MANCHESTER Airport has broken its all-time passenger record with 22.32m people flying through over the course of the last financial year - 7.5% growth year-on-year.
Over 65 airlines now offer 210 routes to 53 countries from the airport, making it the third busiest airport in the UK
The previous twelve-month record of 22.26m was set in July 2006.
Now in its 77th year, the airport put the rise down to increased frequency and capacity on exisiting routes alongside new long-haul services including direct routes to Hong Kong and Miami.
Ken O’Toole, Managing Director at Manchester Airport, said: “This is a magnificent achievement, an historic milestone for Manchester Airport and UK aviation, as well as a huge boost for the economy and the North of England.
“We have worked closely with our airline partners to cement and maintain this continued growth, increasing capacity and frequency on existing routes, plus confirming new services, particularly to serve demand that exists from Manchester in the long-haul market.
Manchester Airport Terminal 1“It’s great news that an increasing number of the 22 million UK residents living in our catchment area are choosing to fly from Manchester," continued O'Toole. “We have made great headway to unlock the spare capacity at Manchester Airport and are in talks with a range of carriers to further capitalise on the potential we offer in the short to medium term while the South East capacity debate evolves, as we continue to develop our role as the UK’s Global Gateway from the North.”
Manchester Airport now aims to surpass 23 million passengers by the end of the year; over 65 airlines now offer 210 routes to 53 countries from the airport, making it the third busiest airport in the UK behind Heathrow (73m passengers) and Gatwick (38m passengers).
The most popular destinations for tourists in 2014 were: Dubai, Dublin. Tenerife, Amsterdam and Palma.
