MANSTON -2
Join Date: Jan 2006
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Isn't one of the main factor that the loco cannot access Heathrow and Gatwick? So for London, Kent, Sussex and Surrey Manston is as reachable as Stansted. Taking the Thames as a dividing line anything south of this really struggles to get to Stansted. Yes Heathrow and Gatwick are the preferred airports but i cannot see the likes of Wizz, FlyBe.....etc getting many more slots, if they can't then where are these bigger and better markets? All businesses need to be creative, and all new ideas and routes are some sort of risk, no one offers any guarantees. It is the entrepreneurs who measure these risks that succeed or fail! Talking of which again I ask why did Holiday Inn's decide to build a hotel in a field outside of Minster, have they got so much money that they need to throw it away, or is it part of bigger vision?
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: whitstable
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Still no news on the DAS purchase, but there will be a public announcement this Wednesday. All we know is that it is an existing airline.
Correct, it is but the announcement as to who has bought it won't now be made for a couple of weeks because negotiations haven't moved as quickly as anticipated.
Correct, it is but the announcement as to who has bought it won't now be made for a couple of weeks because negotiations haven't moved as quickly as anticipated.
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Wouldn't you like to know!
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Flightless I was referring to business men who need to get to London for work, not business men who live in Kent. These are not going to fly into Kent then go to London when its easier from other airports! Anyway, for your argument Manston is hardly in a good location to serve the vast majority of Kent either!
Furmanek, why do you presume only Stansted is north of the river? Luton is easily accessible from South London due to Thameslink / FCC and will be ever more so once Thameslink 2000 is completed.
Furmanek, why do you presume only Stansted is north of the river? Luton is easily accessible from South London due to Thameslink / FCC and will be ever more so once Thameslink 2000 is completed.
Join Date: Jan 2006
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?
Well yes we could start listing Bournemouth, Lydd, Southampton....... and then East Midlands, London City....the point really was that from South of the river airlines need to be creative with slot availability.
I am now starting to realize that this thread is populated with quite a few "hair splitters"! I can see the spotters lurking in the undergrowth!
I am now starting to realize that this thread is populated with quite a few "hair splitters"! I can see the spotters lurking in the undergrowth!
Join Date: Jul 2007
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of course there are business men who work in London. But there are also business men who work elswhere all over the the country and some I am sure have a company base in Kent. My point was that not every travellers destination is London and perhaps if some had the choice they may choose to you use a smaller less stressful airport and travel through the Kent country side to work.
Join Date: Apr 2004
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I agree some business travellers might but the vast majority will not give a two hoots about the Kent countryside and would much rather fly to a more conviently located airport.
I also admit some companies may have a base in Kent. However, I faill to see the weight of this argument considering Manston isn't brilliantly located for most of Kent. Some parts of Kent are over 60 miles by road from the airport!
I also admit some companies may have a base in Kent. However, I faill to see the weight of this argument considering Manston isn't brilliantly located for most of Kent. Some parts of Kent are over 60 miles by road from the airport!
Last edited by nickmanl; 6th Nov 2007 at 15:47.
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I also admit some companies may have a base in Kent. However, I feel to see the weight of this argument considering Manston isn't brilliantly located for most of Kent. Some parts of Kent are over 60 miles by road from the airport!
I think if there were some decent destinations from Manston a vast majority would use it. A drive down the M2 and then onto the Thanet Way to Manston has got to be a lot easier and much, much faster than trying to get through the Dartford tunnel, struggling with the M25 and M12 to Stansted or fighting your way to the M23 for Gatwick or even through the Blackwall to London City.
I think if there were some decent destinations from Manston a vast majority would use it. A drive down the M2 and then onto the Thanet Way to Manston has got to be a lot easier and much, much faster than trying to get through the Dartford tunnel, struggling with the M25 and M12 to Stansted or fighting your way to the M23 for Gatwick or even through the Blackwall to London City.
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M23, M11 etc
Ultimately the pro airport group feel that many people would prefer a regional hassle free option to the larger airports, and the cons claim that Manston is too far away from civilization. It doesn't really matter, the deciding factor will be whether airlines come to the airport or not. We can only sit and watch and wait! No one on this thread really knows (or is at liberty to say) very much.
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: EGMH..a down, not yet out, formerly awesome airfield
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time scale...
Catflaps
......approaching three years?
It was the end of August 2005 that Infratil took over. Plenty of time left before the three years are up. Are you marking black crosses daily on your calendar? Also, some statements said up to four or five years, so still only half way through their projected time to get things up and running.
......approaching three years?
It was the end of August 2005 that Infratil took over. Plenty of time left before the three years are up. Are you marking black crosses daily on your calendar? Also, some statements said up to four or five years, so still only half way through their projected time to get things up and running.
Join Date: Nov 2006
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Nickmanl
would love to see Manston get some scheduled services but it needs to be by a prop operator who can develop the market and do so profitably.
This is a very strange quote! Why would it make a difference for a prop airline to start? Are you suggesting jet operators do not develop markets and operate at a loss? If you want to develop a market surely a global brand such as Ryanair of Easy would be a much better bet than a regional airline such as eastern?
Surely if the market is there as many on these boards profess Ryanair and other low cost airlines would have no problem operating jet aircraft. Today 09:56
Appreciate your comments above. You are correct in saying that low cost airlines such as Ryanair and easyjet do develop markets. And I am not suggesting that they wouldnt do a good job. However, It is my view that one size does not fit all so to speak. If we look at the Ryanair experience in Humberside, the aircraft was simply to big and too costly to operate for the route at that time. The numbers were low for a 738 but would be handsome for a commuter type aircraft. While Ryanair could probably make a profit at low loads due to their super low costs, they will in time root out the low yield sectors. It's when they axe routes and airports that other possible operators will not go in. THis I would suggest is the reason why no further airlines have went into Manston since Eujets demise.
On that note I would suggest that Flybe at this stage is the best fit for the Manston scenario, they have low cost base, realistic size aircraft and are more of a niche carrier.
When I first flew I went on a Shorts 360 and the operator of it described it as a great aircraft for route development due to being small and cheap to operate, for the size.
Further to my last comments, If the Manston airport owners want to establish a scheduled services network, its not nowadays only about showing that proposed routes could be viable. Airlines often dont launch a particular route as the alternatives are more attractive. I mean the airline must consider the best deployment of its resources.
The airport need to attract a number of airlines onto the best routes, and give them guarntees to profitability, ie support, in marketing , financial or otherwise, these would serve as testimony to the airport and would result in future new services.
The leading eujet services were Manchester, Dublin and sun spots?? to my memory but may be different, all this information is available online. What does anyone think?
EIBUD
This is a very strange quote! Why would it make a difference for a prop airline to start? Are you suggesting jet operators do not develop markets and operate at a loss? If you want to develop a market surely a global brand such as Ryanair of Easy would be a much better bet than a regional airline such as eastern?
Surely if the market is there as many on these boards profess Ryanair and other low cost airlines would have no problem operating jet aircraft. Today 09:56Appreciate your comments above. You are correct in saying that low cost airlines such as Ryanair and easyjet do develop markets. And I am not suggesting that they wouldnt do a good job. However, It is my view that one size does not fit all so to speak. If we look at the Ryanair experience in Humberside, the aircraft was simply to big and too costly to operate for the route at that time. The numbers were low for a 738 but would be handsome for a commuter type aircraft. While Ryanair could probably make a profit at low loads due to their super low costs, they will in time root out the low yield sectors. It's when they axe routes and airports that other possible operators will not go in. THis I would suggest is the reason why no further airlines have went into Manston since Eujets demise.
On that note I would suggest that Flybe at this stage is the best fit for the Manston scenario, they have low cost base, realistic size aircraft and are more of a niche carrier.
When I first flew I went on a Shorts 360 and the operator of it described it as a great aircraft for route development due to being small and cheap to operate, for the size.
Further to my last comments, If the Manston airport owners want to establish a scheduled services network, its not nowadays only about showing that proposed routes could be viable. Airlines often dont launch a particular route as the alternatives are more attractive. I mean the airline must consider the best deployment of its resources.
The airport need to attract a number of airlines onto the best routes, and give them guarntees to profitability, ie support, in marketing , financial or otherwise, these would serve as testimony to the airport and would result in future new services.
The leading eujet services were Manchester, Dublin and sun spots?? to my memory but may be different, all this information is available online. What does anyone think?
EIBUD
Join Date: Sep 2007
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CATFLAPS
Infratil have made no official announcements ??
If you look at Infratil web site your see official announcements are made all the time.
What are you looking for ? what would like to happen with the airport.
Infratil have made no official announcements ??
If you look at Infratil web site your see official announcements are made all the time.
What are you looking for ? what would like to happen with the airport.
Join Date: Dec 2000
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Looks like manstonman is right - again. No announcement re DAS today.
Interesting rumbles coming from Ostend. MK have lost two flights/week to an Amsterdam operation; that leaves only three timetabled departures/week. The word there is that MK are moving to Manston.
Another new customer coming in to Manston tonight.
Interesting rumbles coming from Ostend. MK have lost two flights/week to an Amsterdam operation; that leaves only three timetabled departures/week. The word there is that MK are moving to Manston.
Another new customer coming in to Manston tonight.
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The local council in Ostend will not be very impressed if MK move their operation to Manston as they subsidised the new build cargo facility for MK at Ost.
Last edited by dionysius; 8th Nov 2007 at 08:05.