A £1bn transformation, without impacting passenger experience
Manchester Airport is in the midst of one of the most ambitious infrastructure programmes in the UK. The Manchester Airport Transformation Programme is a 10-year, £1bn investment plan centred on more than doubling the size of Terminal 2, alongside a new 3,800-space multi-storey car park and significant upgrades to road infrastructure and landscaping. With construction activity of this scale, keeping passengers safe, comfortable and moving through the terminal was a challenge that demanded an exceptional solution.
Westgate Global were appointed to design, supply and install a temporary two-level passenger corridor linking a newly built pier to the existing terminal while the extension was still being fitted out. The corridor passed through an active construction zone housing around 1,500 workers, meaning the structure needed to satisfy demanding wind load, crowd load and 60-minute fire rating requirements. Following close consultation with MAG’s security team and their specialist consultants, a number of bespoke security modifications were incorporated, and the installation was formally approved for use as a temporary passenger boundary.
Because the corridor would be in use for up to 12 months, it also needed to look, feel and function like a permanent fixture — preserving the high standard of passenger experience Manchester Airport is known for.
