Post-war built DC-3D "St Colmcille" served Aer Lingus from new in February 1946 until sale to Nepal in July 1964. She is on short finals to Manchester Ringway's now closed 3300 ft subsidiary Runway 20, inbound from Dublin.

Sabena were the first airline to operate transatlantic schedules from Manchester, starting in October 1953. Here OO-CTI arrives on Runway 06 direct from NY Idlewild (later JFK) after a ten-hour nonstop flight. After dropping passengers, it will continue to Brussels. The westbound flights were via Gander for refuelling.