Olympic meddling

Update on those 44 Olympic night flights - Charles Buchanan accepts the reality of supply and demand! Let's see how much demand there is for Manston...

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Regional airports prepare for Olympic flight rush

Hundreds of flights will be allowed to take off and land at Kent's airports - including Manston - every day during this summer's Olympics. Manston, Lydd and Rochester have been asked to take a share of the 500,000 international visitors expected during the Games.

In total, the airports will have to accept up to around 370 flights a day, as all three will be regulated between 21 July and 15 August to prevent overcrowding at Heathrow.

Manston could operate round the clock and could accommodate a maximum of 192 arrivals and departures every day, of which 44 could be at night - however, Charles Buchanan, chief executive of airport owners Infratil, stressed:

"That is a maximum figure - what transpires will clearly be a case of supply and demand"

Kent Messenger Thanet

44 flights a night at Manston?

On the bright side, these figures are for the upper limits allowed - it's unlikely that Manston will actually take this many, simply because it's in an inconvenient location.

However, if it gets anything like this number, it would be a useful "experiment" to show everyone what full-time scheduled night flights would be like. Perhaps it would be a good idea to hold the public consultation on night flights after the Olympics...

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Oympics to generate "hundreds more flights"

THE number of flights in and out of Lydd Airport could soar during the 2012 Olympics, it has emerged. Speaking at the public inquiry last week, consultant Nigel Deacon, of Airfield Wildlife Management Ltd, admitted the airport has been asked to help bring in "business guests" for the games next year. He said:

"The airport has been accepted to bring in several hundred business guests during the games. There will be significant increase in the number of flights in and out of Lydd, mostly business jets, during that short time. Other airports like Manston will have only a few extra arrivals of this kind."

Mr Deacon explained the details of the deal last Thursday, during cross-examination, as a witness for Lydd Airport.

thisiskent 4th Mar 2011

Biggin Hill. Sneaky, sneaky, sneaky.

Biggin Hill Airport will now apply for long-term changes to its lease in the wake of its "Olympic gateway" bid. Critics accused airport bosses of trying to set a precedent for changes to the rules, including longer opening hours and introducing fare-paying passengers, after it submitted an application to relax regulations during the games.

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Manston could help ease strain of games

Clipping: thisiskent

Bosses at Manston airport have revealed they are in talks with Olympic officials such as organising committee chairman Seb Coe to give the airport a role in the 2012 London games. Chief executive Matt Clarke believes the airport’s location and facilities will mean it can be used to fly in athletes, fans and equipment to the London gamese the inevitable strain placed on Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and London City airports in 2012.

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