I'm not say that you are anti Manston , I'm just trying to say that not everyone wants or needs to go to London.
The previous owners were egotitstcal, ill informed speculators who collapsed in a big way with other peoples money.
400,000 pax is what Eujet were on target to carry in their first full year.
If I needed to go to a destination that Manston served I would rather fly from MSE than antwhere else provided that the times suited me, if not I would go from LGW, LHR, LCY or STN
Mdis