“I have lived in Downs Road Ramsgate, since 1976 and have lived close to the flightpath to Manston Airport. It has always been until very recently an active airport with great proximity to the continent and markets abroad. My family used it on many occasions when EUJet were operating to fly to various places. It was a perfect airport for people living close with none of the delays experienced at other major airports. Sadly the airline failed but the Dutch line KLM flew to Amsterdam and then beyond and was doing well until the airport was sold and then closed completely. Many jobs were lost and Thanet lost one of its lifelines. The passenger side was quite subsidiary to the freight side of the operation but this went also.
News that the DCO has been accepted is wonderful as Thanet, and the rest of the country, so needs Manston as an operational airport. The location is perfect and can take off so much of the pressure on freight flights into the major airports of the south east at a time when capacity is under pressure. Thanet is a relatively poor area(like many coastal areas) with high unemployment. Having a fully operational airport back at Manston would bring a much needed boost regarding employment, as real jobs would be created. These are so necessary in this area. The increased freight traffic would also help to bring prosperity to the region with the strong likelihood that passenger flights would quickly follow with all the benefits that would bring.
I fully support Manston becoming an airport once again.”