Manchester Airport £50m overhaul complete
03.07.09
A £50m overhaul of Terminal One at Manchester Airport, which began four years ago, has been completed. The project includes enlarged airside shopping areas, scanners and facial recognition computers. The airport made changes which included taking advice from psychologists to help assess where travellers may experience stress before going on holiday - such as car parking, security and check-in.
Passenger flow through the terminal has been completely reworked and bosses say there are also better restaurants, cafes, lounges and VIP facilities including valet parking. The new airside retail and catering areas on the departures level is larger than the pedestrian zones of King Street and Market Street in Manchester city centre and a 14-lane security zone with an average wait of eight minutes. The tightened security climate has seen the airport abolishing shops sited before security check points.
Retailers have spent £15m fitting out 52 'airside' shops, with many new stores including Dixons, Kurt Geiger, Fat Face, Mango, Monsoon, Starbucks and SoHo. Around £14m was spent on the security zone and £3.5m on two lounges.
A new Emirates lounge, boarding area and a range of gates are to be added to the terminal, in preparation for Airbus A380 flights, which are expected to begin operating from Manchester within the next two years.
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