United at Manchester

摘要

Manchester Airport has seen major developments over the last ten years, among them the opening of a second runway and the commissioning of the ground transport interchange. Of even greater significance to the airport, though, has been the clear recognition of its true status which came during that period from the British Government. The 2003 White Paper on the future of UK aviation contained the declaration: "Manchester Airport serves as the major gateway for the whole of the North of England, North Wales, and for some air travellers from the Midlands." This recognised the fact that Manchester is by a huge margin the busiest airport outside the London area, generating almost a quarter of the UK's regional air traffic. It is one of only two airports in the country to operate a pair of parallel runways and it has more terminals than Gatwick. It is also the only regional airport, due to its size, whose charges to airlines are regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Some 175 destinations on five continents are served and it is Europe's eleventh busiest airport.