MANSTON
 

Surely we must have served our penance ?? we are supposed to be a democracy after all...........:bored:
Whether you have served your penance or not remains to be seen, it is going to depend on the quality of the posts. And no, the Forum/Site is not a democracy.

AA&R Moderators

OK, let's give it a go.

Put it this way. Give us a hand. If YOU see that someone is overstepping to mark or breaking the rules, tell them. You all have the power to edit your own posts and by giving them a bad time they will do it - OR - we will do it for them.

Fair enough?

Now try to enjoy it.

Infratil's January report for KIA-M
Encouraging increase from last year..:ok:

Norfolk Flights Cancelled
 

The plug has been pulled on the charter series to Norfolk, only around 800 seats were sold which works out to around 30 people per flight. From what I understand, the majority of those were Americans coming here, and while the poor exchange rate has been named a factor, I doubt it accounts for that level of shortfall.

Gobsmacked
 

Norfolk Cancellations.

Is this really true?

While I certainly believe MSE cannot survive, I am shocked and appalled that these flights have been pulled.

It would only have taken a minute percentage of the supposed catchment population to get a decent load factor on these aircraft.

It seems no matter how pessemistic a view one takes of MSE, the reality is always worse.

The last thing Manston needs is another low yield disaster , Orlando i could have understood but Norfolk never made much sense.As long as Kent Escapes show year on year increases in pax (or yield) this is little more than common sense prevailing.

DTUP

Yes its true they have been scraped just seen it on news.But I think Norfolk is the wrong place like DTUP said I really think Cosmos should fly Orlando and other top places that would work. Think they need to do some sort off poll around Kent and SE. Any news on what airline is doing the Kent escapes flights?

Regards
James

With Cosmos struggling to sell Orlando out of LGW, what makes you think that you could out of MSE?

Isn't it time to face facts? With the economy on the turn, and aviation under mounting environmental pressure, the collapse of the nonsensical Norfolk flights comes as no surprise. When I asked people if they would be taking advantage of these flights their immediate response was always, "What's in Virginia....a lonesome pine?" I cannot believe that Infratil aren't now seriously reviewing whatever plans they had made for Manston.

"With Cosmos struggling to sell Orlando out of LGW, what makes you think that you could out of MSE?"

Wasn't it Tipple and Freudmann who produced the report that recommended this route? With their vast experience of the aviation industry, perhaps they could explain why they got it so badly wrong. Perhaps Kent County Council could explain how they came to select FT International to give them paid advice. There seem to be so many knowledgeable people on this board. How come none of them were asked?

Well it shows just how much they know about the tour business.:mad:

Ask yourself where Tipple and Freudman came from then, you have the answers.
Once upon a time there was a company called "Planestastion"....
The rest has been written on this thread many times before.

Well LGW has 4 or 5 tour operaters flying to Orlando ,MSE has none So it might work there :ok:Yes I remember that company Planestation ;) :E

James

When Eujet and planestation died, the McGoldrick family were widely scapegoated. Those with a little more corporate knowledge also targeted Martin May.

Now it seems Tipple and Freudman are going to get the same treatment.

Scapegoating individual players gets us nowhere.

The fact is, we are all to blame (particularly our local politicians) for buying into the myth that an old military runway at the bottom corner of the UK is going to attract credible volumes of commercially viable activity.

Certainly, I myself was daft enough to believe it.

Not any more though.

Only a couple of days and Dads' Army is back. Captain Mainwaring is the only one to have made a sensible comment (I'm Cpl Jones), and on the basis of one route cancelled Pte Frazer writes off MSE yet again.

Norfolk was always weird - a KCC Conservative idea, like the Turner Centre, and was always billed as one season only.

After a quiet month, there's been a flurry of serious freight activity this week. We're all on tenterhooks waiting for the DAS decision, particularly as this impacts on maintenance business.

Flybe. announces its new structure tomorrow. It was rumoured last year that they were up for two routes. Have they moved on, or are they still planning to come?

The freight apron is being expanded, and the passenger one has been repaired. Manston is ready and open for business.

"The freight apron is being expanded"

No it isn't. There's no work going on, on the airfield at the moment. Where did you get this information?

From the BBC
Plans to run transatlantic flights between Kent and America have been scrapped because of poor ticket sales.
The weekly service to Norfolk, Virginia was supposed to take off from Manston International Airport in May.

But package holiday company Cosmos decided to cancel the planned flights after selling just 10% of the available tickets.

Cosmos said the 800 passengers who had booked the service would get a full refund or be offered another holiday.

It was hoped the transatlantic service would help restore industry confidence in the airport.
Infratil took over the Kent International airport in 2007 after previous owner PlaneStation went into administration.

Steve Fitzgerald, Chief Executive of Infratil Airports Europe, said: "We are obviously disappointed that this project will not be going ahead as planned.

"We believe Kent International Airport has the potential to service the domestic and short-haul, business and leisure, low cost and charter markets within Europe.

"There will be a gradual development and our business plan anticipates growth to around 500,000 - 600,000 passengers over three years."

Kent County Council leader Paul Carter said: "It was a calculated risk that had significant potential and could have delivered major benefits for the region. Enormous efforts have been made on both sides of the Atlantic to promote the flights.

"In the absence of any other organisation prepared to share the financial risk of continuing with the project, it would not be prudent or viable to invest public money in the venture."

Well EUjet got 400,000 Passagers so I think it can work out for MSE like I say to the right places.


PS Whats the two routes Flybe had planned?

James

Ongoing work on the airfield
 

Work is continuing, contractors are working on the AGL, markings, the B apron and the work to expand the E apron is planned.

Has B apron been fixed now?:confused:

James