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.
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