Manchester Airport's May passenger volumes up +11.9%
At Manchester Airport, record numbers of passengers travelling long haul and within Europe meant that passenger volumes grew 11.9% and the growing breadth of the airport's long haul network drove cargo tonnage to 12.9% growth.
The destinations that saw the biggest jump in passenger numbers compared with last year were Alicante, Hamburg and Berlin.
Numbers at Manchester were further boosted by the thousands of Manchester United fans who flew to Stockholm on 50 dedicated flights to watch their team lift the Europa League trophy in the Swedish capital.
Flyers also took advantage of new direct flights from Manchester to Muscat with Oman Air and more direct flights to San Francisco with Thomas Cook, routes which both successfully launched in May.
BA CityFlyer also started seven new routes to European destinations – the first time it has flown between Manchester and Europe for 10 years.
At Manchester, the rapidly expanding passenger long haul network led ‘bellyhold’ freight to grow by 18% and cargo as a whole to grow 13%.