Special guests and passengers are today celebrating the launch of KLM’s latest regional route – from Manston Airport in Kent to Amsterdam Schiphol, the fourth largest air hub on the earth. The hot service, the sole scheduled passenger flight from the Kent airport, will allow local travellers access to over 190 destinations worldwide via Schiphol with KLM.
KLM is a part of the AIR FRANCE KLM Group. It currently offers flights from over 17 regional airports, of which Manston is barely the newest. The hot service from Manston will mean that passengers from Kent can now avoid having to travel across London or during the congestion that results in Heathrow or Gatwick.
The new route will run to and from Manston twice an afternoon, day-to-day of the week. Passengers could be carried in a Fokker 70 aircraft, which seats as much as 80 travellers. To purchase tickets, customers can go browsing to KLM.com where flights come in for as low as £79 return (including tax).
To mark the launch, KLM and Manston Airport played host to local media and invited guests, including representatives of the local travel trade, local chambers of commerce and from Thanet and Kent Local Authorities. In conjunction with passengers they were ready to witness the ancient aircraft ‘baptism’ performed by the Airport Fire and Rescue Service, who sprayed water over the aircraft, after landing from Amsterdam at 9:15am.
Henri Hourcade, General Manager AIR FRANCE KLM, UK & Ireland, said on the launch “The new route from Manston offers passengers in Kent and the South East of britain twice daily flights to a key business location, in addition a major connection to a bunch of world destinations. Here’s an exhilarating new chapter in KLM’s long history with the united kingdom and we’ve been overwhelmed by the support we’ve received from the area people. Forward bookings look good and we anticipate this service going from strength-to-strength as we become established in Kent.”
Charles Buchanan, Chief Executive at Manston Airport, said: “The start of the KLM service marks the subsequent exciting chapter within the airport’s history. For the primary time it connects Kent residents and businesses with the realm through a world hub way to a countrywide flag carrier airline. Passengers can leave home without the troubles of road congestion, arrive at Manston, park adjacent to the terminal and revel in a simple check-in. Importantly, being outside London air space means flights aren’t delayed on take-off or landing, this means that a bother-free experience that makes air travel a pleasure. And on arrival back at Manston it’s a quick and straightforward exit from the airport, and a brief drive home.”
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