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History of Manchester Airport
The ten local authorities of Greater Manchester wholly own Manchester
Airport of today with the Council City of Manchester owning 55%
and the following councils 5% each.
Bolton: Bury:Oldham: Rochdale: Salford: Stockport: Tameside: Trafford:
Wigan
These now comprise The Manchester Airports Group PLC and are the
second largest airport operator in the UK. In addition to Manchester
airport this group also own Nottingham East Midlands airport, Humberside
airport and Bournemouth airport.
Today Manchester airport is the busiest regional airport in the
UK and ranked 53rd in the world in 2001.
The airport of today started business as far back as 1928 when
Barton, near Eccles was the chosen site for Manchester airport.
This site was considered too small for long-term development and
in 1934 land at Ringway in South Manchester was earmarked with
building commencing the following year.
Ringway was officially opened in 1938 and in its first year of
operation 7600
Passengers used the airport.
Between 1940 and 1946 parachutist regiments received training and
the airport runways continued to be developed. Normal service resumed in 1946 and by the end of 1947 34000 passengers
passed through its terminals which is now equivalent to a busy
summer weekend. Terminals and runways were continually developed
and by 1952 passengers were up to 163,000.
In 1962 a new terminal was built at the cost of £2.7 million
and was the first in Europe to have cover for passengers.
By 1980 following more runway extensions to accommodate larger
aircraft flights too more than 37 destinations in UK, Europe and
North America resulted in passengers for one month braking the
half a million barrier. The airport was now becoming one of the
largest employers in Manchester with over 5000.
The World freight terminal was opened in 1986 and the following
year saw passengers for one month exceed 1 million. Overseas
travel was no longer the preserve of the few and the package holiday
brought
Spain and other popular destinations within reach of the working
population and passenger numbers were climbing steeply year on
year.
The new domestic terminal was opened in 1989 followed by terminal
2 in 1993 doubling the airports capacity to 20 million. After
lengthy negotiations approval for the second runaway was granted
in 1997.
And to match the expected demand terminal 1 was upgraded and
in 2003 and terminal 2 extended.
The railway station was officially opened in 2004 and the 20
million passengers passed through the airport on a rolling annual
basis.
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