New chief - Charles Buchanan - appointed at Manston airport

10th April 2010    MK Airlines, which operated 2 or 3 B747 freighters from Manston, has suspended operations because of financial problems and returned its operating licence and air operator’s certificate to the UK CAA. The freighter operator suspended operations on Friday, having told customers it had become impossible, with its current financial resources, to maintain the service and safety levels expected. Staff wages have not been paid in full for some time. (Various)   Click here to view full story...

18.03.10    Flybe reports that its newly announced daily Edinburgh to Kent (Manston) service has attracted strong sales in record time, with many flights already more than 50% full. Early bookings have been booming since the flights went on sale last month, resulting in load factors that are comfortably ahead of Flybe’s initial forecasts. The flights are the only scheduled flight out of Kent International Airport, and begin on May 27th. http://www.uk-airport-news.info/edinburgh-airport-news-190310.html

Flybe announce Edinburgh – Kent flights

 'Manston night flights? They're already here' and not being fined

18th February 2010    Six night flights were made over Thanet by planes using Manston in December, but just one was fined, according to figures obtained under FoI.  Thanet council only imposed a penalty for a single flight, on Friday, December 18. The other 5 flights were not fined because the types of aircraft fell into the quieter category, though 4 were jumbo jets. The decision has sparked anger among residents opposing an airport application to allow night flights.     Click here to view full story...

04.02.10   December freight volume at Kent International Airport was 3,674 tonnes, 1,120 tonnes (44%) ahead of December 2008 and consistent with the strong freight results achieved at the airport during 2009. For the 9 months of the financial year to date cargo traffic was more than double the 2008 total and 28% ahead of the comparative period in 2007.   http://www.uk-airport-news.info/kent-airport-news-040210.html

27th January 2010    After 3 years at Kent International Airport, chief executive Matt Clarke is to return home to New Zealand. Tom Wilson, the CEO of Infratil Airports Europe, will take over management responsibilities at the Manston site from March for an interim period whilst a permanent replacement is sought. (Kent online)
Click here to view full story...

Kent Airport cut back expansion plans

28.11.09    Manston’s Kent Airport has cut back its 25-year expansion plan because of the effects of the recession on aviation. It has published the final version of its master plan, which was first drafted in October last year, and has cut its forecast for passenger numbers in 2018 to 2.2 million from the previous 2.7 million and in 2033 to 4.7 million instead of 5.7 million. The Chief Exec said "Our cargo business has proved to be resilient but the recent market activity has delayed our plans for passenger service expansion in 2009."

The master plan shows the airport expects fewer than 50,000 passengers in 2010, rising to 527,000 in 2014. It is working on the assumption that airlines will begin operating daily scheduled services from the airport from 2014 at the latest. The total number of passenger flights per day are expected to rise from one in 2010 to 56 in 2018 and 97 in 2033.    More details at Kent Airport cut back expansion plans

Infratil to sell Prestwick and Manston

Blow for Kent International Airport as BA Cargo stays at Stansted

11th March 2009     Speculation that British Airways World Cargo would leave Stansted to operate from Kent International Airport at Manston is finally over. British Airways World Cargo had decided to stay at Stansted. The airport chief executive, Matt Clarke, said the airport is committed to attracting further freight operators and ensuring the return of scheduled passenger services to a range of destinations in line with the draft master plan. (Kent Online)  Click here to view full story...

From the Stop Manston Expansion Group blog,

BA to shift cargo operations to Kent Airport?

27.02.09     A senior Kent politician has name British Airways as the mystery firm set to move into Kent Airport (Manston), according to local press reports. This would free up slots at Heathrow  and Kent does have a big runway and hardly any flights, so it has a plausibility.  Thanet council called an emergency meeting last month to change regulations of Kent Airport's night flights in the belief that a new freight operator was about to relocate there. Despite widespread speculation that British Airways World Cargo was the firm set to move in, no formal announcement has since been made.  He later confirmed he believed the company in question is BA. An airport spokesman said he did not know how Councillor Gilbey had come by the information and refused to disclose who the operator would be until the deal had been finalised.  (UK Airport News)

Manston - Extraordinary meeting of Thanet council to discuss airport

 5th February 2009     An extraordinary meeting of Thanet's full council is to be held on 12th February to discuss a variation to the Section 106 agreement to enable some night-time flying. Infratil are in discussions with a major European airline that wishes to locate its long haul international aircraft at the airport. If an agreement is reached, it is expected that 747 aircraft will be based at Manston, with flights likely to start after May 2009. (Thanet DC)     Click here to view full story...

4th February 2009      A local Thanet councillor has warned that: A "Major European Airline" (reported to be BA World Cargo) has requested to be allowed 11 flights of 747's a week. The airline have asked to be able to operate between 11pm and 11.30pm and 6am and 7am meaning the current section 106 agreement governing flight times would need to be changed. The flights will be freight and cargo journeys, not passenger trips, and could start as early as May. (local blog site - Eastcliff Matters)      Click here to view full story...

4th February 2009     The Manston Airport Working Party - part of Thanet District Council - have carried out two more visits to other airports, looking at the draft masterplan for Kent International Airport at Manston. Members have visited Prestwick, (which is also owned by Infratil), Southend, Norwich, Bristol and Bournemouth - and spoken to local planners. Research is also underway regarding Doncaster Robin Hood Airport. (Thanet DC)  Click here to view full story...

Manston Airport - KCC chief backs Manston over new Thames Estuary airport       (15.2.2008)