The news comes as the airport’s massive £1.3billion project to revamp T2 reaches another key milestone, with work to build a new road starting and the first trials of new taxiways on the airfield completed successfully.
Manchester Airport has opened a new security screening area that should speed up the boarding process.
Bosses at the northern travel hub have invested heavily in extending and refurbishing Terminal 2, which was first opened in 1993. Now the airport has officially opened its new Security East screening area, which is fitted with 10 high-tech scanners, meaning passengers will no longer need to remove their liquids from their luggage during the screening process.
“T2 check-in area just got even better with the opening of Zone C and a new WHSmith unit in Zone D. Zone C provides 12 new hybrid check-in desks and an entrance route through to the new T2 Security East,” the airport’s Facebook page announced today.
A spokesperson for Manchester Airport described the installation as a “major milestone”, while also announcing a change to how passenger drop-off will work. “We also completed the final element of our new T2 dual-forecourt operation, meaning that passengers can drop off at the lower forecourt as well as the existing upper forecourt, outside of T2,” the page continues.
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It is all change at Manchester Airport, where work is ongoing to expand Terminal 2 and 3. Last month it released computer-generated images of Terminal 3 which showed the anticipated look of the new terminal once the redevelopment is completed next year.
This announcement coincides with another significant progress in the airport’s colossal £1.3 billion project to overhaul Terminal 2. LEGO has signed up to the new-look terminal, as well as other retailers including Pandora, World Duty Free, Rituals and Wetherspoon.
The existing entrance to Terminal 1 will be transformed into the new Terminal 3 entrance. The revamped terminal will feature shops, stores, a 500-seat bar area offering views of the airfield, and a new dining hall. More space and seating are also part of the plan.
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Once the refurbished Terminal 2 is fully operational, which is expected later this year, Terminal 1 will be permanently closed. The renovation plans for Terminal 3, primarily serving domestic routes and originally opened in 1989, will incorporate part of the Terminal 1 building, given their adjacent locations and interconnected structure.
Even the emblem of Manchester – the worker bee – is acknowledged in the design, with honeycomb lights reflecting the style of the new Terminal 2, as shown in the images. The airport has outlined the key aspects of the investment in Terminal 3.
Airport chiefs have kicked off the initial phase of a major project, with the grand unveiling set for next year.The airport has announced that the scheme aims to declutter and enhance the traveller’s journey.
A spokesperson for the airport told MEN: “The project will remodel the entrance to the terminal, the security hall and the departure lounge – creating extra space for passengers and for new retailers, as well as updating the look and feel of the building.
“The Northern hub launched its ambitious transformation programme in 2015. It involves doubling the size of Terminal 2 and closing Terminal 1 – but now we have set out how we plan to use some of the space in Terminal 1 after it closes to expand the adjoining Terminal 3.”
The transformative journey began with the first phase, which saw Terminal 2 swell to twice its original footprint. The expanded terminal, operational since 2021, has already welcomed over 30 million passengers and snagged an esteemed international architecture and design accolade.
The project’s second act is slated for completion later this year, promising to elevate the existing structure to match the new extension’s calibre, complete with over 20 fresh retail, dining, and drinking spots.
Upon the project’s culmination, the revamped T2 is poised to accommodate over 70 per cent of the airport’s footfall. Following T1’s shutdown, parts of it will be repurposed to bolster T3, as revealed in today’s announcement.