Manchester Airport is a category 10 international airport located in Ringway, Manchester, UK. In 2011, the airport was ranked as the third busiest airport in the UK and the 23rd busiest airport in the whole of Europe, in terms of passenger visits and numbers. Outside the London area, Manchester Airport is considered the largest. The airport has three main terminals and one cargo terminal, and operates two runways over 3000 m in length.
Manchester Airport is easily accessible by almost all types of transport anywhere in the UK all week, every day out of the year. Most people prefer to travel by car, though travelling by coach or train is also a popular option. If you choose to travel by coach, the National Express bus service has an extensive line up of coach busses that take you to and from all three of Manchester Airportâs terminals. If you are planning to take the train, then there is a railway station located at the centre of the airport complex where its train system, Skylinks, connects to all three terminals. Those looking to book a train or coach ticket are advised to book ahead, as you can save up to 50 per cent in discounts.
Manchester Airport first opened its Aviation Viewing Park, which has since been renamed to the Runway Visitor Park, in June 2010. Since then, this facility has been marked as the best official viewing facility for aircraft spotting among the major UK. airports. This viewing deck enables visitors to view the take off and landing of aircraft on both runways, drawing in at least 300,000 visitors a year. The Runway Visitor Park earned a spot on Greater Manchesterâs Top 10 Must See Attractions.
Visitors at the park can also shop and dine at the area for aviation related purchases as well as get a good look at several aircraft on display at the park, such as the G-BOAC which is a retired British Airways Concorde, the Monarch Airlines Douglas DC-10, which ended its service in 2002, as well as a former RAF Nimrod aircraft.
Climate
The weather at Manchester Airport typically follows the general climate of Manchester itself. Generally, Manchester enjoys a gentle, moist and misty climate with cool summers and mild winters. The weather in Manchester is similar to that of all of the British Isles, with maritime conditions.It is typically wet all year round, though rainfall is very light. In recent years though, downpours in Manchester have significantly increased, leading to flooding in surrounding areas of Manchester Airport. Humidity levels are pretty high also, which has resulted in produce of cotton.
The summer months are June, July and August, where temperatures can reach extreme highs, and winters are typically cold and usually wet, running from September towards December.
Summer
Summer is pleasant with mild sunny days. Summer is usually from June to August, and this is generally the best time to experience outdoor activities in Manchester. Summertime is also the best time to view planes landing and taking off from Manchester Airportâs Runway Visitor Park. Daytime temperatures typically reach 18C to 20C, whereas nighttime temperatures can go down as far as 10C to 8C. Humidity levels tend to range between 65% and 75% during the summer months. Rainfall during the summer has been recorded from 72 mm to 75 mm, and you can expect to see at least 20 to 25 days of rain in these months.
Sunshine hours can be anywhere from 9 hours at the start of June down to 5 hours per day in late August. Foggy conditions are also expected during the months of June to August, with at least one day of fog in a month.
Winter
Winter in Manchester is mostly rainy and cold, but pretty moderate when compared to other parts of the UK. There is rarely snow seen around Manchester, though there will be snowfall in some parts of the city. Temperatures during the day can reach 9C and it declines at night to 4C, with the lowest recorded temperature being -8C. Humidity during winter increases to 85 per cent.
The wettest month of the year for Manchester is actually October, with average rainfall recorded to be as high as 90 mm. However, winter is quite wet, with 80 mm or so of rain in December in January. You can expect roughly 23 days of rain during winter months. Hours of sunshine per day averages between 3 to 4 hours daily. Fog is expected on a frequent basis during the winter season as well, with up to 4 to 5 days a month of foggy conditions.
Natural disasters
Manchester has always been known to be a wet state. Due to its heavy rainfall over the last few years, Greater Manchester and its surrounding areas have become prone to floods. Recently in October, news reported that parts of Greater Manchester were flooded when continuous rain of up to 20 mm fell the previous night. Styal Road, Tameside and Oldham Roads, leading to Manchester Airport, had to be closed due to the overflow of rainwater.
Manchester Airport itself closed in April 2010 due to volcanic
ash drifting in from Iceland.
Up to 175 flights were grounded, leaving 25,000 passengers stranded. That same
year, in December, Manchester
Airport yet again had to
close and stop all operations after a bout of heavy snowfall. The runway itself
was shut down for two hours to enable ice and snow to be cleared.
Airport disasters
Manchester Airport has witnessed at least one runway disaster in August 22, 1985, that killed approximately 53 passengers and two cabin crews. The disaster happened due to an engine failure that quickly generated a fire and caused black fumes to fill the interior of the cabin. At least 48 passengers were confirmed dead due to smoke inhalation. Since this disaster, airport authorities, as well as the Civil Aviation Authority, implemented more stringent safety regulations such as clear evacuation rules, which included floor lighting, and seats were made using fire resistant covers. The number of fire extinguishers was also increased, and the interiors of new planes were fitted in with fire resistant walls and ceiling panels.