Manchester Airport unveils first part of £1 billion terminal transformation programme

UK. Manchester Airport has launched the first part of a £1 billion (US$1.3 billion) transformation programme.

The west half of Terminal 2 will be completely demolished and rebuilt, with the new terminal building expected to be operational by 2019.

A new temporary gate lounge, which can hold up to 650 passengers, is now operational. Manchester Airport said the first passengers used the lounge this week and following the trials, more flights will use the facility. The temporary gate lounge will be in operation for up to two years. It has ceiling high windows and provides passengers with a close-up view of the airfield.

The facility has also been decorated with a timeline that tells the history of the airport (pictured below) as well as information on the transformation programme.

Open gates: The first passengers used the new temporary lounge this week

The first two passengers using the temporary lounge, Mr and Mrs Raistrick, were flying to Rhodes with Monarch Airlines and were rewarded with a VIP airport experience for their next holiday.

“The opening of the lounge is the first milestone for the project since work started,” said Manchester Airport Transformation Programme (MAN-TP) Delivery Director Rob Stewart.

“It will allow us to demolish the western side of Terminal 2 and passengers will soon see cranes in place starting those works. The new facility has been finished to a high standard and it is great to use the space to tell passengers travelling to destinations ranging from Beijing to San Francisco about the history of Manchester Airport and our plans for the future.

“Excitement is really building about the changes taking place at the airport and we are looking forward to seeing it develop in the weeks and months ahead.”

The area also incorporates new wayfinding branding including signage that will be replicated throughout the terminal once the transformation programme is complete

The first part of the transformation programme comes after the airport’s busiest ever Bank Holiday weekend, with more than 420,000 passengers passing through the terminals over the three days.

Transformation time: The temporary gate lounge will be in operation for up to two years
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