Manchester Airport in the UK is moving all its operations into one terminal in response to a drop in passenger numbers following England’s return to a national lockdown and a ban on international travel until at least the beginning of December.
Until further notice all passengers departing and arriving from Manchester will be processed through the same terminal, using only the facilities in and for Terminal One.
“The coronavirus pandemic poses an unprecedented challenge to our airport and to our wider industry, but we are determined to provide passengers with the best possible service in the circumstances, ensuring both their safety and comfort,” said Karen Smart, Managing Director at Manchester Airport.
“When it became clear that England would enter a second national lockdown, we moved quickly to put an appropriate plan of action in place, which will safeguard the continued operation of our airport during these uncertain times. This includes closing Terminal Three from 11 November until further notice.
“Changing our operation like this is not straightforward and I would like to thank our dedicated teams for their hard work in preparing for this scenario. We will keep this decision under constant review and communicate any further changes to our customers.”
A statement from the airport read: “As a result of the lockdown, we expect that a number of airlines will scale back or cancel services during this period. Refunds for cancelled flights are subject to the policy of the airline.” It also stated that most of the airport’s retail outlets will also close during the lockdown, so passengers are advised to bring their own food with them, so long as it meets the security requirements around liquids, gels and paste. Free water fountains are available throughout the terminal for passengers to fill empty water bottles.
Visitors collecting passengers from the airport are advised to avoid crowding by waiting in their cars for passengers rather than entering the airport terminal to greet them. A free drop-off point will remain available for those dropping passengers off.
