Manchester Airport Experiences Major Delays Due to Runway Closure and Rain

Manchester Airport experienced significant operational disruptions across all three terminals on Monday, December 15, as a combination of a runway closure and severe rainfall, prompting a Met Office yellow warning, led to widespread flight delays and cancellations. Thousands of passengers faced prolonged waits and uncertainty, with initial delays for European-bound flights stretching up to five hours shortly after daybreak.

The situation escalated throughout the morning, impacting hundreds of flights and thousands of travelers. One couple, Adrian and Wendy, had their early morning EasyJet flight to Copenhagen cancelled, forcing them to spend over seven hours at Terminal 2 and pay nearly £400 for an alternative flight. Another passenger, Lucas, faced a six-hour delay on his Ryanair flight to Gdansk, highlighting the extensive impact on individual travel plans and the lack of immediate airline support for affected customers.

Despite the initial chaos, the airport's operational capacity improved significantly after the second runway was reopened around 2:00 PM GMT. This crucial development helped alleviate the backlog, with many evening departures reportedly proceeding on schedule. Manchester Airport advised passengers to arrive for their flights as normal, indicating that the most severe period of disruption had passed, though the day remained challenging for many.