Manchester Airport has permanently closed Terminal 1 after 60+ years of operation. The decision comes as part of a wider plan to transform the airport into a more efficient, two-terminal layout under the Manchester Airport Transformation Programme.
The end of an era
Terminal 1 at Manchester Airport first opened in 1962, and its closure marks the end of a long period of its use by airline passengers from all over the world.
The plans for its decommissioning span back to 2021, when the first phase of the expanded Terminal 2 opened, followed by the completion of its revamp last year.
The managing director of Manchester Airport, Chris Woodroofe, said in a statement:
“While this is the end of an era for Terminal 1, it’s really the start of a whole new chapter for Manchester Airport.
“We’re proud to connect the North to the world and our £1.3bn investment in Terminal 2 means that we’re now bigger and better than ever – serving our passengers in a setting that rivals any airport Terminal across Europe.
“It’s also allowing us to continue our growth and operate more flights to more destinations every single day. And we’ve achieved this at the same time as making things more simple and straightforward for our passengers.”
The redevelopment comes as the airport experiences record passenger numbers, serving over 2.05 million people in February of this year.
A new vision for Manchester Airport
Following a 10-year expansion and a £1.3 billion investment into the airport, Manchester Airport’s Terminal 2 has doubled in size and now handles 75% of all passengers flying in and out of the city.
All remaining airlines operating out of Terminal 1 have been relocated to Terminal 2, aside from Ryanair flights, which will now depart from Terminal 3. There are plans to use the space formerly occupied by Terminal 1 to open a new Italian restaurant and a new bar called Sporting Chance, as well as add hundreds of new seats for passengers waiting to board flights.
Over 2,000 signs in the airport have also now been altered to accommodate the terminal’s closure.
Have you ever flown out of Manchester Airport’s Terminal 1? What do you think of its closure? Share your thoughts in the comments.
