MANSTON -3
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Quote: "No allegedly about it - there is a station near MME which I think gets one service a week (the least used station on the network??)"
Exactly, worse than useless for airport access. It's regretable because
it could provide access to/from Darlington (and the mainline network), Middlesbrough, and the coast at Redcar, etc..
Bit of a walk from the terminal though!
One train a week sounds like a ruse to keep the station open.
Exactly, worse than useless for airport access. It's regretable because
it could provide access to/from Darlington (and the mainline network), Middlesbrough, and the coast at Redcar, etc..
Bit of a walk from the terminal though!
One train a week sounds like a ruse to keep the station open.
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It is a ruse. It's what's known as a 'parliamentary train' which means the rail operator can avoid the lengthy and tiresome procedure of formally closing the station by operating a minimal service. Wikipedia is actually quite good on this, if you can be bothered.
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Well I got to see Manston in the end but not much of it. In fact just one windsock and an ILS aerial in the distance as my high speed train headed for the coast. What a shame, so near yet so far. Sums up Manston I would say.
Last edited by LTNman; 14th May 2012 at 06:08.
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Quote: "It is a ruse. It's what's known as a 'parliamentary train' which means the rail operator can avoid the lengthy and tiresome procedure of formally closing the station by operating a minimal service. Wikipedia is actually quite good on this, if you can be bothered."
Thanks for that info, johnnychips, explains it well. Will checkout wiki.
Thanks for that info, johnnychips, explains it well. Will checkout wiki.
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Don't worry LTNman, a few shots of Manston on this Meridian news report:
Council verdict due on Manston night flights | Meridian - ITV News
Council verdict due on Manston night flights | Meridian - ITV News
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KLM?
Passenger flights for Manston Airport? | Manston, Kent's International Airport
Kent residents are being offered the opportunity to influence a decision that could mean a major European airline will offer passenger flights from Manston Airport.
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, which is merged with Air France, is considering operating twice daily flights from the Kent airport to Schiphol in Amsterdam, which would link Manston to the rest of the world.
Charles Buchanan, Chief Executive at Manston Airport, said: “As part of our route development activity, we have been in discussions with KLM for some time. The airline has asked us to conduct a survey of local residents to find out what the level of demand is for the service.”
The online survey, which must be completed by 5pm on Friday, October 12, can be found at Manston Airport KLM Survey 2012
The flying to Amsterdam is just 40 minutes and from there, passengers will be able to fly to more than 90 direct destinations worldwide including the rest of Europe, America, Asia, andAfrica. Last year saw a record 49.8 million passengers pass through Schiphol, making it one of Europe’s busiest airports.
“If KLM decides to operate flights from Manston it would mean Kent residents would have easy access to sunny destinations all year round.” continued Charles Buchanan. “Manston is a great hassle free alternative to the London airports. We have very reasonable car parking charges and because of our fast check-in, passengers can be on a plane within minutes of arriving at the airport.
“We also have the advantage of being outside of the highly congested air traffic control area over London which means flights can avoid time-consuming holding patterns – ultimately reducing the travel time for passengers.
“As well as offering local residents the chance to travel worldwide, the flights would also bring a welcome boost to East Kent’s tourism with the potential to bring thousands of visitors to the county.”
Manston Airport currently has the capacity to welcome up to 1m passengers per year and its master plan estimates that passenger numbers could rise to 5m by 2033.
Kent residents are being offered the opportunity to influence a decision that could mean a major European airline will offer passenger flights from Manston Airport.
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, which is merged with Air France, is considering operating twice daily flights from the Kent airport to Schiphol in Amsterdam, which would link Manston to the rest of the world.
Charles Buchanan, Chief Executive at Manston Airport, said: “As part of our route development activity, we have been in discussions with KLM for some time. The airline has asked us to conduct a survey of local residents to find out what the level of demand is for the service.”
The online survey, which must be completed by 5pm on Friday, October 12, can be found at Manston Airport KLM Survey 2012
The flying to Amsterdam is just 40 minutes and from there, passengers will be able to fly to more than 90 direct destinations worldwide including the rest of Europe, America, Asia, andAfrica. Last year saw a record 49.8 million passengers pass through Schiphol, making it one of Europe’s busiest airports.
“If KLM decides to operate flights from Manston it would mean Kent residents would have easy access to sunny destinations all year round.” continued Charles Buchanan. “Manston is a great hassle free alternative to the London airports. We have very reasonable car parking charges and because of our fast check-in, passengers can be on a plane within minutes of arriving at the airport.
“We also have the advantage of being outside of the highly congested air traffic control area over London which means flights can avoid time-consuming holding patterns – ultimately reducing the travel time for passengers.
“As well as offering local residents the chance to travel worldwide, the flights would also bring a welcome boost to East Kent’s tourism with the potential to bring thousands of visitors to the county.”
Manston Airport currently has the capacity to welcome up to 1m passengers per year and its master plan estimates that passenger numbers could rise to 5m by 2033.
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Back in the day 'PlaneStation' the previous owners of KIA Manston were apparently about to sign on the dotted line with KLM. This time however it's actually been publicly announced on Manston's website, albeit a decision still has to be made.
I would imagine the Fokker 70 to be deployed on the route if it goes ahead? A return of the Fokkers to the skies of Thanet could be a possibility?
I would imagine the Fokker 70 to be deployed on the route if it goes ahead? A return of the Fokkers to the skies of Thanet could be a possibility?
Am I the only one with a sense of deja-vu here?
Anyone familiar with Planestation's ownership of Manston will recall how, at regular intervals, stories would appear in the press suggesting that flights to X, Y or Z were on the cards. The reality, if you actually read those stories, was that a 'survey' had been conducted to gauge interest in those destinations. Putting aside the wretched EUjet, who had a common owner with the airport, not one of those stories ever became reality.
Here's a thought. KLM, or their subsidiaries, pulled out of both Gatwick and Stansted in the last 10-15 years. Why should the economics of operating from Manston be any better?
Anyone familiar with Planestation's ownership of Manston will recall how, at regular intervals, stories would appear in the press suggesting that flights to X, Y or Z were on the cards. The reality, if you actually read those stories, was that a 'survey' had been conducted to gauge interest in those destinations. Putting aside the wretched EUjet, who had a common owner with the airport, not one of those stories ever became reality.
Here's a thought. KLM, or their subsidiaries, pulled out of both Gatwick and Stansted in the last 10-15 years. Why should the economics of operating from Manston be any better?
Takes over 90 mins to drive from Thanet to Gatwick or City and the train isn't exactly brilliant. Was going to suggest it might be like Humberside, but Manston doesn't have any hydrocarbons offshore.
Last edited by davidjohnson6; 28th Sep 2012 at 09:29.
AndyS, costs presumably? Significant fuel saving operating from an airport on the coast might sway them. However, I have no idea of the catchment area size, or type of business In the area. Someone has compared it to Humberside, which has petro chemical and shipping industry, and around 1million people in the immediate vicinity paired with a long drive to MAN, Im not sure how it holds up against Manston. SEN would make more sense to me.
Last edited by pug; 28th Sep 2012 at 11:18.
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The population of Kent is approximately 1,466,500, so say 1.5mil. That's not to say that some of those folk may live nearer to LGW. Having used Manston myself in the past I can say it is indeed a pleasure to fly from (when it actually had passenger flights) and I don't live in Kent either.
It would make a little more sense in terms of catchment area and transport links, but I think the same fundamental problems would apply.
At the end of the day, does anyone seriously think that KLM have only just become aware of MSE? That for the past 15-20 years or whatever they've never considered the route? I would have thought if they considered it viable, they'd have had a crack at it by now.
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Wycombe: I think MSE need to play-up the opportunities that routes like this give for hubbing through AMS to long-haul, so avoiding the UK's now outrageous long-haul APD rates.
... unless they use a 19-seater, in which case no APD will be payable on the entire journey.
But surely most of the fuel cost is in the climb? The slightly shorter cruising distance compared to LGW isn't going to amount to a significant cost saving. In fact MSE-AMS is probably a pretty fuel inefficient route
does anyone seriously think that KLM have only just become aware of MSE?
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For Manston-Amsterdam - as for other short routes - the problem is that there is almost no cruise phase, and what there is is at a lower altitude than normal, so less fuel efficient. On top of that the MSE-AMS route crosses major east-west inbound routes into the London airports and any KLM flights would have to negotiate entry into that busy bit of controlled airspace. Not of course impossible but likely to complicate flight planning and delay/interrupt the climb.
It would almost certainly have to be 240 seats a day each way since KLM doesn't do less than three rotations a day to any UK destination.
But it would be a major coup for Infratil (or new owners) if they can achieve it.
NS
And Thanet has a sufficient catchment area to fill 160 seats in each direction to/from AMS daily?
But it would be a major coup for Infratil (or new owners) if they can achieve it.
NS