Manchester Airport passengers totalled 29,013,599 on a 12-month rolling basis to June YOY. Source: Hufton + Crow.

Manchester Airport Group (MAG) has announced Manchester Airport (MAN) has broken the 29 million passenger mark for the first time in its history.

The development comes as the owner of Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands Airports posted a 1.8% increase in total traffic in June year-on-year.

On a rolling 12-month basis, MAN welcomed almost three million passengers in June (+3.8%), with direct, long-haul connectivity spurring growth as the number of passengers on scheduled flights lifted by 10% year-on-year.

More frequent Qatar Airways’ services to Doha resulted in a 43% lift in pax to the Middle Eastern hub, while travellers to Singapore rose by 23.8%.

Passenger traffic to North Africa also contributed, with passenger numbers up to Morocco (+37%), Egypt (+34%) and Cape Verde (+24.1%).

Graeme Elliott, Corporate Affairs Director, MAG said: “Manchester Airport serving more passengers than ever before shows the benefits of an increase in competition and choice that our expanding long-haul network is delivering.

“With more connections to destinations on offer, Manchester Airport continues to demonstrate the key role it can play in rebalancing the UK economy, boosting inward investment and business opportunities into the Northern Powerhouse and further afield.”

As reported, MAG retail revenue rose by 9% to £198.1m ($249m) in 2018 but spending slowed at MAN.