Manchester Airports Group ‘delivered £6.2bn of economic value for the UK economy’

Figures in MAG’s (Manchester Airports Group) Corporate Social Responsibility Report for 2015/16 show that the group delivered £6.2bn of economic value for the UK economy and for the communities in which its four UK airports operate.

This 16% increase comes on the back of MAG’s most successful year ever which culminated in nearly 52 million passengers using its Manchester, London Stansted, East Midlands and Bournemouth airports.

Manchester Airport contributes £1.9bn each year to the north west’s economy, up 28% since 2013 driven by a growth in new routes and long-haul traffic.

At a national level, it contributes £3.2bn to the economy and supports 48,200 jobs locally. For every pound that the airport earns in revenue from its operations, its wider activities contribute £4.70 back to the local economy.

Despite the passenger growth during the period, MAG’s airports delivered a significant reduction in their environmental impact, most notably through a 15% reduction in carbon emissions and a 41% cut in the number of registered noise complaints.

In addition, the report details how in 2015 the group’s operations supported the employment of 124,000 people across the UK and how the work of its three airport employment academies, Aerozone education centres and over 10,000 hours of staff volunteering, contributed to the education of over 20,000 young people.

In the last financial year, MAG’s airports contributed £6.2 billion in economic activity to UK PLC. This means that for every £1 the group earned in revenue, economic activity worth another £8 is generated in the wider economy as a result.

Passenger growth of 7% and substantial investment in facilities at the four airports has resulted in more jobs and economic opportunities at and around each airport.

The main drivers behind the expanded ‘economic footprint’ of the airports include a higher number of employment opportunities and the associated economic value generated by their operations, including passenger and cargo flights and airport services.

The benefits also include jobs and revenue generated in the airports’ direct supply chains.

Neil Robinson, CSR Director at MAG, said: “MAG’s approach is guided by our belief that when our business prospers, the regions and communities in which we operate prosper.

“We also know that delivering growth in the right way is key to securing the support of our stakeholders and as our airports continue to grow over the coming years, we recognise the importance to local communities of being able to deliver this growth without increasing the environmental impacts associated with our operations.

“The figures we are releasing today demonstrate the powerful role that airports across the country play in generating wider social and economic benefit for their local communities and the UK economy.”