Turning things around
After the well-publicised collapse of Kent's first budget airline EU Jet in July 2005, it is difficult to see how another company could turn things around so dramatically and in such a short space of time for Kent's International Airport (KIA) at Manston, East Kent. However, with the knowledge and experience of running several other similar-sized airports in Europe and Australasia, including Glasgow Prestwick, Infratil has done just that.
Having been involved in discussions from the outset, when previous owners the Wiggins Group and Planestation were looking for investing partners, the company knew the airport well and had a feel for the great potential that was there to be capitalised on.
Just six months on and freight carriage is already going strong at KIA, however the longer-term goal is to attract just as much passenger traffic as cargo. In fact, the company has recently announced that Kent Escapes, part of the Seguro Travel Group, has confirmed that from May this year it will be operating passenger routes from Manston to Barcelona and Faro airports. In the near future Infratil is hoping to build on this success and attract other low cost European carriers. There are also plans to link the business community in East Kent with other UK business destinations, for example Manchester, Edinburgh and Dublin - something that is expected in as little as 12 months. However, the long-term plans are even more impressive - long haul flights to Asia and the US are on the agenda in addition to increasing the short haul offering.
Growth potential
At 2,752m long and 61m wide, the runway at KIA is typical of one found at a large international airport, so it clearly has the capacity to support such ambitious plans. The site itself covers 296ha, so there is plenty of land for further development of facilities such as car parking and hotel accommodation for passengers.
A total of £700,000 has recently been spent upgrading the runway, which is now in excellent condition along its full length. It is proposed that a further £9,000,000 will now be spent on renovations that include replacing the radar system and developing the current fuel facilities.
It is also expected that much of the land belonging to the airport will be used to support aviation-related businesses such as maintenance hangers, aircraft overhaul and engine manufacturers among others. The airport's growth will also have a positive effect on the rest of East Kent, attracting businesses that thrive on having an airport close by, for instance distribution companies. The creation of new jobs will be a significant bonus. For example, Glasgow Prestwick airport, another site owned and managed by Infratil, currently employs 450 staff directly at the airport and a further 3,000 people are employed by businesses on site.
Making it work
The connectivity an airport brings to a business community is invaluable. However the airport's owners do have to take into consideration the environmental impact the expansion will have on the surrounding area. Infratil is working with the community to address issues such as noise pollution, emissions and water catchment and quality. The company is also working extensively with local planning authorities to improve road and rail transport links so as to manage the extra traffic generated by the airport.
In all, work to expand Kent International Airport's offering is well underway and the benefits to both the freight companies and domestic passengers are already starting to be seen. East Kent is an excellent location for conducting business with its close proximity to mainland Europe and London and it is an attractive place to live. Infratil is looking forward to becoming an even more significant part of East Kent's attraction to growing businesses.
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