Manchester Airport: police warn passengers they may hear gunshots in ‘routine exercises’ Thursdays for five weeks

Manchester Airport is warning passengers that gunshots may be heard from the airport today (Thursday 26 October). The airport has said the sounds of gunshots will be heard for five Thursdays in a row from today.

Police said specialist officers will be taking part in training at the airport, and “routine exercises” will include firing blank ammunition. Greater Manchester Police said shots may be heard in the surrounding area but said that there is “no cause for alarm”.

The training by Greater Manchester Police is due to take place between 10pm and 1am for five Thursdays starting from today. A post on the GMP Manchester Airport Facebook page said: "Specialist officers from Greater Manchester Police will be carrying out training at Manchester Airport on five successive Thursday nights from October 26 2023 from around 10pm until 1am. These are routine exercises and there is no cause for alarm but the exercises will involve blank ammunition that may be heard in the surrounding area."

The police training comes after the airport halted flights on Tuesday evening last week (17 October) while police investigated a bomb threat made towards an Emirates flight from Dubai. An Emirates spokesperson said the incoming flight, EK19, “was subjected to additional security checks upon arrival”.

The airport temporarily closed for 34 minutes due to the incident. The Manchester Evening News reported that a heavy police contingent was on the scene along with a number of fire engines on the runway. A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson later confirmed that no suspicious items had been discovered and no arrests had been made.