MANSTON -2
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Sittingbourne Kent and at Wimborne Dorset
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Jes Said
Don't get down-hearted, chaps. Cloud 9 (where else?) and James are rumoured to be setting up Yoof Air. First routes will be to Oxford and Cambridge.
Don't get down-hearted, chaps. Cloud 9 (where else?) and James are rumoured to be setting up Yoof Air. First routes will be to Oxford and Cambridge.
BTW Be good having a flight to cambridge means I can go to the Duxford Airshows
James
Join Date: Mar 2006
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Kent Escapes plans new routes from airport
MORE routes could be coming to Kent International Airport next year as Kent Escapes looks to develop its operations.
Marketing and customer relations manager Sarah Burke said: "At the moment we fly from KIA to The Algarve on Thursdays, Majorca on Thursdays and Benidorm on Sundays.
"We won't be continuing the flights to Benidorm next year as the seat sales have been low.
"However, we will be continuing the Majorca and Algarve flights in 2008, and we are also looking at routes to Malaga, Girona and Las Palmas. We're hoping to go to one or two of those new locations next year as well as Majorca and The Algarve."
Report from Local paper
MORE routes could be coming to Kent International Airport next year as Kent Escapes looks to develop its operations.
Marketing and customer relations manager Sarah Burke said: "At the moment we fly from KIA to The Algarve on Thursdays, Majorca on Thursdays and Benidorm on Sundays.
"We won't be continuing the flights to Benidorm next year as the seat sales have been low.
"However, we will be continuing the Majorca and Algarve flights in 2008, and we are also looking at routes to Malaga, Girona and Las Palmas. We're hoping to go to one or two of those new locations next year as well as Majorca and The Algarve."
Report from Local paper
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Croydon, Surrey
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Don't get down-hearted, chaps. Cloud 9 (where else?) and James are rumoured to be setting up Yoof Air. First routes will be to Oxford and Cambridge.
I can certainly say that 'Yoof Air' will not be the name of the airline, and I have no intention of offering services to Oxford or Cambridge; or any other domestic services to begin with!
James is not involved with my plans directly; he has just been providing me with some useful information!
I appreciate you are entitled to your opinion, but if you have any further comment or questions to ask, please feel free to PM me rather than posting incorrect or unconfirmed information.
I think the slogan is "Blooming Marvellous" which is linked to Kent being the garden of England.
Last edited by cloud_9; 4th Aug 2007 at 09:47.
Join Date: Dec 2004
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Herne Bay - I wouldnt get too excited about Kent Escapes. If they only add one new destination then overall there will be no extra capacity as Alicante is being dropped. It shows commitment to Manston, but not much more. If they add two new destinations then that will be progress
Good publicity by Kent Escapes though because it gives the impression that they are expanding
Good publicity by Kent Escapes though because it gives the impression that they are expanding
niknak
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If Kent Escapes can't make Alicante work one has to wonder if any "bums to the sun" flight from Manston will be worthwhile.
It could of course, be that Kent Escapes lack the nous and experience - I think not, so it's got to be more to do with the fact that KIA cant make any more concessions to holiday operators and the realistic facts are now obvious to all.
The owners are obvious trying very hard and as I've said previously, I really hope that things work out there, but it's pretty obvious that the passenger market at Manston is very limited - hammered by nearby competition - and that will continue to be the case.
There comes a time when, commercially, you have to cut your losses and make hard nosed decisions, I suspect that in the case of Infratil, that isn't all that far away.
It could of course, be that Kent Escapes lack the nous and experience - I think not, so it's got to be more to do with the fact that KIA cant make any more concessions to holiday operators and the realistic facts are now obvious to all.
The owners are obvious trying very hard and as I've said previously, I really hope that things work out there, but it's pretty obvious that the passenger market at Manston is very limited - hammered by nearby competition - and that will continue to be the case.
There comes a time when, commercially, you have to cut your losses and make hard nosed decisions, I suspect that in the case of Infratil, that isn't all that far away.
Join Date: Jul 2007
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If Kent Escapes can't make Alicante work one has to wonder if any "bums to the sun" flight from Manston will be worthwhile.
Secondly, Malaga is a more popular airport for charter/tour operators, so I am not suprised that Kent Escape's load on the MSE-ALC route has been lower than expected.
I think LPA would be great if Kent Escape's can pull it off!
Join Date: Dec 2004
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If Kent Escapes can't make Alicante work one has to wonder if any "bums to the sun" flight from Manston will be worthwhile.
Personally I think Kent Escapes would be wise to stay away from destinations served heavily by LoCo's - somewere like FUE, DLM or LCA. These are popular charter destinations, but the competition is much less. Although I suspect Kent Escapes will only ever serve destinations served by their parent Seguro from PIK - and if Seguro dont add new destinations, then Kent Escapes wont expand outside of Spain/Portugal
Join Date: Jun 2006
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If they eyeing up Malaga then i hope we get it too Prestwick has been calling for it scince GSM left,tho i fear Seguros excellent reputation could be tarnished with the Skywings debacle
Join Date: Dec 2000
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The Kent Escapes farce continues. I was driving past the airport at 00:45 (sic) today and saw the MD83 land.
There's a rumour on another (Scottish) forum that Atlas are to operate a weekly flight to Manston.
There's a rumour on another (Scottish) forum that Atlas are to operate a weekly flight to Manston.
Join Date: Apr 2006
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We're hoping to go to one or two of those new locations next year
and not Girona which is Barcelona to Ryanair?
There's a rumour on another (Scottish) forum that Atlas are to operate a weekly flight to Manston.
All the best
James
Join Date: Feb 2005
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Gerona was operated last year (2006) by Kent Escapes and dropped this year due to poor loads in 2006, so they are mad to be mentioning it again as a possible route or they have a very short memory.
Agree that what is needed are some charter destinations not dominated by the lo-co's, perhaps Goldtrail could offer a DLM that would surely be a winner. Some Canary routes and perhaps a LCA/PFO is what is needed. GRO is a bad idea.
Agree that what is needed are some charter destinations not dominated by the lo-co's, perhaps Goldtrail could offer a DLM that would surely be a winner. Some Canary routes and perhaps a LCA/PFO is what is needed. GRO is a bad idea.
Join Date: Dec 2004
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Wasn;t it BCN and not GRO last year? Take your point though about it being a bad move
Goldtrail seem to have done very well with their major expansion this year across the UK, so I dont see why it wouldn't be worth them at least trying out some flights from MSE. Alternatively why not try and get Balkan Holidays?
Goldtrail seem to have done very well with their major expansion this year across the UK, so I dont see why it wouldn't be worth them at least trying out some flights from MSE. Alternatively why not try and get Balkan Holidays?
Join Date: Jan 2006
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Gro/bcn
The underlying problem was that the original flight was to depart at 23:55 so initial bookings were slow which affected the whole programme, though the PIK programme to BCN also struggled and the two were eventually combined making the MSE timings even worse. Even if the timings had been better, it is still doubtful as to whether a sustainable service could have been launched. PIK no longer has a Costa Brava programme. Like ALC, it is an area in which package tourism is in terminal decline and needs more regular service to cater to home-owners. It will not return.
Next summer will have 1 new flight to replace ALC, but there should be a winter programme for 08/09 and possibly for the tail end of 07/08 season.
Next summer will have 1 new flight to replace ALC, but there should be a winter programme for 08/09 and possibly for the tail end of 07/08 season.
Join Date: Dec 2000
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Thanks for another intelligent and well-informed post, Tommy. Yes, the charter market is dying in many areas, and that is why sales from MSE have been slow.
Changing direction, how long before Wizz routes are announced? And what's happening on the Flybe. front?
I write this to the accompaniment of an Oasis Hong Kong 744 screaming over my house in Broadstairs. Superb!
Changing direction, how long before Wizz routes are announced? And what's happening on the Flybe. front?
I write this to the accompaniment of an Oasis Hong Kong 744 screaming over my house in Broadstairs. Superb!
Join Date: Jul 2007
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that may well be the case with Alicante. I believe the eujet flights to Murcia were quite popular and that isnt really a package holiday destination so must have been a lot of owners using it myself included. If they dont hurry up and make announcements then they could loose a lot of potential passengers for next spring/summer people still seem to book early even if they are owners abroad.
Join Date: Aug 2002
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Gro/bcn
Just to get the facts straight, last year PIK had its own Seguro Costa Brava programme with a Spanair flight to BCN on a Wed evening(which I used and there were only a couple of empty seats either way)The Manston flight (due to poor sales?) was then re routed via PIK in an attempt to boost pax numbers but this was done at fairly short notice and I guess it did not work.
You are correct in saying that neither airport has a charter programme to this area of Spain and you would have to ask Seguro/Kent escapes why,but its not quite correct to say that both airports had their services combined as PIK was only meant to have 1 flight but ended up with 2.
P.S. How about sending that Oasis jumbo up here so you can have a nice quiet kip in the garden
You are correct in saying that neither airport has a charter programme to this area of Spain and you would have to ask Seguro/Kent escapes why,but its not quite correct to say that both airports had their services combined as PIK was only meant to have 1 flight but ended up with 2.
P.S. How about sending that Oasis jumbo up here so you can have a nice quiet kip in the garden