Manston

[Taildragger]

Anybody got an in on what's happening (Or not happening) down at Manston right now.??

[serko]

Pasenger flights

-eujet flying scheduled to 20 destinations

-Airandalucia, rumoured to be starting a granada manston odense service

- fights to Melbourne, Florida rumoured to be starting in april.

-the odd ad hoc charter service organized by the local paper

Cargo

-The bip has now been completed and ther are talks with several operators.

- ethiopean air (2 x weekly 757)and United Arabian Airlines provide limited scheduled services.

- M Cargo has moved it's operation to odense.

Other Activities.

Planestation and eujet headquarters are moving to the airport from London and shannon respectively

air Atlanta icelandic last week applied for planning permission to build a massive spares warehouse on the business park next to the airport.

[VFE]

What airline is rumoured to be going to MLB, FLA next year? Sounds like complete bollix to me!

Cheers,

VFE.

[Thunderball 2]

It's not "flights" that are going to Florida, it's "fights" - and so it will be when the eight would-be passengers turn up at the airport and find there's no plane to take them there....

[Seriously;

PlaneStation Melbourne
On September 24, the Melbourne Airport
Authority entered into an agreement with the
Wiggins Group PLC doing business as
PlaneStation MLB, LLC. This signals a new
international era for the Melbourne
International Airport. Beginning in the fall of
2004, Wiggins will fly European tourists into
MLB on scheduled service as part of its global
network of airports. Wiggins, a British
company, owns seven airports in Europe and
the Middle East. Wiggins expects to start with
flying in tourists from England and Germany,
then expanding to other nations. PlaneStation
MLB will also serve MLB’s Market with travel to
England, Germany and beyond.
“This is an extraordinary opportunity not just
for MLB but those communities around us,”
said James C. Johnson, executive director of
Melbourne International Airport. “This will
give European visitors another area of Florida
to explore, the more natural Florida.”
“We see the airport as a major gateway
into Florida for European tourists,” said
Wiggins group senior vice president Tony
Freudmann.]

[we_never_change]

Possibly charters taking paseengers out to Cruise ships, I believe these have operated before out of Manston. Presumably either using Air Atlanta or EAC B742s

WNC

[Callum Johnstone]

Talking of Manston, is there any work currently underway to expand the passenger terminal facilities there, or anything in the pipeline for future years?

Thanks

Callum

[HZ123]

It is been refurbed for EU jet and now boasts a Starbucks. There is also work continuing airside (new ramp offices), but unlikely that the terminal will be extended I think.

[serko]

There is talk of expanding the terminal, or building a new one, but that depends on passenger numbers. I believe the current terminal is designed for 300,000-500,000 passengers per annum.

[dinsdale]

The Times this morning reports
"The airport operator is tipped to announce next week that a US charter airline will start flights from Kent International".
any theories / whispers anyone?

[king cotton]

dinsdale

What about Guantanamo ?!?!

Pax Vobiscum.

[dinsdale]

From todays Stock Exchange announcement

"Summer Transatlantic Charter Flight Programme at Kent International Airport

PlaneStation Group plc, the fully listed airport and airline operator, is pleased to announce that a series of transatlantic flights for the American carrier World Airways will be handled by Kent International Airport, Manston (' KIA') during July.

16 in and outbound flights using wide bodied MD-11 aircraft will rotate through KIA from and to a variety of North American cities including Toronto, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Cincinnati, Atlanta, Nashville, Minneapolis, Cleveland, Seattle, Raleigh, Baltimore and Washington. The programme, which commences 1 July and concludes 26 July, is expected to generate passenger numbers exceeding 9,000.

PlaneStation CEO Martin May said: "We are very encouraged by the increasing interest in KIA. Investment in infrastructure, the length of the runway and its location outside the London air traffic control loops, are just some of the factors that contributed to World Airways recognizing the value of the airport. However World Airways are not alone as we are also in discussion with a number of other operators. Following our latest marketing programme, passenger numbers with our own airline EUjet are on an upward trend, and interestingly our catchment area is larger than expected."

[airhumberside]

Who are these charter flights for?

[Wycombe]

..I believe past ones have been to meet Cruise ships alongside in Dover.

[cptcoxie]

Aurigny are starting its Manston charter from jersey for the summer. this comences mid may.