Manchester will not do more than 25 million in the next 10 years, when the PLC was spouting ridiculous figures of 35 million by 2015 we just laughed.
{It was quoted recently again by one senior member of management}
Do the sums..... We have Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield, even Blackpool, these were little tin pot airports 10 years ago, but were in the Manchester catchment area for charters.
As the locos carry on their march these traditional charters have all but disappeared and their passengers?, gone to these airports for loco flights.
Manchester does not need Cathy, why would it?, with the far east and Asia served by Emirates, Etihad, Qatar, Singapore, and where do we expand on the USA services?, American, Continental, Delta, USair to name but a few, we may be able to fit in a direct west coast but i bet that will be on a 787 when they arrive, long and thin routes.
Manchester max figures 22.5 million in 2007 was fuelled by every one and his dog borrowing money and cheap flights, that bubble has gone, were back to 18.4 million at the moment. In 2007 T2 had 7.8 million pax, its now down to 4.5 million, hence Monarch and Ryanair being based there to increase footfall and revenue.
We may get a slight increase to around 20 million or so in the next few years but as for 35-50 million, it ain't going to happen in our lifetime.
zfw