Manchester Airport reports that it has passed a 23 million passenger per year milestone for the first time in its 77-year history.
It represents a 5% growth in passenger numbers.
Since November 2014 passengers have flown to 210 destinations worldwide from the UK’s third busiest airport, with the most popular long-haul location over the past 12 months being Dubai.
Also in the top 10 are Dublin, Amsterdam and sun-seeking holiday destinations including Tenerife, Palma and Alicante
Manchester Aiport said further growth is predicted with a number of key long-haul routes to be launched over the next eight months.
They include Los Angeles and Boston, with Thomas Cook Airlines, and Beijing, which was announced during President Xi Jinping’s visit to Manchester last month.
That service, with Hainan Airlines, will start in June 2016.
Read: Manchester Airport to invest £1 billion in long-haul upgrade
Ken O’Toole, Managing Director of Manchester Airport, said: “We are really pleased to have hit this significant milestone.
“Manchester Airport has never been busier and our continued growth is testament to the role we play in connecting people across the North to destinations in all four corners of the world.
“We have more than 22 million people living within two hours of Manchester Airport and our continued addition of new routes and increased frequencies is seeing both business and leisure customers choose Manchester, rather than other airports.
“With two full-length runways and a £1bn transformation program announced, Manchester Airport has, and will continue to have, the available capacity and demand to meet the needs of our catchment area and beyond.”
easyJet has also recently announced new routes to Paris, Milan and Olbia from Manchester Airport.
Ali Gayward, Commercial Manager at easyJet said: “Next summer, we’ll add two extra aircraft to our Manchester fleet, taking the total number to 11 and also launch three new routes – Paris, Milan Malpensa and Olbia in Sardinia, taking the total number of destinations from Manchester to 44.
“Having just launched our inaugural flights to Vienna for this winter, we look forward to continuing to work with the airport in looking for future opportunities to open up new routes for our customers in the North West.”
