BRITAIN’s third busiest airport has shut one of the terminals for good.
The terminal, which first opened in 1962, has closed as part of the airport’s £1.3billion transformation.
Manchester airport is closing down its Terminal 1Credit: Alamy
airport is turning into a two-terminal operation under the new layout.
All airlines have moved into the expanded Terminal 2, which now handles more than 75% of passengers, while flights will operate solely from Terminal 3.
Chris Woodroofe, managing director of Manchester Airport, said: “While this is the end of an era for Terminal 1, it’s really the start of a whole new chapter for Manchester Airport.
“We’re proud to connect the North to the world and our £1.3bn investment in Terminal 2 means that we’re now bigger and better than ever – serving our passengers in a setting that rivals any airport Terminal across .
“It’s also allowing us to continue our growth and operate more flights to more destinations every single day. And we’ve achieved this at the same as making things more simple and straightforward for our passengers.
The closure also frees up space for new facilities at the airport, including hundreds of extra seats, a new bar called Sporting Chance and an Italian restaurant.
More than 2,000 signs across the airport have been replaced to reflect the changes, alongside a new parking system where all car parks are labelled P1 to P16 to make them easier to find.
The redevelopment forms part of the long-running Manchester Airport Transformation Programme, launched in 2015 to modernise the airport for future growth.
The first phase of the revamped Terminal 2 opened in 2021, with the full expansion completed in 2025, paving the way for Terminal 1 to be decommissioned.
The overhaul comes as Manchester Airport continues to grow, serving a record 32 million passengers in 2025.
This February has become the busiest on record with more than 2.05 million .
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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