An airport that once provided flights to Madeira, Italy and Portugal has moved one step closer to opening.

Manston Airport, previously called Kent International Airport and briefly known as London Manston Airport, hosted numerous carriers throughout its operational years and provided connections throughout the UK, Ireland and Europe. The facility even attempted to launch a transatlantic service to Norfolk in Virginia, though this proposal was scrapped due to insufficient bookings.

Carriers that formerly operated from the airport include the now-defunct low-cost airline Flybe, which provided routes to Edinburgh, Belfast and Manchester, alongside seasonal services to Madeira. KLM similarly operated flights from Manston to Amsterdam.

Nevertheless, after Flybe withdrew its operations from the airport in 2012, Manson was placed on the market. On April 9, 2014, the final scheduled departure took place.

Manston Airport formally ceased operations on May 15, 2014, and whilst numerous proposals to transform the location have emerged, it has predominantly served as a lorry park to alleviate congestion surrounding ports following Brexit.

The airport was acquired by RiverOak Strategic Partners (RSP) several years ago, and the company has subsequently made multiple endeavours to restore operations. During a 2022 interview with Kent Online, Tony Freudmann, director of RiverOak Strategic Partners (RSP), sparked optimism that the airport might welcome passengers again.

He revealed that discussions had been taking place with carriers including easyJet and Ryanair regarding the restoration of passenger services.

Yet those aspirations have failed to come to fruition. It now appears that should the airport reopen, it will operate exclusively as a cargo facility.

This week, confirmation emerged that proposed flight routes and information about the future plans for the Kent airport will be unveiled as part of a significant public consultation.

A statement from the company read: “RiverOak Strategic Partners Limited (RSP) is pleased to announce Manston Airport is launching its Stage 3 airspace consultation, as part of the next step in the process to reopen the airport as an air freight hub. Stage 3 is the public consultation phase of the airspace change proposal process, where proposed changes to flight paths and airspace structure are presented to residents, communities, and wider stakeholders.

“A Development Consent Order (DCO) to approve reopening the airport was granted in 2020, with an updated version approved in 2022. The consultation will run from Monday 16 March until Monday 22 June 2026 and will include a series of in-person and online events during April, providing the local community with details of the proposed flight paths and airport usage.”

The Civil Aviation Authority’s Citizen Space consultation portal is due to publish updated information on March 16, which is expected to feature comprehensive maps, plans, and details on flight paths. This will provide local residents, businesses, and other interested parties an opportunity to voice their opinions on the proposals before they progress to the next phase.

For those in Ramsgate and Herne Bay, which are positioned at opposite ends of the airport’s runway, the consultation provides a first genuine glimpse at precisely where aircraft will be visible and audible if the 800-acre site is brought back into operation.

Should the proposals proceed, it is improbable that Manston will be operational in the immediate future. Whilst the site obtained its Development Consent Order in 2024 following a four-year legal dispute, the target for the first departure is now 2029.