Freight Handling
 

More detail available, courtesy of the Kent-Online website, of the new ground handling equipment at Manston. Four 2.5 tonne, one 4.5 tonne forklift followed in January by an 11 tonne and a 13 tonne. The larger vehicles to be used for unloading aircraft.

Thanks, Paradism: well-researched.

The Empost cargo last week was not horses; it was printed matter. It looks as though the airport has another customer.

Over on the CAA website you'll find this:docs/5/ergdocs/ba_stanfeb07.pdf
'Extending the current Price Control on Stansted Airport - a Consultation' Response by British Airways (BA) plc

In paragraph 11 you will find BA's current thoughts on Manston . . . .
While some limited alternatives do exist [to Stansted], these are either substantially further away (e.g East Midlands, Manchester) and/or currently have inadequate facilities (e.g. Manston has inadequate security provision and other facilites while Luton has an insufficiently long runway for 747 Freighter operations; etc etc etc . . .

Somehow, I don't think we'll be seeing BA Cargo in Manston for a while!

Right so Manston runway is not longer then Luton's :hmm::confused:

Luton 7,087ft
Manston 9,029ft

Plus whats the max take off weight for a 747?

James

The BA response document says: Manston has inadequate security provision and other facilities (which BA don't specify), runway length isn't an issue.

Manston Runway
 

The detail beats me but this is all you ever wanted to know about Manston's runway:
http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/64/DAP_ACD_TYPEA_EGMH.pdf

BA cargo at MSE is a rumour that some people have been attempting to float for at least 10 years.
I daresay they will try and float it for the next 10 years as well.

At one point, it made it into the local media.

At the time, the owners pointed out that the runway was long enough for a fully loaded B747 to arrive, but a similarly loaded aircraft would be unable to depart without a runway extension.
.

But why would they want to use a place that's even further beyond the back of beyond:confused:?

Runway extension? Now the water pipe's been re-routed I guess they could get on and do it.

Wsn't there a public meeting about MSE last night? Any significant news from it?

Kent Escapes
 

It's taken a long time but at last . . . .

KENT Escapes, the holiday charter company operating from Kent International Airport, near Ramsgate, has confirmed its summer break programme will include Palma, Majorca, as well as Las Palmas in the Canary Islands.
Richard Burke, managing director of Seguro Holidays , the operators of Kent Escapes, said: "Palma proved very popular last season and we are delighted to offer flights to Las Palmas as a new route to the people of Kent.
"The British holidaymaker is increasingly eager to try something new and the nation’s love affair with holidays to Benidorm and the Costa Blanca, served by flights into Alicante continues to wane. As a result the route will not be part of the Kent Escapes’ 2008 programme."
Flights to Las Palmas will be operated by Futura Airways, an airline with 32 aircraft in its fleet and the Kent Escapes passengers will fly aboard a Boeing 737 800. The flights to Palma will be aboard an Airbus A320 aircraft operated by LTE, a longstanding and respected airline operating from Majorca.
Mr Burke added: "In 2007 we saw a significant increase in the number of passengers we welcomed at Kent International Airport and we are confident our 2008 programme will prove to be popular.
"We have also added to the number of hotels and self-catering accommodation we now offer."

Surprised they're only confirming now.

PMI has been on their website for a while now.

The summer programme looks like 23-ish return flights - around 70% reduction on last year's capacity.

Kent Escapes
 

I too am surprised by apparrently lacklustre release of the 08 programme, even more so by the lack of it. Much different to what I was led to believe earlier; I am shocked that Faro isn't there as yet, I was told it would be status quo on last year with the PIK a/c performing a W. I was also told that the new route would be all season, not just for 5 weeks. I have no confidence at the moment in the winter TFS actually being launched. On the possible plus side though, the Thursday PIK Faro schedule does still suggest a W elsewhere, but I suppose that could change.

Faro's figures for 07 were only slightly less than Palma's - Faro averaged 107, Palma 116. On the one hand both figures are slightly poor, but they aren't diabolical either. A firm foundation on which to build, if a little more oomph were put into marketing. Interestingly, as in 06, August was slower, something that leaving it until Nov/Dec to release the programme will do little to alleviate. Alicante averaged about 77 per flight, no shock that it went but early signs had been promising.

"Wasn't there a public meeting about MSE last night? Any significant news from it?"

I went along. Hardly anyone turned up. There was a guy with an anorak who grilled the airport manager about progress on business flights. Apparently, the airport had sent a questionnaire out to the guy with the anorak earlier in the year. The airport manager was unable to report any progress at all. Still, the big advantage of Manston being so quiet is that the meeting could be held in the unused departure lounge.

Did you go out of personal interest or on behalf of others?

i think the BA cargo hope is still blowing in the wind, but they have been down to 'measure up' so as to use the space for pos.future diverts and as the expansion of echo is due to start very soon, they could dump, sorry, park quite a few units there. that would be after they move the radar to a new posn. for a clearer picture!

As an employee it is most unlikely that BAWC would consider a move to KIA. Besides which it would be the decision of Global Logistics, that completely manage the package which BA outsource to them. Our bit is in the marketing and I see little credit in encouraging shippers to use your airport. I hope your summer programme helps the airport but it is depressing to see so few movements. I read the thread often but from the accountants view KIA cannot make any monies and continues to be a drain on whomever owns / runs it.

Rumour
 

Could ASW be using MSE as part of their expansion next year?

Ipresume there was poor weather down there today when there was an OHK B744 training at Prestwick today?

Sky Charter UK
 

From the CAA

An Application for a Type B Operating Licence has been made by:
Sky Charter UK Limited
The Helicopter Centre
Manston Business Park
Manston
Kent
CT12 5DE

Helicopters! They have their ups and downs.