Flights to Florida from Manston???

[serko]

On Page 160 ceefax, plus newsroom South East.
Announement today, re The flights to Florida next year.

Does anyone know anything about this?

[HZ123]

No knowledge but I thinkit is wishfull thinking, there have been charter ops in the past operated by 747 amongst others. Surely the problem at Manston relates to lack of space and equipment to process 300 passengers and then sadly lack of facilities. This is the typical catch 22 unless the airport owners invest the airlines will not operate because passengers will vote with their feet. At Manston there is even a lack of parking space.

[serko]

They've done a few charters for the mod and some cruise traffic from Malta this year.

In 2001 they did cruise charters from America, so I believe the facilities are there.

[newswatcher]

This article appeared at the end of October, after Wiggins Group airports division - PlaneStation "won" contract to operate terminal at Melbourne Airport, FL (MLB).
news article (http://www.wigginsplc.co.uk/news/article-items/pr03-3010.html) See also BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/3133748.stm)

[Boss Raptor]

During the cruise flights which were an MD11 the whole terminal building had to be closed as the FAA required security screening gear had to be placed in the entrance hall as no room elsewhere. The gear stayed there for months clogging up the place and literally you could hardly get through the front door.

Any more than 100 pax and I can for see problems both on arrivals and departures :confused:

[serko]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/southern_counties/3235074.stm

[newswatcher]

Boss Raptor, their (MLB) Internet site claims an International passenger processing rate of 500/hour!!

[Boss Raptor]

3 check in desks, should come down and see the mess last Summer with the MD11 turnaround and all the security scanners and crap filling up from the entrance hall door right up to the check in desks at the back. The terminal hall had to closed for the movements preventing access to the restaurant, travel agency and a few other people's offices. :cool:

Past Wiggins history has shown massive output of press releases and very little actually ever happening :E

[Localiser Green]

From the BBC News article

But Manston has the longest runway in the UK

At 9,000ft? I think not :rolleyes:

[newswatcher]

LG - Not even in the top 10, including military!

Boss R - not sure how Melbourne has the nerve to call itself an "International" airport, must be those Bahamas flights!

[Localiser Green]

Indeed, even off the top of my head LGW, LHR, MAN, EMA, PIK have longer strips than Manston.

[Oscar Duece]

Elvington, Bruntingthorpe ......

Must be the width they heard a snippit about.

[serko]

I heard a rumour that Cosmos might be operating these flights. has anyone else heard anything?

[serko]

"february 2004
Aviation news
By Keith Crowden

The Wiggins Group is being refinanced with an aim to focus activities on developing its network of regional airports, which include Manston in Kent, Lahr in Germany and Melbourne in Florida. A name change is proposed to PlaneStation Group Plc with the shares reclassified to the Stock Exchange transport sector to more reflect the nature of the group’s current activities. The future for Manston is improving with news of tour operator Cosmos wishing to use the airport for up to three summer flights a week, including transatlantic charters to Florida, and planning permission underway for two new hangars able to take Airbus A380s."

[serko]

apparantly this was also mentioned in the business section of today's daily mail.