It appears that we are going around in circles.
I would disagree that MSE doesnt have the catchment area because
EUjet were on target to carry 400,000 passengers in their first year of operation which is 100,000 more than SOU managed in their first year in the new terminal. Manston does have a place as a regional airport but it will never offer the 50 double dailies that deedave wants.
You may be intersed to know the catchment area extended as far as South London (FACT) and passengers were willing to travel to MSE as opposed to going to LGW.
If we take Maidstone as an example because it is equidistant from LGW and MSE. According to AA route planner it takes 46 minutes to travel the 42 miles to LGW and 57 minutes to travel the 44 miles to Manston resulting in a saving of 11 minutes. This will easily be consumed by the understaffed and inadequate securty at BAA, the long walk from the pier to the terminal and then the 40 minute minimum wait for baggage reclaim.
I note deedaves comment about the accident on the M2 which closed it, but in comparison to the M25 the M2 runs like a dream.
deedave you also ask why there was no announcement on pax figures for November, it probably because there werent any. Seguro had finished their Summer schedule and there were no other passenger movements apart from a few private jets.
I do feel that with the right operators and the right aircraft MSE can become a successful regional airport. Having said that, if MSE does succeed I will be very happy but if it doesn't I wont lose any sleep.
PS dont count your chickens on the Virginia flights!
Mdis