Originally Posted by
Harry Wayfarers
Whether it be Weston Cross or Westwood Cross might be considered nitpicking!
As for connecting to the world Manston had that opportunity with KLM connecting Thanet to KLM's, and all their codeshare partners, world, but two or three Fokkers, or whatever, a day don't make for a viable airport.
You say that freight has always been the main earner for Manston, is that because it failed so miserably trying to attract passengers that the occasional freight movement won every time?
I worked for some 7 years in the cargo airline business, I do recall the occasional loaded freighter going thru Manston but more often than not the freighters were in Manston for maintenance with Jet Support, they weren't carrying revenue loads and what part of "THE RUNWAY ISN'T LONG ENOUGH" do you people have difficulty understanding?
And, yes, I did put a loaded freighter in to Manston one day, it was an F27 on it's way back DUS/SEN when pretty much all of England fogged out, Manston popped up with 1,000m RVR so we diverted it in there ... There, you can add a diverted F27 freighter to your statistics!
As for holiday destinations, EUJet tried it with modestly sized F100's and they failed miserably, Flybe had a route or two out of Manston but they couldn't make those work, as per my previous post the people of Thanet are being led to believe that with a re-opened Manston they can be jetting off to a holiday destination of their choice from their doorstep airport, well someone needs to tell these people the truth!
I won't be getting into one of these forum arguments, my reply to your previous message was due to you stating the facts of locals, who as I mentioned seem to of paid attention to what they want, rather than published fact.
2-3 Fokkers was never intended to make the place a viable airport, the catchment area has always been to limited and a regional connection was what KLM wanted to achieve as they had done at Norwich and other smaller airports and they were disappointed when the airport closed.
The money was always in freight movements, usually inbound fresh produce with a 747 able to be landed, unloaded and on the road custom checked within an hour being a big appeal. Freight going out was more limited, but printed matter, live animals (the equine facility was one of the few investments that infratil made) and specialist loads-I remember a AN-124 spending some time being loaded with a satellite. Training requirements, GA movements and as you mentioned maintenance counted for other aircraft.
EUJET tried to take on the concept of city breaks with multiple flights to differing Western Europe destinations, but with limited catchment as mentioned, it had mixed results. It was hastily set up and being bought by the airport operator was always a bad business decision. The flybe flights were always doomed to be nothing more than a test of using sat aircraft in the middle of the day to destinations more likely to appeal to business persons who would waste a day taking a flight at such a time.
The holiday destinations I refer to were the charter packages throughout the season that gave locals a choice of holiday with the previously mentioned appeals, These were often fully booked.
What I have said is what the locals have been told, go through the thread, look at the links and tell me where your statements have got fact from, no one promoting the airport has ever said Manston will take on the role of Heathrows third runway, the closest has been that taking a more regional approach, including MSE would reduce the of traffic needing Heathrow. Living in Thanet I have travelled internationally both making the trip to London airports and through Manston and beyond and I can tell you which I preferred.
Please don't come back slating my responses, look into what I say. As far as Manston now, I would love for it to succeed, I know that better investment when it was open would have seen it hold its own, but the tens of millions required to reopen it would never be returned.