Travel & Tourism

Aether – Manchester Airport’s new private terminal that treats passengers like royalty

Take me away any day.

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia - 11th October 2024

An all new private terminal experience is launching at Manchester Airport giving you the chance to travel like the rich and famous.

With a £1.5 billion refurbed Terminal 2 steadily opening various eateries and boutiques paired with this new private terminal experience, Manchester Airport might just take the biscuit for one of the bougiest airports in the UK (don’t bring Terminal 3 into this…).

Aether is a brand new airport experience exclusive to Manchester Airport, which looks after passengers to such a degree that it even has a group of chauffeurs to take you to or from your journey to the aircraft in a fleet of BMWs.

Guests are greeted with nothing but relaxation, with Aether on hand to bring refreshments, including an exclusive menu curated by Adam Reid, of The French fame.

And just because it’s a private terminal doesn’t mean you need a private jet to board – the Aether experience is accessible to all those travelling to and from Manchester Airport, regardless of ticket class.

ADVERTISEMENT

The private terminal’s minimalistic and modern interior is a beautiful space to relax before you jet off on your holiday or business trip.

Aether may guarantee a private and relaxing time in their sanctuary but they certainly don’t hold back on all the offers and goodies passengers are treated to.

ADVERTISEMENT

This private terminal supplies its jet-setters with three separate packages to choose from depending on how engulfed guests would like to be in this world of luxury.

An ‘Express’ service will cost you £90 and includes select benefits such as a chauffeur and general access to the private terminal. 

A taster of the menu from Adam Reid at Aether
A taster of the menu from Adam Reid. Credit: Toby Mitchell
Inside the lounge at Aether, Manchester Airport's private terminal
The lounge in Manchester Airport’s new private terminal. Credit: Toby Mitchell

Guests who would like a little more pampering and a sample of the delicacies taken from the exquisite menu can do so for £150 and £170 under the ‘Inclusive’ package which has two branches depending on whether your party has cabin bags or checked luggage.

ADVERTISEMENT

Instead of just transport and leisure covered, the ‘Inclusive’ deal provides complimentary alcoholic and soft drinks, an exclusive dining menu curated by Adam Reid and access to terminal private security. 

If you’re considering this ‘elevated airport experience’ travellers can arrive up to three hours before departure and must get to this relaxing space at least one hour before your flight.

The private terminal will be opening every day from 4am meaning holidaymakers get to put their feet up and properly rest before they fly through the sky.

You can even visit the private terminal just to taste the delicacies of The Midland Hotel Chef as starting from £40 non-flyers can also taste the high life.

If you want to book your first private terminal experience at Aether in Manchester Airport already, more information can be found on the company’s website here.

Read more:

Featured Image: Toby Mitchell

Travel & Tourism

This Manchester suburb has just been named one of the UK’s ‘happiest’ places to live in 2024

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia Didsbury named one of the best places to live in the UK

An annual poll has named the Manchester suburb of Didsbury spot among 70 locations said to be the ‘happiest’ places to live in the UK.

Greater Manchester has got lots to say for itself, especially with its diverse and unique cultural landscapes, as well as various vibrant communities, so it comes as no surprise that one of our beautiful suburbs has been voted in a list of the UK’s happiest places to live for this year.

The survey included submissions from 5,000 people and there’s a lot of love being shown to the neighbouring areas of Yorkshire like Doncaster, Bingley, and Harrogate – the lattermost placed in second in the entire country.

But, ranking 62nd out of a possible 70 places, the distinct and vibrant area of Didsbury has been noticed by Furniturebox as one of the ‘happiest’ places to live in the UK.

Credit: The Manc Group

The results took into consideration good state schools, affordable housing, as well as accessibility to pubs, bars, restaurants, independent shops, retailers and more.

With multiple parks, walking destinations, and top-notch travel links with Bee Network trams and buses easily taking you back into the city centre and out to other boroughs, East, West and Didsbury Village all remain some of the most sought-after areas in the region.

There’s a whole host of indie retailers to enjoy, especially on the likes of the main high street and Burton Road, which effectively serves as its own cultural district, home to vintage clothing shops like Steranko, tailored styling opticians Fox Brothers and much more.

Burton Rd also boasts countless fantastic food and drink spots like The Great Kathmandu, SANTÉ, Volta and Proove Pizza, just to name a few; we’ve spent plenty of time just on this stretch of Didsbury alone.

If you’ve spent even a little time in Dids, you’ll know there’s plenty going on and it’s certainly one our happiest places in all of Greater Manchester and therefore the UK.

You can also enjoy the famous ‘Didsbury Dozen’ right on your doorstep.

Read more:

Elsewhere, and somewhat unsurprisingly, Shakespeare’s ever-romanticised hometown of Stratford-Upon-Avon once again reigned supreme at the top of this list.

That being said, it’s refreshing to see that these locations weren’t entirely related to wealth and similar factors, the survey took affordability into careful consideration.

Cheshire was destined for success with its cracking views and grand properties, as the North West county made waves for the region managing to place in fifth position, holding up against Falmouth in Cornwall which placed in sixth.

Although not nabbing that all-important top spot, Didsbury is carrying the flag for 0161 and showing what all know to be true: Northerners do it best.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images – The Manc Group

Travel & Tourism

A Greater Manchester town could be set to get a train station for the first time in 60 years

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

It’s been a whopping six decades, but the residents of one local town could soon be able to hop on a train out of there.

That’s because a planning application for a brand-new £32 million station in Golborne – which would connect the Greater Manchester town, in the Wigan borough, to the rail network for the first time in more than 60 years – has been submitted to Wigan Council, meaning connectivity is finally one step closer to becoming reality.

In case you didn’t know, Golborne currently has no direct bus, train, or tram services to Manchester, and Leigh is the biggest town in England without a rail station, while the wider area is the largest and most-populous area in Greater Manchester not connected to the rail network.

The milestone aims to boost access to jobs and opportunities for people in the town and the wider Wigan borough.

According to Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), the Golborne station scheme forms part of a wider ambition to bring eight commuter lines into the Bee Network by 2028 – of which “significant investment” has been put into.

The application includes plans for a new accessible two-platform rail station, including step-free access throughout with a footbridge across the tracks and lifts to both platforms, a new hourly service between Wigan and Manchester Victoria, and onwards to Stalybridge, an improved town centre car park, and also new walking and cycling links to the town centre.

The submitting of the proposals comes after nearly 3,000 people had their say on the station earlier this year, with more than 90% of respondents supporting the plans.

A CGI of what the proposed new Golborne station could look like, if plans are approved / Credit: TfGM

If the plans are approved by Wigan Council, work on the site should begin in 2026, according to TfGM, with the new station scheduled to open in 2027.

Mayor Andy Burnham called the submitting of the proposals a “transformative step” for the region.

“It has taken a huge effort to get us to this point,” he explained. “But we have finally reached a major milestone on the journey to reconnect Golborne to the rail network for the first time in over 60 years.

Read more:

“The proposal is based on extremely sound evidence and huge progress has been made with a planning application being submitted and overwhelming support from local residents.”

Featured Image – TfGM

More Travel & Tourism

City Centre

Fancy living on one of Manchester’s most-sought after streets?

Art & Culture

Forget pub crawls – you can now go on a guided cheese crawl around Manchester

Manchester has been named one of the top winter destinations in Europe. Credit: The Manc Group

Christmas

Manchester has been named one of Europe’s top destinations to visit this winter

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches