Route Licenses and Other Topics
There is an impression given that route licenses are "point to point", probably unintentional. Whilst that is true for some routes it is not generally the case. The CAA website states:
"Route Licences
EEA air carriers may fly on most routes within the EEA without any further licence being required. For services either wholly or partly outside the EEA a licence holder will normally need to hold an additional licence, a Route Licence, which is also granted by the CAA; Route Licences can be granted only to holders of Operating Licences.
Despite their name, Route Licences do not normally cover just a single route. The most commonly granted licences permit any operations that are within the area permitted by the holder’s Air Operator’s Certificate, though there may be specific restrictions placed in specific circumstances. For scheduled services outside the EEA, the possession of a Route Licence does not however necessarily mean that the licence holder is free to commence services; it must also be designated by the Secretary of State under the terms of the bilateral Air Service Agreement between the UK and the country to which it is intended to operate. Although the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are part of the UK, they are not members of the EU and therefore the Market Access Regulation does not apply."
It would therefore seem sensible for an airport to research "point to point" routes that may prove to be viable from its location, after all, they want their operation to be successfull. Quite clearly, the CAA will not be holding data on a route, for example, Manston to Warsaw, quite simply because no airline has ever flown it. It may be viable with the right aircraft.
There is also a little snippet that may, or may not, impact on Manston at some time. MK are clearly pursuing the transfer of their fleet to the UK register, note this extract from CAA Official Record Series 2 No. 1804:
"Secretary of State's Decisions on applications by UK operators to lease foreign-registered aircraft
The Secretary of State for Transport has granted approval to the following UK operators to lease foreign-registered aircraft:
Standard Procedure
MK Airlines Limited to extend its dry lease of six Ghanaian registered Boeing 747-200F aircraft (registrations 9G-MKU, 9G-MKR, 9G-MKS, 9G-MKP, 9G-MKL and 9G-MKM) from 22 June 2007 until 31 October 2007 to cover the period of transfer of the aircraft to the UK register."