Manston closes

The onetime “Kent International Airport” and formerly RAF Manston, is to close next Thursday (15 May) as a licensed airport.  It dates from around 1915 and during the Second World War played a significant role as the first refuge for crippled aircraft returning from mainland Europe.

A spokesman from the airport says that there has not been ‘a viable alternative’ to allow the airport, located in the district of Thanet in Kent, to remain open.
 
In a statement, it says it also considered business proposals put forward by staff, but those would have still required losses to be subsidised, and due to no other options, a decision has been taken to close it.
 
The site was bought by Ann Gloag, who co-founded the Stagecoach Group, for £1 in October last year, but in March it said it was in talks about closing with losses said to be running at more than £10k a day.
 
Several airlines have pulled out, including KLM, which ran two daily flights to Amsterdam and in recent years Flybe with services to Edinburgh and Manchester.
 
Campaign groups including members of Save Manston Airport are reportedly rallying to try and keep the airport open. www.manstonairport.com

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