Work has started on a new aircraft pier which will connect to Terminal 2 at Manchester airport.
The project is part of a £440 million second and final phase of a £1.3 billion transformation announced in 2015 with a 10-year plan to improve the passenger experience at the northern hub.
The new pier will mirror Pier 1 at Terminal 2, which opened in 2019, and will provide 12 new boarding gates and aircraft stands for next-generation aircraft.
It will also be equipped to handle the double decker Airbus A380, the largest passenger aircraft currently in operation.
Around 80% of all passengers will use expanded Terminal 2 when work is scheduled to be completed in 2025.
More: Champions League travel brings single day boost to Manchester airport
Manchester regains Cairo connection after 6 years
The terminal will gain 27 new shops, bars and restaurants, including a high-street style shopping area, a Champagne bar and food hall.
The first phase saw Terminal 2 more than double in size in summer 2021.
The second phase will see the original building upgraded with a second security hall and a new-look, extended departure lounge, along with reconfigurations of the airfield to make operations more efficient.
Ken O’Toole, deputy chief executive of parent company MAG, said: “We are pleased to be beginning work on what is a major milestone in our transformation of Manchester airport.
“Our £1.3 billion transformation programme is the largest investment ever made in Manchester airport, and will create thousands of jobs, revolutionise the customer experience and ensure we connect to the north to even more global destinations in the years ahead.
“We are already seeing the benefits of the first phase of our investment, with passengers and airlines providing excellent feedback on our extended Terminal 2.
“Through this second phase, we will deliver yet more improvements to the passenger experience and cater for the growing network of airlines operating from Manchester.”
More: Champions League travel brings single day boost to Manchester airport