Lydd and Manston Reports.

Pre 9/11 there were quite regular Summer flights from the US to Manston by chartered aircraft such as DC 10s. They brought tourists to join cruise ships at Dover. The aircraft would stop at the far end of the runway from the terminal. The passengers disembarked straight onto coaches with their luggage going on a truck. 9/11 ended that traffic. There is just one return flight in the summer on a Saturday to Jersey. Many of the freight flights when I was a regular there two years ago were cut flowers grown in Africa. The cargo was being unloaded before the pilots had got out of their seats!
Also the occasional ANT 124 inside of which an articulated truck could reverse!
mmitch.

I have said it before and I will say it again, I just do not see Manston as the success people would like it to be.

Yes I would like to see new development at Manston, but the options for them are really turning against them and the argument that Manston could become a principle European regional airport, will have to be revisited.

In recent months there is talk of landing and take-off slots becoming available at Gatwick and Heathrow because of proposed growth and the scaling down of airline operations in light of the downturn in aviation. The Aurigny purchase was a small example. Don’t be at all fooled, airlines intentions to operate out of Manston may sound good, but customers will seek those slots at the lucrative major London airports, not Manston in the end.

I know we have the success of low cost airlines, but even if airlines are interested in Manston, the proposed development is already significantly behind the owner’s very optimistic growth programme. Even in areas of aviation like business jets, Manston is losing out to become the premier business airport to Farnborough.

There is also the subject of the congested Southeast England skies, which could damage Manston’s attempts at becoming a larger airport due to longer flying times, slots etc. Okay it might be good for regional aircraft but does Kent need a new regional airport? No. It would also be unlikely to generate the optimistic passenger figures.

Then the major problem-the infrastructure. No rail link and poor roads means potential business travellers will choose an airport like LCY.

But it can also handle huge planes to… based on what I saw yesterday, I dont think many small aircraft operate there ever. All DC-8’s and 747’s.

I think Manston would be a good airport for connecting Kent to the rest of the UK, as well as connecting the south of the UK to Scandinavia/Belgium and possibly France.

Its a shame that Mama Air never got going, they were to be based at Manston.

Here you go Martin, have a read of my Manston report that I did at the begining of the year.

http://www.keypublishing.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=73281#post73281

I’d have to agree with you A330, I think Manston would make a great LoCo hub, it already has the facilities in terms of that huge runway.

Hi Martin, I was the one on here a while back who got rather Hyped about Manston. I still think this aircraft has a massive potencial to become a player alongside Stanstead and Luton.

For Lydd, I would say to start or allow any comercial airline using bigger planes than the props that are currently used would be a bit awkward, seeing as the airport is so tiny.

Does anyone know if there are any plans to start full comercial operations from either of these airports. I know Manston has been hyped up many a time as a good location for a new hub but I haven’t seen anything recently.

Hi Saab, I picked up a price list for the different flights you can do with Lydd Air, the only price it doesn’t seem to give is the normal Le Touquet flights???

Anyhow for £39, you can “Lunch Fly ‘n’ Dine” — Flights operate on Saturdays and Sundays, around the Lunch time hour. You are given a personal Captains Briefing, and then a 10-15 minute flight, then back to the Biggles Bar in the airport for lunch.

The other is “Dinner Fly ‘n’ Dine” for £59. Flights operate on Saturday evenings. You are greeted with Champagne on arrival. You are then given a briefing by the Captain, and the you board for a low level flight over the surrounding areas. After it is back to Lydd for a slap up 5 course meal in the Bigglrs Bar.

Not bad deals really, both are something different to do, rather than flying on the jets. 🙂

Also you can charter your own Lydd Air Aircraft! £1,200 if you want to charter it to Le Touquet, £1,600 to Ostend, £1,800 to Antwerp, £1,900 to Paris and £2,200 to Amsterdam.

Again not really that bad a deal.

Anyhow, EGNM and Saab, cheers for the feedback. 🙂

I think Lydd Air were in the process of receiving a Shorts 330 for flights to Beauvais and the Channel Islands.
At least you got to saw the Trislander 🙂 Mighty good looking aircraft and fun to fly. G-BEDP used to be with Sky Trek the former Lydd operator who ceased operations.

http://www.airlinerimages.com/images/G-BEDP.jpg

good stuff andrew – i’ve passed Lydd before – we used to have a share in a holiday home in Romney!

Nice to see the 2 Atlanta B742s in the report. I’d like to point out these a/c are now actually OWNED by ABD as opposed to leased, they bought both these and 4 more last month. Unfortunatly my bird, TF-ATE has gone out into the desert – ABD Crew say this may be her final resting place 🙁

Also good to here about two lessor mentioned airfields – London Lydd and London Manston. I wonder when London Leeds and London teeside will appear!!!