Manchester Airport has released new CGI images showing how Terminal 3 will look following its multimillion-pound expansion. The project, announced in October, will extend the T3 departure lounge by over a third, adding 2,000 square metres of floor space for passengers.
Ceilings will be raised to increase natural light, and there will be more space for new retail outlets. The work is expected to be completed with a 'phased opening' in 2028.
Space from Terminal 1 closure
In March this year, Terminal 1 closed, with all airline operations except for Ryanair moved across to the new-look Terminal 2. Since T1 and T3 are attached, the space gained from the closure of T1 will be used to expand T3.
The CGI images show how some of that space will be used, which is why they may look unfamiliar to those who regularly fly through T3 at the moment. The images also illustrate how the corridor leading to the departures lounge will be expanded; currently this section is a narrow walkway overlooking the airfield.
Recent changes at T3
Passengers will have already noticed changes at Terminal 3, with a new Italian restaurant, Terracotta, set to open this month. More retailers will be announced in due course, and the airport said in October that a 'competitive tender' to bring new retailers into the new T3 space would be launched.
T3 has already undergone a transformation this year with the opening of Sporting Chance, a 470-seat sports bar with airfield views. It opened in the upstairs area of T3 in March this year, in an area previously used for private lounges and a viewing area.
Part of wider transformation
The work to evolve T3 is part of the airport's overall multibillion-pound transformation programme, which began in 2017. It has seen a complete overhaul of Terminal 2, with an extension opening in 2021, doubling the terminal's size. The second phase of the £1.5billion project saw the original T2 building refurbished to match the extension.
The airport has confirmed that Ryanair will remain the sole operator from T3. The Manchester Evening News understands airport bosses discussed the possibility of renaming T3 to T1, but a decision was made to keep it as T3 over internal, external and airfield infrastructure issues, like signage and road marking.
Manchester Airport Managing Director Chris Woodroofe previously said: "Here at Manchester Airport we are proud to connect the north to the world - serving record-breaking passenger numbers via a route network that is unrivalled outside the capital.
"We've completely redeveloped our award-winning Terminal 2 through our £1.5bn investment and now we're turning our attention to Terminal 3. We've already made significant changes, but now we're ready to accelerate that work and provide more space and facilities for our Ryanair passengers."
