Jet2 growth boosts Manchester Airport Group earnings
Manchester Airport saw passenger numbers rise 4.8% year on year to a record 17.4 million over the six-month summer period due to more flights from Jet2 and easyJet, which took the slots left vacant the previous year by the collapse of Monarch.
Overall, the airport’s parent company Manchester Airport Group (MAG), which also owns Stansted and East Midlands airports, saw passenger numbers increase 2% to 36.4 million. Its pre-tax earnings for the period to the end of September were up 15% year on year to £282 million.
Stansted passenger numbers remained flat at 15.9 million following the collapse of Primera Air, together with some limited reduction in capacity from Ryanair, which was offset by continued growth from Jet2 and a new Emirates’ service.
East Midlands Airport saw a 3% decline in passengers to 3.1 million due to softer load factors across their carriers generally, which was partially offset by growth from Jet2.
The collapse of Thomas Cook had only a limited impact on the MAG’s interim results as the holiday giant failed just seven days before the end of MAG’s first-half trading.
MAG said it was ‘actively working to mitigate the impact of the collapse on the performance in the second half of the year’.
Jet2.com, TUK and Virgin Atlantic have all committed to extend their operations at Manchester Airport since Thomas Cook’s collapse, and additional flights are also committed to at Stansted and East Midlands, it said.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Airbnb eyes a loyalty program but details remain under wraps
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026