Manchester Airport is marking a week of milestones as three airlines celebrate significant anniversaries, with Icelandair offering a flash sale to mark its 20th year of flights to Reykjavik. The airline, which began twice-weekly services in April 2006, now operates four weekly flights in summer and daily in winter. From this summer, three weekly flights will use its new Airbus A321 aircraft. To celebrate, Icelandair is offering a 20% discount on flights from Manchester to Reykjavik booked between April 2 and April 6, using code MAN20.
SAS Scandinavian Airlines also marked its 60th anniversary on April 1, commemorating its first Manchester to Copenhagen flight in 1966. The airline now operates 34 weekly flights from Manchester to Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Oslo, making it the largest Scandinavian carrier at the airport outside Heathrow. A special gate celebration was held for the 09:35 flight to Copenhagen.
Singapore Airlines celebrated 40 years of direct Manchester-Singapore services on March 31. The airline, the longest-serving long-haul carrier at the airport, began with twice-weekly flights in 1986 and now operates five weekly services. It also became the first to fly the Airbus A350 from Manchester in 2017. Passengers on the 10:35 flight were treated to branded chocolates and cupcakes under a balloon arch.
Further anniversaries are approaching: Lufthansa will mark 70 years on April 22, Air France its 80th on June 16, and Virgin Atlantic 30 years of Manchester-North America flights on June 17. Etihad Airways celebrated its 20th anniversary at Manchester last month.
Stephen Turner, Chief Commercial Officer at Manchester Airport, said: 'We’re proud to connect people from across the North with destinations across the globe... It’s great to mark three major airline anniversaries in one week and celebrate the connections that those airlines have helped us build with cities and communities from Singapore to Scandinavia.' He highlighted the £1.3bn investment in Terminal 2, which offers modern facilities for passengers.
