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Cheap Manchester Airport Parking » Airport Information » History History of Manchester AirportWhen Louis Paulhan won 10,000 pounds as the Daily Mail prize in 1910, he probably did not realise that he was making history at a place which would one day become one of the world's principal airports in Manchester. Although his biplane did not land on the spot of today's Manchester Airport, he was in the vicinity and the first man to fly from London to Manchester.
Later, in 1919, the first scheduled air service was in the vicinity of Manchester Airport. The plane flew from a private air strip near Manchester and flew to Birkdale Sands in Southport and on to South Shore at Blackpool.
Clearly there was interest in air travel well before 1926 when some Manchester founding fathers agreed that Manchester should have a permanent airport to be in the running for the influx of people who would be wanting to fly. In 1929 the agreeing Manchester men decided to use the airstrip at Barton. However, they soon learned that Barton was not a good choice since it became waterlogged in heavy rains.
In 1934 interest turned to Fairey's Aviation airfield which was also near the company which manufactured aircraft. The field was called Ringway. Within four years Ringway became a commercial airport. One of the first major airlines to show interest in Ringway was KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.
During the war years of 1940 to 1945, 600,000 glider pilots and parachutists used the airfield. Another plane maker, A.V. Roe set up a factory beside Fairey's factory, making some of the most famous of military aircraft.
The first post-war flight was from Le Bourget to Manchester in 1946. Within three years some of the military area of the airport became used for commercial flights. By 1951 the runway was extended by almost 600 metres so that larger aircraft could use it. The next year, 24 hours service was available at the airport, making it much more attractive for more airlines and passengers. Sabena Belgian Airlines was one of those which liked the new airport and its 24 hour service.
Much progress was seen quickly. By 1954 the millionth passenger since the end of the war passed through Manchester's airport.
In 1957 Manchester Airport became the first airport in Europe to use the pier system, allowing passengers to remain under a roof until ready to get on the plane. This was a part of the new 2.7 million pound terminal to be opened that year.
An impressive terminal building with aircraft control facilities, a departure hall, a lengthened runway and a third pier all showed the growth of Manchester Airport in the 1960s. An intercontinental pier opened in 1974 which allows even a Boeing 747 to be handled. The pier features such things as air conditioning, moving sidewalks and waiting lounges. This was the first time that air bridges connected the passengers to the plane.
During the 1980s the airport was designated as an international gateway for direct, long-haul international flights. Direct rail and motorway links improved the convenience of using the airport. A second international passenger terminal was opened. HRH Princess Anne opened the extended runway which now measures 3048 metres in 1982. Additional additions included the formation of Manchester Airport plc . Also, the World Freight Terminal opened that year.
1988 and 1989 marked highlights at Manchester Airport. In 1988 they celebrated the Golden Jubilee of the airport. The next year saw the Princess of Wales open the airport's domestic terminal which can handle two and a half million passengers per year.
Terminal 2 was opened in 1993 by the Duke of Edinburgh. This marked the doubling of the airport's capacity to handle up to 20 million passengers per year. That year also saw the railway station open up to connect people to cities in Northern England.
Two significant hotel additions to the airport occurred in 1996 and 1998. Holiday Inn Garden Court was the first budget hotel to open there. In 1998 the Radisson Hotel opened at the airport.
A dedicated terminal was created and opened in 1998 as well. It was for use by British Airways and its partners.
Manchester's growth is also evidenced by its purchase of two smaller airports, one at East Midlands and the other at Bournemouth. These purchases made Manchester the second largest airport operator in the UK.
Aviation Viewing Park had been opened a few years earlier. In 2003, Manchester Airport won the bid to display one of the Concorde planes. It was put on display at Aviation Viewing Park.
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