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Manchester Airport Information

For comprehensive info you may wish to check out the official Manchester Airport website

Getting around the Airport, Transit and Stopover Facilities, Finding your Terminal & Who flies Where, Food and Drink Outlets, Retail Stores and more...

Manchester International Airport has a long, well documented history. In the early years of the century when 'flying machines' were still in their infancy there were a number of small and private aerodromes around the city but it wasn't until 1926 that city businessmen realised that, for Manchester to continue to develop and prosper commercially, an airport was an essential. Their first choice of location was at Barton, near Eccles and, whilst the airport was being built a temporary site at nearby Wythenshawe was used. Barton aerodrome, complete with a control tower and hangar, opened for business in 1930. However, only 4 years later and it was realised that the site wasn't large enough for a city airport and a new site, south of Manchester, at Ringway was selected. The new Ringway airport was officially opned in 1938. During the Second World War it was the centre for engineering and aircraft manufacture. Also in this period of time the airport gained three new runways and ten hangars. After the war the airport went back to peacetime activities and passenger services began again. Over the next 50 years, as holidays and trips to foreign countries became the norm, rather than the exception for the majority of the population, numbers using the airport exploded. As business boomed, and the airport had to keep pace with the new needs, early runways were renewed and made longer, terminal facilities for passengers were built, and flights to increasing numbers of different destinations were introduced. In the latter quarter of the 20th century more and more innovative features and facilities were added. Long-haul flights were facillitated by extending the main runway, two more terminals were added, a second main runway was constructed (the 2 older, shorter runways no longer being suitable for use), and a railway station with direct links into Manchester and other important towns and cities was opened. In the first decade of the 21st century the airport's annual passenger numbers topped 22 million, having grown in only 70 years from less than 8000.

Once you've booked your holiday or business trip and you're flying out of Manchester International Airport you can make your visit less stressful, and smoother, by knowing what to expect when you arrive at the airport with your luggage. One of the first things you need to check is the termial from which you will be departing. There are three terminals and each has specific airlines and operators operating out of them. There are link walkways between the three, if you go to the wrong one, but it can involve a longish walk so going straight to the correct one makes more sense. Make sure that you allow plenty of time for check-in, on long haul flights are usually 3 hours before, European two hours before and UK & Irleand one hour before. Once you have checked-in your hold luggage you will have the time to make use of the terminal's facilities. Whilst still this side of security and passport control you can get food and drinks with your family and friends who have accompanied you to the airport but keep an eye on the screens advising you when you should be going through to Departures. Once you're through security you will be in another seating area where you can again get food and drinks, visit shops for items you might have forgotten to pack, buy magazines and books for the flight, or visit the duty free outlets to treat yourself. In all of the terminals you'll find internet access provided, for use with your laptop, for a nominal fee.