Airport lands national award

Alice McKeegan

November 06, 2009

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The airport won the title for the second year running at the British Travel Awards in London.

MANCHESTER Airport has been named Airport of the Year at a prestigious national awards ceremony.

The airport won the title for the second year running at the British Travel Awards in London.

It beat off strong competition from Gatwick, Heathrow, Stansted, Leeds Bradford, Belfast City, Birmingham International, London Luton and Glasgow.

The awards aim to celebrate the best companies in the travel industry, with judges recognising Manchester's use of innovative technology, efforts to improve sustainability and high levels of customer satisfaction.

Voted for by consumers and travel professionals, Manchester was praised for its move towards sustainable travel, its efforts to minimise the impact of increased security, and investment to enhance the customer experience.

The award follows the unveiling of the airport's £80m redevelopment of terminals one and two earlier this year.

Andrew Harrison, the airport's commercial director, said: "To have received this highly prestigious title for the second year running is a huge accomplishment and highlights the hard work, dedication and successes achieved over the past 12 months.

"Manchester continues to invest in the customer experience, creating an unrivalled experience for its passengers.

"This year has seen the unveiling of over ?80 million of investment at Manchester on our terminals, hopefully setting us on the road to becoming one of the world's best airports.

"Winning this award is a suitable reward for everyone who has been involved in that process."

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C.O. Jones (06/11/2009 at 20:36)

Truly baffled by this. One of the worst airports in the country by some distance...

How on earth did they win this award?

Nepotism to the max..

JStander (06/11/2009 at 21:30)

C. O. Jones, I do hope you have the opportunity to travel more in the near future so that you can appreciate the asset we have in Manchester Airport. The problems we may experience are the same as those experienced by every large airport, and those of us who travel regularly from Manchester tend to take for granted what we have. I don't like the arrogance of some of the staff or the queues that are frustrating at check in or passport control, but generally "Ringway" is one of the best, and we should be proud of it and long may it provide worthwhile prestige, employment and a service to our city.

Ms B, Manchester (07/11/2009 at 00:17)

If this was ten years ago, then yes. Now it is one of the most user unfriendly airports I have the misfortune to have to use. Returning home to this place is a thoroughly miserable experience.

C.O. Jones (07/11/2009 at 13:22)

JStander , 6/11/2009 at 21:30 JStander, as Ms B states, ten years ago (or more) maybe. Manchester was a great Airport to fly from and as a Mancunian, i was justifiably proud of it. I am not so sure now whether it is an Airport or a shopping Centre with an Airstrip. It is because of the amount of travel / flying that I do that I can say, with some degree of confidence, that "Ringway" is living on past reputation. They charge the carriers way too much to use it, which is passed on to the customers, the "improvements" have made the flying experience an ordeal and I am not talking the increased security measures which are inevitable when flying, and it has become a badly designed, dirty expensive airport. We made the decision to fly to Kenya from Heathrow due to the extra 200 quid per person that the carrier wanted for the "Manchester supplement". An extra grand for 5 people! even with the drive down and the secure parking, we were still over 800 quid to the good flying from Heathrow, which was an absolute dream in comparison to MIA. The last time i had the misfortune to fly back into Manchester on a charter, it took us 90 minutes to clear passport control and baggage reclaim. Sorry JStander, that is rubbish...

source de sagesse, Manchester (07/11/2009 at 14:37)

We used to have a nice airport called Ringway. Then we got this new naff name, the slot machines arrived and the super stylish black tiles everywhere were replaced by flowery carpets and purple lino. Since I stopped using this place I am happier. If the council's had any sense they would sell it off and take the money, I guess they don't.

Dave (07/11/2009 at 22:01)

Did the people judging the awards actually visit the airport? Terminal 1 departures was a nice airy area with windows letting in natural light, now it's a bunker style awful place where they're not shy of forcing you to walk through duty free in the foulest of smelling walkways to get to your gate. The roads and car parks are littered with 'temporary' concrete barriers, the arrivals halls are the most crowded and uncomfortable places to arrive to, and the Border entry points are so crowded the quickest I've been through them is about 30 minutes, compared to oh, a couple of minutes at every other airport in the world. An embarassment to this city.

Deejay, Bury (08/11/2009 at 11:47)

Cologne Bonn is a great airport... Stansted is a great airport... CDG Paris is a great airport.

Manchester... it's a dirty dank little place with the organisation of a dead lettuce. Having travelled frequently with work, I have never come across an airport that is so unfriendly, unpleasant and unhelpful as Manchester. Even the little Poitiers airport in France beats "Ringway".

hulme hatter, M15 (10/11/2009 at 10:55)

CDG Paris is baffling and ridiculously laid out, good luck to anyone who has to transfer to another flight there in less than an hour. Amsterdam Schipol is fantastic in my experience. Manchester is reasonably efficient but not very attractive at all.

C.O. Jones (10/11/2009 at 11:28)

Chek Lap Kok Airport, Hong Kong. Incredible Aiport built on land reclaimed from the sea and designed by Sir Norman Foster (Mancunian)..

Changi Airport, Singapore. Another fantastic Airport. Whilst waiting for connection, we went for a swim and a sauna. Is Sharston baths still open?

Seriously, Manchester does not even come close to being a truly great International Airport. At least it was a UK based award as I am not sure any airport in this country comes close to some of the international bench mark setting airports.

Vote for David, anywhere else but manchester please (13/12/2009 at 16:43)

what for! http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article6954610.ece

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