The number of people using Manchester Airport increased again last month, with 2.8 per cent more people using the airport this May than during the same month last year.

The news comes despite none of the north if England’s top football teams making it to the last stages of European competitions again, meaning the airport missed the typical May football fan boost it has become somewhat accustomed to in recent years.

A total of 2,093,391 people travelled through the north’s major airport in May 2015, up from 2,036,410 in the same period last year.

It moves the rolling annual total to 22,406,306 – an increase of 6.21 per cent year-on-year – and the most ever for Manchester Airport, with current forecasts indicating that the airport will break the 23 million passenger mark by 2016.

The amount of air freight handled through Manchester also showed further strong growth, increasing for the fourth consecutive month, up 9.24 per
cent from 7,996 tonnes in May 2014 to 8,735 tonnes in the same period this year.

Ken O’Toole, Manchester Airport managing director, said: “We continue to invest in making sure Manchester Airport can fulfil its potential as a true UK gateway for the north of England, through investment in new facilities; marketing initiatives to remind people in our catchment of the services we offer; or working with airline partners to deliver more new routes.

“We’re well prepared for the busy summer season ahead and expect it to be our best and busiest ever.

“With over 22 million people living within our two hour catchment, two full length runways and all-time record passenger numbers, Manchester
Airport has, and will continue to have, the available capacity and demand to meet the needs of our catchment that extends as far north as Scotland and South to the Midlands.”