Flights To Melbourne (FL) No Go Now

[PlayneCrazy]

For the last two years Planestation Group (used to be Wiggins) have been promising flights from Manston Kent to Melbourne Florida, down at the bottom of 192, not much further than Sanford for some people.

Planestation had some form of ownership of Melbourne Airport, I think a very long lease.

They also owned EUJET - which ceased operations yesterday leaving many passengers stranded, and Manston Airport closed down.

Its a shame, all the flights I have been on have been just about full recently, a bit more capacity and another airport would have been useful to ease congestion and keep prices down to a reasonable level, Planestation were proposing £150 each way as a regular fare.

Melbourne Airport unfortunately lacks car hire and immigration/customs facilities suitable for the volume of passengers who would have used it Transatlantic and Planestation were too strapped for cash to pay for the new buildings.

[Robert5988]

My place is just by Melbourne and the local paper has periodically covered this story.
Much of the proposed traffic was to be for people going on a Disney cruise from Port Canaveral and then hitting the Parks.

Anyone who has followed the Wiggins Group in its various guises would not be surprised that nothing has become of this venture; or is likely to.

As you say, Melbourne is not capable of handling any serious international traffic; almost all the flights are Delta to Atlanta and New York. Manston also needs a lot more work before it could handle serious traffic; and is there any worse placed airport in UK?


One further point - although Melbourne is on the SR192 and it looks simple on the map - it is not a recommended trip. You are far better going on the SR528 and I95 as all the locals do

[steph_goodrum]

It took us 3 1/2 hours to get to Melbourne beach in March going along the 192.

[PlayneCrazy]

192 past St Cloud and Holopaw is being widened and turned into dual carriageway which will improve the trip no end.
We are in ST Cloud so of course it works well for us, we are in Melbourne in 40 minutes even at the moment with the road works. I go down there to go to some of the big stores on the outskirts of Melbourne, less crowded than Orlando, there's also a Chinese grocery store in a mall opposite Compusa where you can buy curry powder and suchlike which I can't find in a regular supermarket.
Although it used to be a slow drive years ago it was very scenic if you like swamp but now so much development is taking place that little of charm remains. Its also a chance to see the new facilities the Mormons have built at Harmony, used to be cattle ranch now its a golf course and new town they have built with excellent sports stadium and school etc. Not sure if its just for them or a commercial developemtn. Anyone know?

On the outskirts of St Cloud there is the Serpentarium if you like snakes. We are also getting a marina on the lake and lakefront walk with free wifi Internet access.Its a good place to live.

If you go to St Cloud Old Town City Hall just before 8am you can hear the carillon of bells playing "I dream of Jeannie with the light brown hair" Its part of the ST Cloud celebration of small town life which the council are very keen on, in spite of the fact the place is expanding by 300% with all the new development.

As far as Manston being badly placed its a matter of perspective - I live 5 minutes away but I do have to agree that its water on 3 sides which doesn't do a lot for the catchment area.