Today, Manchester Airport is one of Britain's, and the world's principal airports, handling millions of passengers each year, connecting the North of England with global destinations. Still growing, we have an exciting and promising future, but an equally illustrious past which began in 1928.

Prior to that date, Manchester had seen plenty of air activity, starting in 1910, when Louis Paulhan landed his Farman biplane in a field near Burnage, claiming the £10,000 Daily Mail prize as the first man to fly from London to Manchester.

Various short-lived aerodromes sprang up in and around Manchester thereafter, in order to handle increasing air traffic, and in 1919, Britain's first ever scheduled air service commenced from a private airfield in Manchester, flying to Birkdale Sands in Southport, then on to South Shore, Blackpool.

However, Manchester still had no permanent airport but in 1926, some far-seeing city fathers realised that unless Manchester had a permanent airport, the city would suffer commercially. They agitated for the establishment of a more permanent airport, and as a result of their efforts, the first Manchester Airport was built, leading to Manchester Airport as we know it today.

1928
Barton, near Eccles, is chosen as the site of Manchester's new aerodrome. At the same time, Manchester City Council is keen to establish a municipal airport, so a temporary airfield is built in Wythenshawe.

1930
Barton is completed, including a control tower and large hangar (both still standing today).

1935
Building work at Ringway commences.

1946
Normal passenger services resume.

1951
The main runway is extended from 1,280 metres to 1,798 metres.

1955
The first inclusive tour flight operates to Ostend.

1962
HRH the Duke of Edinburgh opens the new £2.7 million terminal. It is the first in Europe to incorporate the pier system, in which passengers remain under cover until ready to board the aircraft.

1974
An inter-continental pier opens, capable of handling Boeing 747s. Unlike other piers, it features travellators, waiting lounges and air conditioning. For the first time, air bridges connect passengers direct to the aircraft.

1978
15 scheduled airlines operate flights to 37 destinations in the UK, Europe and North America. Over a hundred companies operate at the airport, employing more than 5,000 people.

1980
For the first time, passengers top more than half a million in one month.

1987
A throughput of one million passengers a month is achieved for the first time.

1988
Manchester Airport celebrates its Golden Jubilee.

1991
Manchester publishes its new 'Development Strategy for the year 2005', including plans for the 21st century airport, designed to handle 30 million passengers per annum by 2005. Proposals for the Airport's second runway are included in this document.

1995
Passenger throughput hits 15 million.

1999
Manchester Airport acquires a majority shareholding in Humberside International Airport.

2000
Work starts on the £60 million Integrated Public Transport Interchange and the government gives the go ahead for a £289 million Metrolink extension to the Airport.

2001
Manchester Airport completed the purchase of East Midlands and Bournemouth Airport to become the second largest airport operator in the UK.
The second runway opens in February.

2002
Manchester Airport was a major sponsor of the Commonwealth Games.

2003
£5.5 million retail upgrade of Terminal 1 is completed and extensive development of Terminal 2 gets underway.
The bid to house one of the retired Concorde fleet is successful. It is announced it will be on display in the Aviation Viewing Park from Spring/Summer 2004.

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

Manchester Airport
Manchester
M90 1QX

Tel: +44 (0) 161 489 3000
Fax: +44 (0) 161 489 3813

WWW: http://www.manchesterairport.co.uk/

We thank them for the data!

Runway 06R/24L

9997 x 150 feet
3047 x 46 meters

Runway 06L/24R

10000 x 150 feet
3048 x 46 meters

Navaids

The content above was published at Airports-Worldwide.com in 2005.
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