Aviation Minister checks out plans for £440m investment in Manchester Airport
- Baroness Vere visited UK’s global gateway in the North to hear more about plans to transform customer experience
- Investment is the final phase of the £1.3bn Manchester Airport Transformation Programme first announced in 2015
- Scheme is set create thousands of jobs in the long-term and boost airport’s contribution to the Northern economy by more than 80%
The Aviation Minister, Baroness Vere of Norbiton, today visited Manchester Airport, to find out more about its planned £440m investment, which will transform the passengers experience and stimulate economic growth.
During her visit, the Minister toured Terminal 2, which was extended as part of the first phase of Manchester’s £1.3bn transformation programme and is now set for further investment through the second phase, announced earlier this week.
Baroness Vere had the opportunity to look at CGI images of what the new facilities will look like upon completion in 2025.
The transformation of Manchester Airport will create jobs and unlock billions in economic activity. It will create more than 500 jobs in the construction phase alone.
Around a further 16,400 extra jobs will also be generated by 2040 as a result of the economic activity stimulated by the expansion of the airport and its route network.
York Aviation research also shows that the Airport’s current contribution to the Northern economy of £3.5bn could increase by nearly 80%, to £6.3bn by 2040 as a result of the full delivery of the transformation programme.
The first phase saw Terminal 2 more than double in size, with the new facility having received positive feedback from passengers and airlines since opening in July 2021.
This final phase of investment includes doubling the size of the departure lounge with a wider selection of shops and food and drink outlets, the construction of an additional security hall, fitted with next-generation security scanners, and increasing the terminal’s hold baggage capacity to over 5,000 bags per hour.
Chris Woodroofe, Managing Director of Manchester Airport said: “During her visit today, the aviation minister saw for herself the exciting vision we have for the final £440m phase of the Manchester Airport Transformation Programme.
“By delivering these brand-new facilities, we can enhance our passenger’s airport experience and help to drive economic prosperity for the North through international connectivity and job creation.
“I welcome the Aviation Minister’s support for this transformative investment in our airport.”
Aviation Minister Baroness Vere said: “Aviation has always been about pushing boundaries. Nowadays that means everything from providing state-of-the-art passenger experiences to supporting the latest innovations in low and zero-emission aircraft technology.
“This investment will help to place Manchester Airport firmly at the cutting edge of aviation worldwide, and it was wonderful to visit the Airport today and see its vision for a future that will bring huge benefits for passengers and the North alike.”
The announcement was also supported by the Secretary of State for Transport, Mark Harper who called the investment ‘a huge boost for the North’.