Sanctions busting at Manston
Many of you have been wondering why the state airline of a pariah nation regularly visits a failing airport in the corner of England.
A while ago, I was told that Iran Air come to Manston to refuel, which struck me as a "reasonable reason" but a woefully inadequate explanation. Things are now becoming clearer...
For a number of historical reasons, Iran and USA are not best mates. The USA are currently showing their dislike of Iran through sanctions - read about the sanctions here. American foreign policy is conducted in such a way as to try to compel the rest of the world to follow their lead. The Americans "forbid companies and governments with economic ties with the US to trade with Iran".
Depending on your viewpoint, this can be regarded as the effective use of economic leverage, or as blackmail. Either way, it seems to be working, in as much as Iran Air is desperately short of spare parts to maintain its fleet. The inevitable impact on airworthiness probably explains why most of Iran Air's aircraft are banned from European airspace - read about the ban here. This BBC video clip shows a passenger explaining how the Iran Air plane's tyres burst when it landed at Manston, stranding the hapless Iranians in Thanet for the night.
Although the small fraction of Iran Air's fleet that is regarded as airworthy is allowed to land in London (not sure what they do about landing fees) they have to refuel elsewhere. Manton is apparently "devoid of American trade connections" and is thus free to flaunt the American sanctions without fear of retribution. If Manston ever tries running flights to the States, I expect they will find that the US Government and the Federal Aviation Authority have long and unforgiving memories. (Incidentally, does anyone know if Infratil has any "economic ties with the US"?)
So there you have it - Manston can get away with selling jet fuel to the Iranians because they are insignificant enough to slip through the American's sanctions net. When viewed alongside the track records some of Manston's other customers - MK Airlines' stop-frame bankruptcy; Kam Air's DC-8 close brush with disaster; Cargolux's part in the international criminal price-fixing cartel - it doesn't paint a pretty picture.
Manston: judge them by the companies they keep.
Cargolux, Iran Air, Kam Air, MK Airlines, Safety
Reader Comments (28)
If there are any illegal immigrants or asylum seekers on these unwanted planes they have to be housed and looked after in the area where they land !!!!!!!!
Tunnels under Manston.......keep believing it old chum.........making yourself look an arse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Take the lady in Herne Bay at the bandstand the other weekend, asking people to sign her petition and that the wheels of the plane were just off her roof and she could see the pilot struggling with the controls she goes on to say she is collecting on behalf of the no night flights group... within minutes a 747 is overhead and people questioned how she could see the pilot? Rather red faced she left.
The other is on you tube with the lady stating that the con trails overhead are chemical trails from Manston???? A little knowledge is a dangerous thing... I live under the flight path in Herne Bay and while I want the airport to grow I do agree this should be pushed for during the day rather than night, however, setting a limit is better than what is in place now.
The tunnel thing... having worked alongside D.O.E and P.S.A as they were in the day, maintaining the civil works at the Fire School and the airport, there are no tunnels under the airport... two water pipes are in place at either end of the runway... when the passenger apron was expanded no tunnels were found on the eastern side of the airport... when the car park was built no tunnels were found... when the freight apron was extended 1st time and 2nd time on the western side no tunnels were found... when the drainage pipe was installed no tunnels were found... when the ground radar survey was conducted no tunnels were found... BUT... there is one tunnel close by but not inside the airport boundry fence. :)
What was it recently? Something about if night flights are allowed the tourist trade will disappear. That's those NIGHT flights between 6-7 am and 10.30 and Midnight and where's the proof that this tourist trade, if indeed it exists at all, will suddenly disappear.
Oh and don't forget to keep pushing the aquifers and the danger to life that is the fire school even though it is training people to actually save lives and might even save yours one day but then I doubt it because nobody is going to get you up in one of those dreadful, noisy, polluting aeroplanes are they?
Oh and while you're at it you might as well throw in the fact that these night flights might endanger the Greater Crested Newt population - that's always good to chuck into any argument when you look like losing as you will with this one.
Never mind, come Spring you will have a nice, new noisy airline to complain about - now look what I have done, go on, admit it you're feeling better already.
Let's hope you don't get old.
Next thing to understand - these are freight flights. Read Buchanan's repeated statements.
Put the two facts together - unlimited night flights will make Ramsgate a tourist destination that people will stay away from in droves. Who goes on holiday to listen to freight flights over them at a height of less than 1,000 feet all night, every night? A tad of common sense will tell you that this will create serious problems for the major industry in Ramsgate - tourism - and that there will be a loss of employment as a result.
I've no idea why you assume that everyone who expresses concern on this blog is geriatric, nor why it would make a difference to their right to express an opinion if they were. For my part, I create local businesses. I'm in a position to create more local jobs. I'm not investing another penny in this area until I know that Thanet Council has come to its senses and and refused the night flight application. And I'm not the only one. Ramsgate lost the opportunity for a new employer much, much bigger than me to settle here. Why? Because the new employer saw the airport and its bid for night flights as a real problem for their future ability to attract employees. The night flight application is already causing harm to the area.
Stargazer