Manchester Airport is one of the Uks best airports, handling millions of passengers each year, connecting the North of England with worldwide destinations. Growing all of the time Manchester Airport has some exciting plans aswell as quite an interesting past. The story begins in 1928.
Manchester had seen plenty of air activity before 1928, starting in 1910, when Louis Paulhan landed his Farman bi plane in a field near Burnage, claiming the £10,000 Daily Mail prize as the first man to fly from London to Manchester.

A few short-lived aerodromes sprang up in and around Manchester after this event so they could cope with the increasing air traffic, and in 1919, Britain's first ever scheduled air service commenced from a private airfield in Manchester, flying to Birkdale Sands in Southport, then on to South Shore, Blackpool.

Although these temporary sites helped with the increasing traffic Manchester still didn’t have anything permanent. A couple of bright-sparked city men decided that unless Manchester came up with a permanent airport, city trading and the city in general would suffer so in 1926 they put there heads together and as a result the first Manchester Airport was built, leading to the Manchester Airport that we know and love today.

Barton, near Eccles was chosen in 1928 as the site of Manchester's new aerodrome. At the same time, Manchester City Council was keen to establish a municipal airport, so a temporary airfield was built in Wythenshawe.

Wythenshawe Airport opened for business in 1929 and by 1930 Barton was completed including a control tower and a large hanger. They are both still there today. Barton had its various problems so a new site was sourced.

The new site found was south west of the city and construction of the new airfield, Ringway, began in 1934. Shortly before the airport opened for airline use in 1938 the aircraft manufacturer Fairey Aviation established a factory there. However it was as a military base that Ringway was to make its mark.

1940 to 1945 saw 60,000 British forces troops training there. With another prominent plane maker A.V.Roe setting up shop alongside Fairey some of the most famous military aircraft of the conflict were manufactured in Manchester. It was here that the prototype of the Lancaster bomber made its first flight.

Peacetime brought new opportunities for civil expansion and in 1949 part of the old Parachute School cast off its past and was converted to handle an increasing number of passengers. Two years later the runway was lengthened and in the 1960's an imposing terminal building with air traffic control facilities and two passenger piers was added. That development heralded two decades of burgeoning traffic and growing facilities which included a third pier, new departure hall and a longer runway.

During the 1980s the airport was designated an International Gateway handling direct long-haul international flights. A second international passenger terminal and direct rail and motorway links have made the airport increasingly accessible to a wide catchment area.

Approval to build a second runway, gained against much local opposition, has further enhanced the airport's potential. The second runway means Manchester is expected to become the UK's second busiest airport in the next 15 years.

Manchester Airport now has a third runway with plans to extend yet again so watch this space.

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