Last airlines move to Manchester’s new terminal clearing way for redevelopment
Manchester Airport has completed the transfer of its major carriers into the newly redeveloped Terminal 2, representing a pivotal step in its £1.3bn transformation programme. The shift also triggers the full closure of Terminal 1, first opened in the 1960s.
image: MAG
With this move, around 75% of the airport’s 32m annual passengers will now flow through the upgraded Terminal 2, significantly increasing utilisation of the new facility.
Manchester’s Managing Director, Chris Woodroofe, said the milestone marks the culmination of a decade-long effort. The modernised terminal, he said, offers “world-class” experience, with expansive natural light, new security scanners, and an improved retail, dining and lounge offer.
With the airline move now complete, the airport is accelerating work on Terminal 3, using space that will be freed up following the closure of Terminal 1.
Key infrastructure delivery elements underway or planned include:
Expansion of Terminal 3’s departure lounge to increase seating capacity.
Installation of upgraded security equipment.
A new 500-seat bar with airfield views, and expanded retail and dining areas landside.
The completion of the airline transfers also means the final fit-out works in Terminal 2 can proceed in earnest. These include the final sections of the departure lounge — featuring a “Great Northern Market” food hall — as well as a boutique mall with high-end shops, and 13 new flexible aircraft stands and boarding gates.
On the infrastructure side, Manchester Airport’s transformation programme (MANTP) includes an ambitious airfield reconfiguration to support next-generation aircraft. The latest investment package, announced as the final phase of the programme, amounts to £440 million.
Construction partner Mace is leading delivery of the second phase, which involves reconfiguring the existing Terminal 2 building, building a second pier, and integrating new operational and passenger facilities.
With airline migration now largely complete, Manchester Airport can fully unlock the next tranche of construction, signalling strong future demand for contractors, systems integrators, and specialist infrastructure suppliers.