Manston Reactivating ?
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Thanet
Posts: 283
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
EUjet and Manston failed because they were haemorrhaging money. Goldman Sachs bailed them out with £30 million on 17 Dec 2004, but 7 months later all that money had gone and the whole operation went into administration, Yes the airline carried passengers but they could only be induced to fly with ridiculously low fares. This was a lo-co model and overall the load factor was dreadful- below 40% if memory serves. The Manston strategy involves inducing investors to ignore the planning inspector report, all independent consultant reports, and 16 years of market failure. The amazing thing is that historical precedent suggests they will succeed. When it comes to Manston there is always someone ready to throw good money after bad.
Last edited by deedave; 29th Aug 2022 at 16:15.
Thread Starter
With cargo only operations, the load factor would (one assumes) very high if guaranteed operations were offered to the shippers. With that in the bag the airport would/should have a good chance.
Out of interest what were the load factors for KLM when they were operating feeder flights to AMS ?
Out of interest what were the load factors for KLM when they were operating feeder flights to AMS ?
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Thanet
Posts: 283
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
With cargo only operations, the load factor would (one assumes) very high if guaranteed operations were offered to the shippers. With that in the bag the airport would/should have a good chance.
Out of interest what were the load factors for KLM when they were operating feeder flights to AMS ?
Out of interest what were the load factors for KLM when they were operating feeder flights to AMS ?
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Birchington, Kent, England
Age: 82
Posts: 176
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Difficult to say where RiverOak plans to source their cargo. USA, China and Africa must be somewhere in the mix. Cargolux may well return as they have been seen to use Luxemboug and Stanstead. The African freight was mostly veg and flowers. Flowers do not weigh much but take up a lot of volume. It is all speculation until RiverOak make more information available.
I see it has been mooted that there may be a "limited" RAF return as a dispersal site. That is a distinct possibility, been there, done it, got the tea shirt. That would really upset the nimbies, military aircraft are not required to comply with noise limitations.
Also MAY see a return of airsea rescue. Other possibilities are channel surveillance, and air ambulance. Time will tell.
I see it has been mooted that there may be a "limited" RAF return as a dispersal site. That is a distinct possibility, been there, done it, got the tea shirt. That would really upset the nimbies, military aircraft are not required to comply with noise limitations.
Also MAY see a return of airsea rescue. Other possibilities are channel surveillance, and air ambulance. Time will tell.
Manston was also used as a training site for the airlines as well as flight training by TGA so there could be a few revenue streams coming into play once it's actually open. It's ideally situated for a training organization to offer both UK & EASA licensing if there continues to be a need for that.
I'd imagine Riveroak have been in talks with cargo operators and airlines to gauge interest and deemed it enough to go ahead. In which case this would far outweigh any report done years ago.
Listening to the most outspoken opponents of this project there appears to be 2 main arguments,
1. That there will be 747 freighters every 15 minutes screaming overhead Ramsgate causing noise and air pollution.
2. That there is no possible chance of success for a reopened Manston and there will be no freight or pax requirement to make it viable.
These 2 arguments cancel each other out since if there is no flights then there is no pollution.
I'd imagine Riveroak have been in talks with cargo operators and airlines to gauge interest and deemed it enough to go ahead. In which case this would far outweigh any report done years ago.
Listening to the most outspoken opponents of this project there appears to be 2 main arguments,
1. That there will be 747 freighters every 15 minutes screaming overhead Ramsgate causing noise and air pollution.
2. That there is no possible chance of success for a reopened Manston and there will be no freight or pax requirement to make it viable.
These 2 arguments cancel each other out since if there is no flights then there is no pollution.
Manston was also used as a training site for the airlines as well as flight training by TGA so there could be a few revenue streams coming into play once it's actually open
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Birchington, Kent, England
Age: 82
Posts: 176
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Have observed over last few days, some activity at or near Ramsgate end of runway. Can’t make out what but seems to consist of some temporary buildings and some plant or equipment.
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: london
Age: 58
Posts: 252
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Was at manston two weeks ago . Spoke to a couple of gents who where working in the history museum said rumours going around heavy plant machinery turning up soon to start on new cargo sheds also noted out side old tower large plant equipment.
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: UK
Posts: 538
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
All to be complete next week and planes arriving the week after!!
Listening to the most outspoken opponents of this project there appears to be 2 main arguments,
1. That there will be 747 freighters every 15 minutes screaming overhead Ramsgate causing noise and air pollution.
2. That there is no possible chance of success for a reopened Manston and there will be no freight or pax requirement to make it viable.
These 2 arguments cancel each other out since if there is no flights then there is no pollution.
1. That there will be 747 freighters every 15 minutes screaming overhead Ramsgate causing noise and air pollution.
2. That there is no possible chance of success for a reopened Manston and there will be no freight or pax requirement to make it viable.
These 2 arguments cancel each other out since if there is no flights then there is no pollution.
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Birchington, Kent, England
Age: 82
Posts: 176
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Once again, an application for a judicial review against the DCO decision has been submitted.
Also, RSP has announced that RSP moves on to consultation stage in programme to secure new flight procedures for Manston. Full details available on the RSP Manston web site.
Also, RSP has announced that RSP moves on to consultation stage in programme to secure new flight procedures for Manston. Full details available on the RSP Manston web site.
To me at least, all this talk of Manston reactivating highlights the disparity which exists with the transport systems in this country. On the one hand, there are (apparently) moves afoot to put the airfield back into operation, (albeit generally for cargo as I understand it), whilst a perfectly well-equipped airport in the north of the country is closing down. The south-east is already overcrowded in every sense, housing, transport, both surface and air, and the M25 is just a permanent nightmare.
What this country has lacked for generations is a grown-up transport policy which is beneficial to the whole country. Yes, 10+ million people live in the Greater London area, but the remaining 57 million or so live outside it, yet here is further talk of cargo being brought into a distribution point which is far removed from most of the population centres.
What this country has lacked for generations is a grown-up transport policy which is beneficial to the whole country. Yes, 10+ million people live in the Greater London area, but the remaining 57 million or so live outside it, yet here is further talk of cargo being brought into a distribution point which is far removed from most of the population centres.
its more like 25 million within 100 miles of C london.
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Thanet
Posts: 283
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Essex
Posts: 1,236
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Good to see positivity. Perhaps Flybe 3 or 4 could have aircraft based here.
https://apple.news/ANv8GqAfBTi6lpvyKgy95fg
https://apple.news/ANv8GqAfBTi6lpvyKgy95fg
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Kent, UK
Posts: 73
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Mail Online article today says Manston to reopen, £500m investment
OK, it could simply be a slow news day and Mail Online has only just discovered this, but this article in the Mail Online today kinda confirms earlier reports.-
Search for "Abandoned-UK-airport-set-reopen-nearly-decade-bosses-eye-budget-flights-Europe"
Personally I love the plan, I can get there in the same time it takes to travel to Gatwick but park right outside the terminal and walk across the road into the terminal. A simple stroll through the terminal and back to the car on the way back, this was where the real time was gained over Gatwick. I liked EUJet, and it was a shame they couldnt sustain it. Sadly the catchment area being only a slice of the pizza rather than the whole circle means it only serves Kent for passengers, and even the new station may be no closer than Ramsgate to the actual terminal and wont serve freight trains so they missed the point there. Almost get the idea that Network Rail were already counting their chickens with the housing development on Manston.
Search for "Abandoned-UK-airport-set-reopen-nearly-decade-bosses-eye-budget-flights-Europe"
Personally I love the plan, I can get there in the same time it takes to travel to Gatwick but park right outside the terminal and walk across the road into the terminal. A simple stroll through the terminal and back to the car on the way back, this was where the real time was gained over Gatwick. I liked EUJet, and it was a shame they couldnt sustain it. Sadly the catchment area being only a slice of the pizza rather than the whole circle means it only serves Kent for passengers, and even the new station may be no closer than Ramsgate to the actual terminal and wont serve freight trains so they missed the point there. Almost get the idea that Network Rail were already counting their chickens with the housing development on Manston.