^ http://archive.knutsfordguardian.co.uk/2007/12/19/300005.html
  41. ^ Victory for green belt campaigners as airport’s plan for Styal is rejected. Wilmslow Express. Retrieved on 2007-11-09.
  42. ^ http://www.cheshire.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/D035FEC9-BC3B-4150-BBCA-ED10AA3FE04F/0/airports.doc
  43. ^ Report No: 3/2006. Report on the serious incident to Boeing 737-86N, G-XLAG, at Manchester Airport on 16 July 2003. UK AAIB. Retrieved on 2007-12-29.
  44. ^ The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) report on 777 AP-BGL incident. AAIB.

[edit] External links


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Airports in the United Kingdom
London, England
England
Scotland
Wales
Northern Ireland
Crown Dependencies
Smaller font-size indicates airports handling domestic, charter or private services only.