60th Anniversary sees Lufthansa flying high at Manchester
The figures were released by Christian Schindler, Lufthansa Group Regional Director for the UK & Ireland, when he visited Manchester to join in the diamond anniversary celebrations.
“This continued growth confirms the hub airlines in the Lufthansa Group (Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian and Brussels Airlines) continue to be among the leading carriers at Manchester”, said Christian Schindler. “We are on target to hit the one million passengers a year mark at Manchester for 2016. It proves once again that the majority of air travellers value the long standing commitment Lufthansa Group has to our North West passengers along with our reliable full service offering. Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian and Brussels Airlines will all continue to be attractive for business and leisure travellers. They cherish the option to start their travel directly at Manchester airport on one of our 91 flights a week, avoiding the longer transfers to airports in the London area. And, as always, customers can be assured of the top-notch service, the high quality and the reliability of the Lufthansa Group.
“The inaugural service started from Hamburg and then called at Düsseldorf on its way to Manchester. On leaving Manchester the Lockheed L-1049 G Super Constellation aircraft then crossed the Atlantic to Montreal and finally continued on to Chicago. Bert Trautmann, Manchester City’s German goalkeeper at the time, cut the ribbon just days before his heroic performance in the FA cup final where he played the later part of the match with a broken neck.”
Passengers departing from Manchester during the 60th anniversary celebrations were entertained by a traditional German Oompah Band while they enjoyed Lufthansa branded cupcakes and sparkling wine.
Stephen Turner, Commercial Director for Manchester Airport, said: “I’d like to congratulate Lufthansa on reaching 60 years of operating from Manchester Airport. It’s a fantastic achievement and the airlines of the Lufthansa group continue to offer the 22 million people in our catchment area direct flights to key European cities and also great onward connectivity from their hubs at Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna and Brussels.
“We hope that the Lufthansa Group is part of the continued growth here at Manchester Airport and celebrate many more milestones to come with us.”
