WITH wet weather dampening over two thirds of this year’s July, a 6.1% increase in passenger numbers saw a record-breaking 2,557,327 people flock to Manchester Airport in search of sun-soaked idylls; the most in its 77-year history for that month.
We are well on track for our best and busiest summer ever
The north’s primary international airport set its highest rolling annual total at 22,620,304 after seeing an 8.7% growth in scheduled international flights for the same period in 2014 and this year’s charter traffic increase by 3%.
Airline Emirates also saw all-time highs with 38,000 passengers amongst an eastern exodus that witnessed double-daily flights to Abu Dhabi with Etihad and extra flights to Istanbul with Turkish Airlines.
Even footballers are getting in on the action as they head home for a few weeks’ leave before the start of the new Premier League season. The area’s major clubs all flew in from the city on private flights for their pre-season tours, resulting in an 11% increase of private jet usage.
Manchester AirportYet another increase, boosted by a recovering economy, saw air freight handled through Manchester rise for the sixth consecutive month; 8,865 tonnes, up by 4.2% on the same period last year, taking the rolling annual cargo total to 99,805 tonnes.
The largest outside of London, Manchester Airport’s 70 airlines whisk over 48 million northern passengers to 210-plus destinations worldwide and its sparkling success looks set to continue.
Ken O’Toole, Manchester Airport’s Managing Director, said: “The wet weather in July combined with additional capacity we have this summer across Europe and long-haul to destinations in the USA, Hong Kong and to the Middle East has given Manchester Airport a fantastic boost and we are well on track for our best and busiest summer ever.
“With over 22m people living within our two hour catchment, two full length runways and all-time record passenger numbers, Manchester Airport has, and will continue to have, the available capacity and demand to meet the needs of our catchment that extends as far north as Scotland and South to the Midlands.”
