More than 61 million passengers travelled through Manchester Airports Group (MAG) airports in the 12 months to the end of March — up 13.4% year-on-year.

MAG – which owns and operates Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands Airports – served 4.6 million passengers in March, equal to 103% of 2019 levels, and up 12.4% on the same month last year.

London Stansted recorded its busiest 12 months ever, with 28.5 million passengers travelling through the airport in the year to the end of March 2024 – up 11.8% on last year. Across what was also its busiest March on record, London Stansted served 2.2 million passengers – up 10.8% on last year and equal to 104% of 2019 levels.

Manchester Airport also had a record month, serving 2.2 million passengers in March – the sixth consecutive month it recorded its best-ever performance. The figure was 104% of 2019 levels, up 12.3% year-on-year.

East Midlands Airport had the highest year-on-year increases in the group this month – reaching an annual total of 4.1 million passengers for the first time since 2019 – up 22.4% on last year. Across March, the airport welcomed 240,000 passengers, up 30.7% on the same months last year, and equal to 94% of 2019 levels.

MAG is owned by a combination of public and private shareholders, including Manchester City Council (35.5%), IFM Global Infrastructure Fund (35.5%) and the nine other Greater Manchester local authorities (29%).

MAG CEO Ken O’Toole said: “We work hard to ensure our airports provide the best possible choice of destinations to passengers – whatever their reason for travel – and in a way that makes international travel as affordable and accessible as possible.

“These latest figures demonstrate that our airports are meeting the needs of passengers up and down the country, which in turn helps create jobs and drive economic prosperity in the regions we serve.

“London Stansted is now serving more passengers than it did before the pandemic – which is testament to the value and ease it offers passengers to an unrivalled choice of European destinations and connections to the Middle East.

“Through the transformation programmes we’re delivering across the group, MAG is investing in the future of air travel, and working to provide an excellent experience for passengers travelling through our airports.”