Manchester Airport marks record-breaking February with 2m passengers

Manchester Airport saw a record number of passengers last month. Sunseekers took advantage of the first break of the year in February with thousands jetting off to getaway hotspots like Tenerife, Alicante and Dubai.

More than two million passengers passed through Manchester Airport in February, the first time in its history. According to the airport, more than 800,000 of those passengers travelled during half-term week.

The successful month sets the scene for what is set be another record-breaking year for the UK’s global gateway in the North – which will be further boosted by the announcement of a new route to India from airline IndiGo in the summer.

It will make Manchester the only airport in the North with a direct route to India – the world’s fastest growing major economy. With more than 500,000 people with Indian heritage living within two hours’ drive of Manchester Airport, it is likely to be popular, as well as being a catalyst for trade, tourism and investment.

February also saw Manchester Airport delivering speedy passage through security, with 98% of passengers waiting less than 15 minutes to get through security – and over three quarters getting through security in under five minutes.

Dubai – 88,881 passengers

Dublin – 88,191 passengers

Amsterdam – 87,172 passengers

Tenerife – 79,572 passengers

Paris (Charles De Gaulle) – 61,698 passengers

Dublin – 33,031 passengers

Tenerife – 32,859 passengers

Dubai – 32,842 passengers

Amsterdam – 32,690 passengers

Alicante – 23,745 passengers

Manchester Airport managing director Chris Woodroofe said: "Here at Manchester Airport, we are proud to connect the North to the world – so delivering a great service for our passengers during school holidays is really important to