Come on chaps, this is getting tiresome. The usual old stuff that's trotted out about rail links, no catchment area etc etc.
500,000 live within a 20 min drive
1.9m live within a 60 min drive
Very few regional airports in Britain have rail links. I can think of Southampton and Prestwick.
It's all about market opportunities, management and investment. Sun routes, plus links to such places as Dublin, Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Amsterdam are the key to success in pax services. There are masses of Poles working in Kent. The esoteric stuff is a bonus.
As for freight, the potential is huge. Emirates Air Force has moved there from Lyneham; huge benefits in reduced flying time. The Middle and Far East are where all the growth is taking place. Which is the closest UK airport to them? DAS is talking seriously about a move. The delay to Stansted's 2nd runway will have an impact. And it's not just about airport capacity. Lots of freight/parcels carriers find that their vehicles can't get into and out of the major airports because of road congestion.
It is also very suitable for tech stops. Investment is needed to get the fuel supply right, plus quite a few other things.
I just hope that Infratil have got the money and drive to pull it off. They have an established relationship with Ryanair and Wizz. We shall see.