MANCHESTER Airport has announced a major programme of events to celebrate its 80th birthday with passengers, communities and colleagues past and present.

The airport’s ‘oak’ anniversary celebrations will emphasise its regional roots and global branches, telling the story of its evolution from a wooden hut in 1938 to the UK’s third largest airport today.

Activity will take place either side of Manchester Airport’s official birthday on June 25, and will also look forward to how the gateway will be transformed through the £1 billion investment programme currently under way.

A key pillar of the celebrations will be the airport’s central role in this year’s Manchester Day parade on June 17.

The airport is the official partner for this year’s event, with a special interactive float being designed for the occasion.

It will tell the story of the gateway’s development through the decades, as well as highlighting its current network of more than 220 different destinations around the globe. Scores of airport colleagues will take part in the parade.

During its birthday week Manchester Airport will join forces with the Bee in the City campaign, taking the wraps off a giant bee in its Ground Transport Interchange.

The bee will have a theme of ‘80 days around the world’, again pointing to the airport’s extensive route network.

It will be one of the many bees that eventually go on auction to raise funds for the I Love Manchester fund.

The airport is also set to open up the archives and curate a special exhibition of artefacts from across the decades.

These include old airline memorabilia, uniforms and antique luggage scales, some not seen for many years.

These will go on display at the airport’s Runway Visitor Park for its thousands of visitors to see, free of charge.

Also at the Runway Visitor Park the annual Aviation and Transport Festival will be celebrating all things 80 with classic cars and vehicles historic military transport and aviation exhibits on show on June 30 and July 1.

Manchester Airport will also be partnering with airline KLM, who operated the first commercial flight on June 27, 1938 to Amsterdam via Doncaster.

The Dutch national carrier is planning a range of activities to celebrate this milestone with its passengers.

A range of activities for communities surrounding the airport will also be delivered as part of the celebrations.

The airport has made a pledge to plant 80 oak trees around the region, working community organisations to decide the locations for them.

There will also be a host of 80th birthday tea parties and a school competition to design the airport’s official birthday card.