Manchester and London Stansted airports record solid March growth

UK. Manchester Airport Group (MAG), the operator of Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands airports, saw total traffic numbers grow by 4.2% in March.

Manchester Airport handled 2.1 million passengers, up 3.8% year-on-year. The increase was driven largely by outbound European traffic to ski destinations and short-break cities, MAG said.

London Stansted Airport recorded 6.1% growth, helped by domestic routes to Scotland and Northern Ireland. The airport also welcomed 2.1 million passengers in March, a month when Emirates confirmed it would step up the frequency of its Stansted-Dubai route, which launched last year with two flights per day.

These two airports have significant spare runway capacity to add further connectivity, MAG noted. The much smaller East Midlands Airport saw a traffic decline of 5.9% to 256,000 passengers in March.

As the UK continues its chaotic preparations to leave the European Union, MAG – whose shareholders are Manchester City Council (35.5%), IFM Investors (35.5%) and the nine other Greater Manchester local authorities (29%) – made the following statement: “The best outcome for British people and businesses is for the UK to secure a deal that commands support of parliament and guarantees an orderly Brexit. Continued uncertainty about these issues will ultimately be a drag on the economy and damage consumer confidence.

“We welcome the government’s commitment to maintaining vital air connectivity between the UK and Europe even in the event of a no-deal Brexit. With the EU also equally committed, and with the busy Easter period around the corner, passengers can book and travel with confidence that their services will not be disrupted whatever the outcome.”

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