A record-breaking total of 2,430,142 people travelled through Manchester Airport in September 2015, making it the busiest September in the airport’s 77 year history.

The year-on-year total was up 5.44 per cent on the same month last year, which moved the rolling annual total for the North’s major international airport to a new all-time high of 22,875,884.

An average of 81,004 people flew via Manchester every single day during the 30 days of September – that’s more than the combined capacity of Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium and the Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground.

September saw scheduled international passengers increase by a huge 7.55 per cent on the same period last year – with a huge influx of international students arriving to study in the UK.

An estimated 11,500 students arrived in the region by air into Manchester Airport to study at one of Greater Manchester’s four universities (Manchester Metropolitan University; University of Bolton; University of Manchester; and University of Salford).

In total an estimated 23,800 international students and university staff arrived via Manchester to study at 49 universities around the UK, including across Merseyside, Yorkshire, the Midlands and Scotland.

Ken O’Toole, Manchester Airport managing director, said: “September is always a busy month, because despite it being the end of school summer holidays, certain people take that opportunity to go away, whilst many others arrive to study.

“The international connectivity that Manchester Airport affords to universities beyond those just in Greater Manchester, such as in Liverpool, Yorkshire, Birmingham, Newcastle and even Scotland, should not be underestimated as it helps to make the North of England a truly competitive proposition that is both attractive and accessible globally.”

Air freight was also up by six per cent as the annual rolling total amount of cargo carried reached 101,167 tonnes.