New section of Manchester Airport T2 departure lounge opens

Image courtesy MAG

Renowned high street brands LEGO, Rituals and Pandora are opening their first units at Manchester Airport and new options for those wanting to grab a bite to eat or drink before they catch their flight include coffee giant Starbucks, baguette specialists Upper Crust and juice bar Joe & The Juice.

Steve and Emma Laxton, of Stalybridge, were the first passengers to use the new facilities. They were travelling to Tenerife with daughters Caitlin, 13 and Willow, six.

The opening marks the latest milestone in the 10-year, £1.3 billion transformation of Terminal 2, more than doubling the terminal’s size and creating a world-class passenger experience. An extension to the terminal opened in 2021 and the airport is now in the final stages of overhauling the original Terminal 2 building to bring it up to the same standard as the extension, mirroring the modern look and feel.

More than 70% of the airport’s passengers will use the new facilities and Terminal 1 is set to close when the project is completed later this year.

Further shops and restaurants are expected to open later this year – including Chanel, Grindsmith by WH Smith, a Fever Tree cocktail and champagne bar and the Great Northern Market – a food court with a selection of street food options.

The finalised terminal will also include 13 new flexible aircraft stands and boarding gates, currently under construction and a passageway linking the new security hall with the departure lounge will feature a chandelier installation, paying homage to the much-loved Venetian chandeliers that graced Terminal 1 in the 1980s and 1990s.  

More than 30 million passengers have already travelled through the terminal extension since it opened in 2021 and last year it claimed a prestigious, UNESCO-backed Prix Versailles award recognising its outstanding design. 

Chris Woodroofe, Managing Director at Manchester Airport, said: “It’s wonderful to see more of our new-look Terminal 2 opening to the public, further enhancing the world class passenger experience that this terminal offers. We have a busy few months ahead of us as we finish this transformative 10-year project.

“We’re proud to connect the people of the North with the world, and these new facilities will allow them to travel in the style befitting a major international hub, while also creating a striking first impression for visitors to our region. 

“Manchester and the North are woven through the fabric of this terminal building, from the worker bee and honeycomb motif in the terminal’s design, to the many Northern brands operating shops and restaurants in our departure lounge. We’re thrilled to see the last pieces of the project coming together and we’re sure the 70% or so of our passengers who will use the final product will be as pleased with it as we are.”

Richard Jackson, Retail Director at Manchester Airport, said: “We’re pleased to welcome so many exciting brands to our new-look Terminal 2. These brands are household names and leaders within their markets, with a reputation for quality, which makes them a perfect fit for the experience we are creating here. I look forward to working with them and with the brands due to open units later this year, as we put the finishing touches to the terminal.”