BEST FOR: Low Price
Simply put; you park your car in a car park near to Manchester airport and hop in a shuttle bus to the departure terminal. All Manchester airport parking sites from SkyParkSecure are checked to ensure that they are suitably secure and that your car is going to be properly looked after while you’re away.
BEST FOR: Convenience and the easiest possible arrival at Manchester airport
Simply drive to the airport terminal and your car will be looked after by a fully insured chauffeur who will take it to a secure parking facility near the airport. Most meet & greet and valet services at Manchester airport ask you to give them a buzz shortly before you arrive at the terminal to let them know you’re on your way.
When you arrive back in the country give them another call and they’ll bring your car to the airport. Seriously, couldn’t be easier.
BEST FOR: Closest to the airport
These services are usually closest to the airport and are often run by the airports themselves. More often than not you don’t even need to take a shuttle bus to the airport as the car parks are so close by. We have an accredited partnership with Manchester airport to supply official on-site Manchester airport parking.
A good level of service both on departure and then on return. I think this is a very good parking facility in easy reach of Manchester Airport
ANTHONY HARRIS,
Easy service to use. Plenty of buses to get you to the terminal, never had to wait more than a couple of minutes.
LISA CRAWSHAW,
We had to park in the main long stay airport car park as the car park originally allocated to us was full. We were given a 'rebate' ticket and we did have a slight problem with this ticket on our return. However, this was quickly rectified. Overall, most convenient and we were very happy with the service.
David Vinnicombe,
We parked at the far end of Jet 2 car park and was near the bottom end - away from the road. The track we had to walk along with our suitcases was very wet and muddy and I had no choice other than to wheel my case, which got very dirty. Another couple parking near to us also had the same complaint. I feel that for a car park being used for travellers with suitcases, the car park should be concreted as it was very difficult to drag the suitcase through the water and mud of the unmade road with puddles.
KAREN HIGSON,
01.02.2012
Manchester Airport is to invest over £1 million in replacing its ageing luggage trolleys, a change that, from April, will see passengers insert £1 or €2 coin to access them, which will be non-refundable.
The new trolleys are lighter, easier to manoeuvre and GPS-enabled allowing 'hot spot' areas to be adequately stocked so there is a trolley available when passengers need one. The current fleet has been in service since the 1990's and were due to be scrapped at the end of the year.
Julie Armstrong, Customer Services Director for Manchester Airport, said: "Since 2007, we've invested over £100 million in creating a modern airport by refurbishing our terminals and upgrading our airfield which is why we are consistently voted as the best in the UK by our passengers. It's also important to get the basics right which is why we are also investing over £1 million in new luggage trolleys.
"But we have to acknowledge that to continue making multi-million pound investments in the airport when the cost of air fares are reducing, means that airports can't continue to provide services like trolleys for free. We know that charging for trolleys will not be a popular decision, which is why we are following the advice of consumer groups and informing passengers before they get to the airport. With around 5% of passengers using trolleys at the moment, this method ensures that only the user pays rather than spread the cost across everyone."
To ensure that passengers know about the new arrangements before they arrive at the airport - as best practice recommends - Manchester Airport will include information on its website, inform airlines and travel agents for bookings and via social media channels so the new charges are well publicised.
All of the trolley vend machines have a change facility, as well as the current change machines located across the airport. You will be able to pay by credit card in all three international arrivals at Manchester Airport. The new trolleys will be introduced on 10 April 2012. Wanzl will provide the new trolleys and Manchester Airport will continue to run the trolley service in-house.
ENDS
For further information please contact Manchester Airport press office on 0161 489 2700 or email press.office@manairport.co.uk
26th January 2012
Manchester Airport has been honored at the annual Travel Weekly Globe Awards where it was named Best UK Airport last night beating stiff competition from Heathrow and Gatwick to get the gong.
The awards, which are voted for by travel agents across the UK, are a highlight of the travel industry calendar because Travel Weekly is seen by many as the bible of Britain's travel business.
The glittering event held at the Grosvenor House hotel in London last night (Wednesday 25th January) attracts the best of the UK travel industry competing for its influential awards.
Andrew Harrison, Chief Operating Officer, Manchester Airports Group (MAG), said: "We continue to invest in improving the airport experience for our passengers and despite the difficult economic situation, continue to deliver services to new destinations and additional capacity on existing routes providing increased choice and flexibility for travellers in the North of England. To receive this award is an accomplishment for Manchester Airport as it recognises the hard work of our staff; the successful relationships we maintain with our airline partners - and demonstrates that the travel industry which votes for these awards advocates our approach."
This is the fourth time that Manchester has picked up the best UK Airport award, which remains one of the few award ceremonies where the winners are voted solely by the industry.
Manchester Airport Group's Marketing Director, Caroline Plant, accepted the award on behalf of the airport. The airport was praised by judges for its commitment to customer services, investment in its facilities and security process. The lengths that the airport has gone to reach out to the business travel market and events such as the Diwali celebrations in particular, have not gone unnoticed either.
Travel Weekly Group editor-in-chief Lucy Huxley and comedian Jack Whitehall presented the awards before the 1,000 strong audience were entertained by Manchester X-Factor star Misha B.
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For further information please contact the Manchester Airport Press Office on 0161 489 2700 or email press.office@manairport.co.uk
12th January 2012
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, today unveiled plans for the development of a £659million 'Airport City' - the first of its kind in the UK - at Manchester Airport in the North West of England.
Designated as one of the UK Government's new Enterprise Zones last March, the Airport City project has received a substantial amount of interest and the detailed masterplan created by Manchester Airports Group (MAG), sets out the vision to transform Manchester Airport from a transport hub into an international business destination in its own right.
Building on the global connectivity offered by the airport location, the 150-acre regeneration scheme will deliver over five-million square feet of new high-quality business premises, with the aim of attracting international companies that would not previously have located in the region, or even the UK.
Becoming fully operational from April 2012, it is estimated that the wider 116-hectare Manchester Enterprise Zone will create up to 20,000 new jobs over the next 15-years. The Airport City project will be a focal point of the Manchester Enterprise Zone proposition, alongside a MediPark development at University Hospital South Manchester and Wythenshawe town centre - sites all linked by a new Metrolink tramline currently under construction - and complemented by a series of smaller opportunity sites in across South Manchester.
Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: "Airport City will fill the gap in the market that currently exists for a high quality and well-connected environment for businesses that need access to a major British city and to a global marketplace. Airport City will provide an innovative and complementary offer to Greater Manchester's existing assets, rather than competing against them, adding new capacity to the city's existing dynamic economy. Manchester is well placed with an international offer based on established academic research and technology, innovative businesses, communications and transport infrastructure."
The detailed 'stage two' Masterplan for Airport City, unveiled today, identifies the creation of two core Airport City zones. The first is a development area adjacent to the airport's existing railway station and to north of the M56, which will focus on hotel, office, retail and advanced manufacturing uses - whilst a second area adjacent to the existing cargo centre at Junction 6 of the M56, will focus on freight and logistics uses. In total, over the next 12-15 years, Airport City will deliver:
This stage of the Masterplanning has focused on reviewing the concept for Airport City and how Manchester can interpret elements of existing Airport Cities across the world in its own unique fashion, including what it looks like, how the infrastructure works and how the development integrates with both the existing airport campus itself, and surrounding neighbourhoods such as Wythenshawe.
Sustainability and connectivity are identified in the Masterplan as the key elements in the design - the main central business district of Airport City to the north of the M56 will be linked to the airport terminals and The Station by a series of wide, landscaped 'green bridges' based on New York's elevated urban park, the Highline. This will ensure that every part of the northern Airport City zone is within an eight-minute walk from the airport's coach, bus and rail hub. A new Metrolink line to the airport and Wythenshawe is now under-construction and will also serve Airport City when it opens 2016.
A landscaped 'Central Park' area of over 800m long, featuring a number of pavilions and a large-scale event space, will form the centrepiece of Airport City, along with traditional components of a conventional city centre such as retail outlets, coffee houses, bars and restaurants. The Central Park will also integrate with the existing green space at Painswick Park in order to provide greater connectivity from Wythenshawe's Woodhouse Park housing estate so that Painswick Park benefits from a series of regenerative enhancements as a result.
Airport City's commercial property offering will accommodate a mix of uses and will provide bespoke, high quality environments designed to appeal to graduates, entrepreneurs, global businesses and creating a highly skilled local workforce operating in sectors including: Advanced Manufacturing; Research & Development; Pharmaceuticals & Health; Professional Services; Science & Research; IT & Telecommunications; Retail & Leisure; Hotel & Conferencing, as well as aviation and cargo-related businesses. The architectural approach will be to create high quality, distinctive, contemporary new buildings, all designed and constructed to the highest possible BREEAM and LEED environmental standards.
Charlie Cornish, Chief Executive of Manchester Airports Group (MAG), said: "Airport City is a concept we have been developing for a number of years and we are now at a critical stage in the project's life as we bring it to the market and commence phase one. We were enthused by the Government's recognition of Airport City's potential when it was named as the focal point of their new Enterprise Zone, as we feel that this project presents a generational opportunity not only for the wider region, but nationally in order to attract new investment to the UK during the economic downturn."
Manchester Airports Group is currently preparing to undertake the first stage delivery of the project, which will involve the creation of key road elements, landscaping, infrastructure and utility provision, all of which will help enable the first phase of development plots. Planning permission for the main site link road is due to be submitted within the next few weeks and upon approval could see work start in spring, with completion within 12-15months. The new spine road opens up the site for development and whilst demand will drive the initial phases, the design is such that several plots and areas can be developed at the same time, giving maximum flexibility of location to occupiers.
Since the enterprise zone designation in March 2011, there has been a huge amount of interest in this project - of the hundreds received, around 60 are considered to be potential occupiers - and around a quarter of those are currently progressing and in discussion with MAG about locating at Airport City.
The first phase delivery area is anticipated to create up to 1.85 million square feet of new business space. An 'Expression of Interest Document' detailing the Airport City opportunity will be officially released through an open competitive process in February 2012, as Manchester Airports Group seeks to engage potential development partners to assist in the delivery of the project.
The University Hospital of South Manchester (UHSM), a world-class research hospital and centre of clinical excellence, is also at the centre of a number of initiatives that can take advantage of sites for the creation of a medical and related services complex within the Enterprise Zone, building on its academic support by the University of Manchester. The successful development of the Airport City and MediPark concepts will greatly expand the current local role of Wythenshawe town centre as it supports and takes advantage of the economic energy generated by these two core initiatives, buoyed by the additional connectivity created by the new Metrolink line.
For more information or to register an interest in locating at Airport City, please see: www.airportcity.co.uk
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For more information please contact the Manchester Airports Group press office on +44 (0) 161 489 2700 or email: press.office@manairport.co.uk
Notes to editors:
14th December 2011
It's not often that people put the words bargains and airports in the same sentence but Manchester Airport is trying to change that with its Christmas retail campaign.
The airport has invested heavily in its retail offering over the last two years with the final improvements being unveiled this year in Terminal 3. Following in the footsteps of Terminals 1 and 2, Terminal 3 was given a makeover with passengers deciding what improvements were needed. Over £2 million was invested in Terminal 3's redesign in addition to the £100 million investment in redeveloping Terminals 1 and 2 since the start of the project.
Over the Christmas period, over 670,000 passengers will use Manchester Airport's facilities and retailers on site are welcoming them by offering up to 20% off on fashion labels including in Terminal 1 in outlets like TM Lewin, Fat Face, Kurt Geiger, Biza (T2 also), Attitude, Temptation (T2 also), JD Sports (T2 also), Mango, Timberland, Next and Alpha in Terminal 3. Many of the outlets stock recognized brands including Superdry, Diesel, White Stuff & Hugo Boss.
There will also be offers of up to 40% off certain fragrances including Chanel to Dolce & Gabanna. New outlets on site include Jo Malone and Next to ensure that a wide range of options are available for those looking to shop before a flight.
Caroline Plant, Marketing Director for Manchester Airport, said: "We often find that passengers are surprised by the range of the retail offer at Manchester Airport but it's an important of what we offer our customers. There's a strong roster of brand names here that often provide a wide selection of savings against the High Street, and that's important at this time of year as Christmas approaches and there's lots of presents to buy. We want to help passengers hence why there are options to pick up products on the way home and these services can make Christmas shopping a bit easier for many of our customers."
Just some of the savings that can be made are outlined below with products taken from Biza as a guide:
High street Airport Saving
CK In2u Him (100ml) £36.37 £29.10 £7.27
Burberry Touch For Women (100ml) £62.00 £37.20 £24.80
Davidoff Cool Water For Men (125ml) £44.95 £34.95 £10
Estee Lauder Beautiful (75 ml) £57.96 £40.55 £17.41
Clinique Aramatics Elixir (100 ml) £61.27 £42.85 £18.42
Paul Smith Woman (100 ml) £50.03 £30.00 £20.03
Ghost Deep Night (75 ml) £44.50 £29.55 £14.95
Lacoste Pour Homme (100 ml) £45.30 £30.45 £14.85
The airport also offers a totally free 'Collect on Return' service that allows you to get bags of tax free shopping and exclusive airport discounts without gathering any extra baggage. This service is available throughout all terminals; so wherever you're going within the UK and EU, always travel light. Duty free spirits & tobacco are not included in the collect on return service.
The airport's own Escape lounges in Terminals 1 and 2 will also be ready to welcome passengers over the Christmas period with plenty of offers available for passengers looking to enjoy themselves this Christmas. Since investing over £100 million in the terminal offering since 2009, the airport has keen to provide more for travellers who are escaping the bleak weather for sunnier climes or for people returning home for the holidays. For more information about entry into the lounges, see www.manchesterairport.co.uk/escape
A competition has also been launched to win an Ipad2 today on the airport's social media channels at www.twitter.com/manairport and www.facebook.com/manairport to support the Christmas drive at Manchester Airport.
ENDS
For more information, contact the Manchester Airport press office on 0161 489 2700 or via email at press.office@manairport.co.uk
6th December 2011
Manchester Airport is hoping to become part of the airport elite by growing its share of the corporate travel and business tourism market. Manchester has predominantly been recognised as a leisure airport but its growing range of airline services has seen a deliberate shift towards passengers looking to access business sectors from their local airport.
Approximately a third of the UK population resides within two hours drive of Manchester and the airport has been growing its route network over recent years, with large scale additions such as the Emirates A380 alongside a programme of upgrading the lounge offer with additions from the likes of Emirates, Etihad, Virgin Holidays and the airport's own Escape brand. This has all resulted in a growing interest from the corporate market in Manchester's offer.
Manchester's split of leisure and business traffic currently sees about 18% travelling for business travel, which amounts to around 3 million passenger journeys. According to Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) data, the top 12 UK airports currently carry an estimated 37 million business travellers out of 165 million passengers and the business tourism market is continuing to grow.
Paul Simpson, Managing Director of Visit Manchester, said: "Business tourism is incredibly important to the city and Manchester Airport plays an integral role in this sector. Each year it contributes over £570m a year to the local economy and helps to raise Manchester's profile on the world stage. We know from our Conference Value & Volume Study that on average the city welcomes around 4.2m delegates each year - attending one of almost 57,000 business events."
International business visitors are believed to contribute around £3.5 billion to the British economy and the overall size of the market is estimated to be worth well over £20 billion in terms of its wider economic impact. To evaluate that figure even further, the value of business transacted at trade events is estimated to generate £100 billion a year and the airport has acknowledged that the sector is a valuable asset for the UK; even more so in the current economic climate.
Manchester recently housed a new Corporate Travel event in the Concorde Conference Centre at Manchester Airport. The event was open exclusively for buyers of business travel within corporate organisations, travel managers, procurement officers, finance directors and also personal assistant's and travel bookers within companies.
Caroline Plant, Marketing Director for Manchester Airport, said: "This was the first event of its kind at this airport and one we are very keen to repeat so we can cement the relationships between corporate buyers and our airlines. We are very aware of the strength of the airline offering here at Manchester and we are keen for more of the country to feel the benefits of travelling from our airport.
"We are already well served to the Middle and Far East by the likes of Emirates, Etihad, Qatar, Singapore, Finnair, Pakistan, Turkish and Biman. We also remain strong on our North American routes with US Airways, Delta, Continental, American and Virgin Atlantic. While our European network continues to flourish with the likes of Flybe, easyJet, Air Nostrum, Icelandair, Lufthansa, Swiss, Jet2.com, Ryanair, Norwegian, SAS, Air France and KLM using our airport. While Thomas Cook remains an important part of the network at Manchester and we retain strong operations from the likes of Monarch and Thomson."
Over 200 attendees were invited to meet the airlines currently flying from Manchester and over 19 of the major business airlines attended with airlines like American Airlines bringing flat beds for potential customers to trial.
Speakers included Manchester Airport's Marketing Director Caroline Plant, Paul Simpson, Chief Executive of Visit Manchester and Simone Buckley, the chair of the Institute of Travel and Meetings (ITM). The event's sponsors included the North West Regional Development Agency, the inward investment agency - MIDAS and the tourist association - Marketing Manchester.
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For more information, contact the Manchester Airport press office on 0161 489 2700 or via email at press.office@manairport.co.uk
01.12.11
The first section of ground has been broken in preparation for Manchester Airport's new Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower. To capture the construction from start to finish a time lapse camera has been installed to show every moment that goes on during the build, which will be made available for the public to view.
Work has now started at the site and the 60 metre high tower is expected to be completed by Spring 2013. Construction, design and infrastructure company Morgan Sindall, the contractor for the £16m project, was present at the sod cutting ceremony.
NATS, the UK's leading air traffic control company, and Manchester Airport have teamed up and launched a time-lapse camera that is located on the roof of the current tower over looking the new tower site. It will take a picture every 15 minutes over the course of the project and there will be a weekly one-minute video produced of the works to date that will also be broadcast on the airport's Youtube channel.
Andrew Harrison, Manchester Airport's Managing Director, said: "Now the contractors have been announced and work has commenced, this film will be a great way to monitor the progress of the new tower build. It's a large construction project for Manchester that will create jobs in the process and we are keen to show the benefits of the project to a wider audience across our region. I know that it will be an iconic addition to the Manchester skyline."
James Morgan, area director at Morgan Sindall, said: "Securing the contract for the new air traffic control tower is testament to the expertise we've developed in the UK aviation sector and our ability to consistently deliver on time and to budget. We are working closely with Manchester Airport's in-house team as well as architects CPMG and engineers URS Scott Wilson to deliver this project and are delighted to start work on site."
Paul Jones, NATS' General Manager at Manchester, said: "We are delighted to be working in partnership with Manchester Airport Group on the fitting out of their new tower. From our vantage point in the current air traffic control tower we will be able to see progress on the new tower every day, and it promises to be an exciting new addition to the airport landscape. We are already planning ahead to next November when we will be able to start fitting out the tower with the 70 different systems that we require - from radar processors to communications equipment, Electronic Flight Progress System (EFPS) and plasma touch displays."
The control tower, located adjacent to the north fire station, will house a new visual control room, alongside an approach radar section and navigation, surveillance and communication equipment to ensure ATC can effectively service the long-term investment and future growth of the airport.
The new tower will be a standalone, purpose built building, with the base of the building housing a new equipment centre and offices for the Air Traffic Control company, NATS.
With 360-degree panoramic views, it will provide unrivalled views of the entire airfield operation. At present, cameras are used by controllers to assist with the view to the furthest runway end.
NATS will manage the equipment and run the tower's 24-hour operation while Manchester Airport will own and maintain the building. The current air traffic control centre, located on top of the tower block, is 40 years old and is being reviewed as part of the renovating process.
ENDS
For further information please contact the Manchester Airport press office on 0161 489 2700 or email press.office@manairport.co.uk
Notes to editors:
To access the time lapse footage please visit www.lobstervision.tv and use username: atc and password: atc
About Morgan Sindall
Morgan Sindall is a UK construction, infrastructure and design business with a network of local offices. The company works for private and public sector customers on projects from £50,000 to over £500 million. Activities range from small works and repair and maintenance, to the design and delivery of complex construction and engineering projects where it is able to provide specialist design, tunnelling, utilities, building, civil engineering and mechanical and electrical services. The company operates across the commercial, defence, education, energy, healthcare, industrial, leisure, retail, transport, waste and water sectors. Morgan Sindall is part of Morgan Sindall Group plc, a leading UK construction and regeneration group with revenue of over £2 billion and which operates through five divisions of construction and infrastructure, affordable housing, fit out, urban regeneration and investments.
About NATS
NATS provides air traffic control from its centres at Swanwick, Hampshire and Prestwick, Ayrshire. NATS also provides air traffic control services at 15 of the nation's major airports including Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh and Glasgow, together with air traffic services at Gibraltar Airport. NATS handled 2.1 million flights in the 2010 calendar year, covering the UK and eastern North Atlantic, and carried more than 200 million passengers safely through some of the busiest and most complex airspace in the world.
8th November 2011
Manchester Airport celebrated the festivals of Diwali and Eid for the first time this year with the airline carriers who serve the Asian market, as they look to continue their growth from the North of England.
Eid is the Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan and Diwali is a 'festival of lights' that takes place between mid-October and mid-November. The venue for the celebrations was the Concorde Conference Centre at Manchester Airport where Dhol drummers and Indian dancers performed and projections brought the 'festival of lights' to life. Visitors were also treated to an authentic Indian banquet.
Over 150 travel agents specialising in travel to India and Pakistan were invited to meet representatives of airlines such as Emirates, Etihad, Turkish and Biman. Biman Bangladesh Airlines being the latest carrier to add services direct to Dhaka in Bangladesh.
The desire for routes to Asia is of increasing importance to the airport and the Manchester Airports Group (MAG) recently signed a partnership agreement with Beijing Capital International to share knowledge and work towards providing a direct service from the North West to China. Direct passenger services between Manchester and China are a strategic ambition for both MAG and its North West partners including the inward investment agency, MIDAS, and the tourism body, Marketing Manchester.
The city is already home to the third largest Chinese population in Europe as well as enjoying trade links that were worth over £4bn in 2010. Manchester's universities also attract the largest number of Chinese students all of which show the potential for growth and further investment through closer direct links.
Caroline Plant, Marketing Director for Manchester Airport, said: "The strength of the offering to Asia here at Manchester is already apparent but we are still keen to develop our knowledge of the local market and provide more services for the communities that use our flights. How we treat our customers is very important to us and we believe we have a vital role to play as the airport in putting the local travel community in direct contact with the airlines that operate from Manchester. The Asia-Pacific region is a key focus area for route development and whilst we are already well served by a variety of carriers we know the demand is there for more. Events like this give us a greater understanding of the market and allow us to improve the offering we have at the airport."
Manchester is already well served to Asian markets by the likes of Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways, Singapore, Finnair, Pakistan, Turkish and Biman Bangladesh. The objective of the celebration was to raise the profile of the airport and the carriers who already serve those destinations.
As the Asian market becomes increasingly important to Manchester Airport's growth, the airport is aiming to build relationships and foster a larger database of agents who serve ethnic communities who reside in the North of England.
ENDS
For more information, contact the Manchester Airport press office on 0161 489 2700 or via email at press.office@manairport.co.uk
25th October 2011
A psychologist has been helping calm nervous flyers in Manchester Airport's executive lounge after bosses noticed a rise in the amount of lounge bookings by passengers with a fear of flying wanting to escape the busy airport environment.
To help relieve some of the worries around flying the airport have teamed up with Virgin Atlantic's Flying Without Fear course leaders and arranged for a trained therapist in Terminal 1's Escape Lounge to provide free taster sessions of the techniques they use.
Andrew Harrison, Managing Director for Manchester Airport, said: "Our Escape lounges are perfect for nervous flyers as they offer an oasis of calm in a comfortable and stylish environment away from the hustle and bustle of a busy terminal. We thought that by linking up with Virgin Atlantic's Flying Without Fear we could help prepare those nervous about catching their flight as we want everyone's journey to be as stress free as possible."
Anxious passengers were encouraged to speak with highly reputed therapist; Gill Harvey-Bush who is a Master Practitioner in Neuro-Linguistic Programming and was trained by and now works with Paul McKenna.
Gill covered common worries such as turbulence and panic attacks and took passengers through some practical strategies to help with fear of flying phobia, claustrophobia and any other flying related fears they may have.
Paul Tizzard, Virgin Atlantic's Flying Without Fear Director, said: "Myself and Richard Conway have been running the Virgin Atlantic Flying Without Fear programme for 15 years. In that time, we have helped over 2,000 people a year to face their fears. We run 20 courses per year from 10 UK airports with around a 98% success rate."
Terminal 1 Escape Lounge has seen bookings by those with a fear of flying increase as it has separate areas to suit every passenger's needs. You can decide to unwind in the quiet zones, enjoy a peaceful freshly made dish from the on-site chef or relax further by booking a treatment in the Be Relax Spa private treatment room located in the lounge. For those wanting to keep themselves busy to not think about their imminent flight then the separate entertainment zone for families, including PlayStation 3 and a giant Scalextric racetrack is perfect.
The Flying Without Fear programme has helped thousands of people to overcome their fears, ranging from anxiety at takeoff, to a complete inability to board an aircraft. They have helped many famous faces including Whoopi Goldberg, Coronation Street stars Kym Marsh and Antony Cotton, and ex Atomic Kitten Liz McClarnon.
20th October 2011
Manchester Airport's unique Runway Visitor Park attraction has gained official recognition as a tourist attraction by VisitEngland, the national tourist board, under the Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Scheme (VAQAS).
The Park is located adjacent to the busy international airport's two runways and is home to a number of retired planes for visitors to tour and explore - including supersonic airliner, Concorde and a former RAF Nimrod military spy plane.
It attracts around 300,000 visitors every year and after an official assessment under the VAQAS scheme during the summer, it has earned the right to display VisitEngland's red rose logo quality plaque - a recognised stamp of approval to assure visitors of the organisation's endorsement of the attraction.
Jeremy Brinkworth, Director of Business Development at VisitEngland, said: "The Runway Visitor Park is a great visitor attraction. Our assessor was particularly impressed by the range of facilities available and the enthusiastic and knowledgeable staff, who should congratulate themselves on this well-deserved accreditation."
The VAQAS report states that the Park offers the visitor an "overall excellent quality experience," and claims the Concorde classic tour is "just the right length and excellently presented and hosted".
The report also goes on to describe the facilities provided by the Park - which include The Aviation Shop and Ringways Restaurant - as a "mecca for aviation enthusiasts".
Natalie Kelly, Head of the Runway Visitor Park, said: "The main attraction is its location, which gives visitors the chance to watch the hundreds of aircraft that land and take-off every day. It is especially popular during school holidays as families look for alternative ways to entertain the kids with something interesting and a bit different."
She added: "Having evolved from humble beginnings, the Park has become one of the most popular visitor attractions in the region over the past decade or so - therefore the VisitEngland recognition is very significant and is testament to the hard work of everyone involved with the Park, both past and present."
"We will continue in our efforts to improve the visitor experience and our ambition is to increase visitor numbers to half a million by 2015."
Following visitor feedback and recommendations made in the report; the Park has recently added a new children's play area and has significantly increased the number of picnic benches to 52. Has also installed a digital flight-screen, similar to those seen in the terminals, which enables visitors to accurately track arriving and departing flights. The screen has already proved to such a popular addition that a second screen is to be installed in the visitor centre. Other improvements currently under consideration include covered outdoor shelters and live commentary.
The Runway Visitor Park is located next to Manchester Airport's runways, off Sunbank Lane in Altrincham, Greater Manchester - just two minutes from Junction 6 of the M56 motorway. It's open daily from 8am until one hour before dusk. A shuttle bus runs between the Park and the airport's bus, coach and railway station.
In addition to Concorde and Nimrod, Runway Visitor Park also hosts an Avro RJX; a DC-10; and a retro Trident airliner, giving a glimpse of what flying was like in the 1960s and 1970s. For more information go to: www.manchesterairport.co.uk/runwayvisitorpark
VisitEngland is the national tourist board for England and is responsible for promoting England to domestic and established overseas markets and for improving England's tourism product. The Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Scheme (VAQAS) is managed by VisitEngland and, through its network of regional assessors, boasts an incredible reputation for instigating, modifying and shaping change to the customer experience at visitor attractions across England.
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For more information - or further hi-res images - please contact Manchester Airport press office on 0161 489 2700 or press.office@manairport.co.uk
12th October 2011
Biman Bangladesh Airlines Limited, the national flag carrier of Bangladesh, will commence services from Dhaka to Manchester this Winter.
The twice-weekly service is on sale now and will commence its inaugural flight on 2nd November 2011 operating on Wednesdays, arriving at 17.50 and departing at 19.20. On Saturdays, the aircraft will arrive at 18.55 and depart at 20.25. This will become the airport's longest direct route at over 10 hours and the fastest route between UK and Bangladesh.
The Manchester - Dhaka service will be operated by one of the airlines newly purchased B777-300ER with a two-class cabin configuration, resulting in 35 business class seats and 384 economy seats.
Mohammed Salahuddin, Regional Manager for Northern UK at Biman Bangladesh Airlines Limited, said: "It's a dream come true for both Biman and the large Bangladeshi community residing in the northern part of the UK. I hope Biman will fulfil the expectations of the British Bangladeshi community in the North by providing a quality product, with its new generation of modern aircraft and an improved ground and in-flight service. We're looking to provide a better schedule regularity and ensure the highest standards of safety. By adding Manchester into its network, Biman has put itself firmly in the competition in the North, which has long been favoured by other airlines. We will be the only airline to operate non-stop flights between UK and Bangladesh from the 2nd November 2011."
Biman Bangladesh Airlines has placed orders worth a total of US$ 1.4 billion for a further nine aircraft from Boeing including another three 777-300ER, four 787-8 Dream Liners and two 737-800NG. They are expecting delivery between 2011 to 2021 as a part of a global growth strategy and commitment to providing customers with the highest standards of comfort and reliability.
Andrew Harrison, Manchester Airport's Managing Director, said: "The north west has always had a large Bangladeshi community so this is an important region for Manchester to serve, as well as it being our longest direct flight for Manchester Airport. Biman are injecting growth into their business and we are proud to have the first of many new aircraft operating from Manchester. We believe the two-class cabin will help to attract business to both Manchester and Dhaka and help bring new trade opportunities between the two cities."
The airline will operate a triangular route with its inbound service stopping at London Heathrow and then flying onto Manchester. The outbound will run direct from Manchester to Dhaka.
Biman, a member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), flies passengers and cargo to 18 international destinations in Asia and Europe and most of their destinations are served directly or via a stopover. Convenient transfer connections from Dhaka are also available to regional destinations.
2011 has been declared as the 'Year of Tourism' in Bangladesh making it the perfect time to visit the unspoilt beach of Cox's Bazaar or to sample the panoramic lush green tea gardens of Sylhet, which is home to Royal Bengal Tigers of Sundarbans. Visitors can also see a large variety of local tribes and be able to sample the culinary delights of the country.
Biman have also launched a new website so passengers can access online bookings at www.biman-airlines.com. The new website allows passengers to plan and manage their travel more conveniently with the option of buying tickets on-line and be able to request added services.
ENDS
For further information please see www.biman-airlines.com or call Biman Bangladesh Airlines in their Manchester office on 0161 228 6605. More information is also available from the Manchester Airport press office on 0161 489 2700 or via email at press.office@manairport.co.uk
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