Manchester Airport – Terminal 1 Redevelopment
Manchester Airport’s Terminal 1 underwent a major £50 million redevelopment to improve passenger flow, enhance commercial performance and prepare the terminal for increased international travel. Wayfinder Ltd was commissioned to analyse the passenger journey in detail and deliver a clear, intuitive wayfinding strategy that reduced stress, improved efficiency and supported the airport’s commercial objectives.
Challenges:
Navigating Complexity in a High-Pressure Environment
High passenger stress around check-in, security and departure gates
Congestion caused by retail placement and queue interactions
Confusing sightlines leading to hesitation and slow movement
Need to balance navigation clarity with commercial visibility
Multiple decision points where passengers lost confidence
Requirement to support both experienced and first-time flyers
Our Approach
We carried out a full behavioural and environmental study, observing how passengers moved through Terminal 1 from the moment they entered the building. Our analysis identified key bottlenecks and revealed that land-side retail was diverting attention from security, causing late arrivals and missed flights.
We recommended repositioning retail to encourage passengers to pass through security earlier and enjoy the commercial offer airside, where dwell time is higher. We also simplified the communication hierarchy, clarified routes to check-in and security, and improved the spacing and visibility of directional signage to support smooth movement during peak traffic.
Results
The new strategy significantly improved passenger flow, reduced stress during check-in and security, and contributed to a decrease in missed flights. Passengers moved more confidently through the terminal, and commercial performance improved due to increased dwell time in the airside retail zone. The system provided a more intuitive, modern experience while supporting the airport’s long-term operational goals.
More Transport Wayfinding
Every project we deliver is rooted in how people actually think, move, and make decisions. The results speak for themselves! Clearer journeys, fewer questions, reduced stress, and environments that simply work better.
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