Virginia

I like to think that one of humanity's great redeeming features is the ability to learn from mistakes. To my dismay, it seems that KCC does not learn from its mistakes, which is particularly unfortunate given that these mistakes involve large sums of our money. They've done it before, and they're trying to do it again.

KCC recently applied for £10m from the government's Regional Growth Fund to kick-start the Manston Parkway project, and to subsidise an unnamed airline to operate out of Manston. The bookies' current favourite is Wizz Air, an East European-based budget airline, currently flying out of Prestwick, Infratil's other European airport.

Some time ago, KCC "invested" (in the non-returnable sense) £150,000 in EUJet, and then threw it another wedge of readies as it was going under.

Before that, KCC lost a six figure sum on a bonkers venture to fly between Manston and Norfolk, Virginia, USA. (No, I hadn't heard of it either. It has the world's largest naval base, stuffed full of sailors who don't want to fly to Kent - 'nuff said.)

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Here's the Virginia chronology - click the dates for the full stories...

FEB 20, 2006    Passenger flights to America from Manston planned
The county could become a gateway to the United States by next spring, Kent on Sunday can reveal. Negotiations are at advanced stages to operate passenger flights between Kent International Airport at Manston and Norfolk, Virginia, on the east coast of the US.

JUL 13, 2006    Direct flights to USA from Manston next year
Tour operator Cosmos and its sister airline, Monarch, will start direct transatlantic flights between Manston in Thanet and Virginia next year. The weekly charter flights will be the first direct passenger link between the United States and Kent and will initially operate during the spring and summer. The move follows a feasibility study carried out by air industry consultants.

SEP 07, 2006    Bookings start for Manston flights to Virginia
Cosmos Holidays has launched its travel brochure for next year’s transatlantic service from Manston to Virginia, which will see thousands of American tourists flocking to the county each year. The direct charter flights to the American colonial state will be the first of their kind in the UK.

OCT 11, 2006    US flights a £20m annual boost to county's economy
The once-a-week service, which begins next spring, will bring in £5m from May to October 2007, it was claimed. And if the route becomes permanent the financial boost for Kent could be four times that figure a year if US tourists stayed for just four days each, according to Tony Freudmann.

DEC 27, 2006    Travel agent is to be based on-site at Manston airport
Brockmans will be selling holidays and flights from Kent International from firms including Kent Escapes, which is operating to Benidorm, Majorca and Faro, Cosmos, which is flying to Norfolk, Virginia, in the USA and Newmarket Holidays which is offering flights to Italy.

FEB 28, 2007    Cosmos pulls out of Manston as US flight plans grounded
It is understood the flights to and from Virginia had sold just 600 tickets in the UK - and a mere 200 in the US. That represents just ten per cent of the tickets available for the planned weekly service. It is a blow to Kent County Council which backed the operator as soon as it showed interest in using the airport.

That's it... one year from start to finish.

How much did KCC's trip to USA cost the public?

Kent County Council has asked for extra time to respond to a Freedom of Information request about the cost to the taxpayer of a recent KCC trip to America.  Deputy leader Alex King led a Kent delegation to Virginia last month to take part in celebrations to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the first English-speaking settlement in the New World.
 
KCC said Cllr King was helping to build long term trade and tourism links with Virginia. It said he held meetings with business leaders, universities and the State Government of Virginia aimed at strengthening trade initiatives.  But KCC refused to answer questions on how much public money was spent on the trip and how many people it sent.  So Kent on Sunday newspaper submitted a Freedom of Information request.

Under statutory timescales, authorities are required to provide a response within 20 days.  But on the 20th day, Caroline Dodge, who is the Corporate Access to Information Coordinator in the Chief Executive's Department, said in a statement:

"Councillor King’s staff officer has recently advised me that he is still collecting receipts and collating information about details and costs of the visit to Virginia, which was still ongoing at the time you submitted your request for information about it. We would therefore be obliged if you would allow us [an extra week to] respond to your request. This will help us ensure that the information we provide you with will be as up-to-date and accurate as possible."

KentNews 7th Jun 2007

Cosmos pulls out of Manston as US flight plans grounded

Package holiday giant Cosmos has this morning confirmed it has pulled the plug on its planned flights to the US from Thanet's Manston Airport. The tour giant, which promised to make the Thanet airport a major departure point for flights to the United States, has failed to sell enough seats both in the UK and US.

It is understood the flights to and from Virginia had sold just 600 tickets in the UK - and a mere 200 in the US. That represents just ten per cent of the tickets available for the planned weekly service. It is a blow to Kent County Council which backed the operator as soon as it showed interest in using the airport and forged new links with the state of Virginia, in the east of the US, south of Washington. Kent County Council leader, Paul Carter, said:

"The direct flights project was just one part of our initiatives to regenerate East Kent. It was a calculated risk that had significant potential and could have delivered major benefits for the region. Enormous efforts have been made on both sides of the Atlantic to promote the flights. But, despite putting back the deadline for decision three times, in order to see if the market would respond and pick up, sales have failed to reach a critical mass. In the absence of any other organisation prepared to share the financial risk of continuing with the project, it would not be prudent or viable to invest public money in the venture. We will now redouble our efforts to stimulate inward investment and economic regeneration."                

The council is believed to have already sunk in £100,000 into the project of council tax-payers money. The county council lost a similar figure after backing Irish airline EUJet which started operating out of Manston two years ago but failed to make the project work. Cosmos began promoting its flights to Virginia last October and flights were expected to begin from May this year. But today it was impossible to book flights out of Manston via the tour operator's web site. All monies will be refunded to travellers who have already booked on the service or an alternative offered.

YourCanterbury 28th Feb 2007

Travel agent is to be based on-site at Manston airport

Brockmans Travel will be selling holidays and flights at Kent International from 2007. Brockmans will be selling holidays and flights from Kent International from firms including Kent Escapes, which is operating to Benidorm, Majorca and Faro, Cosmos, which is flying to Norfolk, Virginia, in the USA and Newmarket Holidays which is offering flights to Italy. Paula Horne, passenger development manager for Infratil Airports Europe, which owns the airport, said:

"This is great news - customers can take advantage of a well-respected travel agency in the airport, who will meet all their requirements for bookings and professional advice. This will really enhance the quality of service at Kent International and we are confident their presence will contribute to a successful year for the airport and our partners."

Brockmans officially launches at Manston on January 13.

KentNews 27th Dec 2006

US flights a £20m annual boost to county's economy

Direct flights between Kent and America will boost the county's economy by at least £20 million a year, tourist chiefs have been told. The prediction was made during an event to promote the start of passenger services from Kent International Airport at Manston to Norfolk, Virginia. The once-a-week service, which begins next spring, will bring in £5m from May to October 2007, it was claimed.

And if the route becomes permanent the financial boost for Kent could be four times that figure a year if US tourists stayed for just four days each, according to Tony Freudmann, chairman of aviation consultancy firm FT International. But he warned an audience of tourist managers at the Hop Farm in Paddock Wood on Tuesday:

"We have 10,000 tickets to sell and we need to sell them as quickly as possible."

KentNews 11th Oct 2006

Bookings start for Manston flights to Virginia

Long-haul flights and package holidays to America are now available to book from Kent International Airport (KIA). Cosmos Holidays has launched its travel brochure for next year’s transatlantic service from Manston to Virginia, which will see thousands of American tourists flocking to the county each year. The direct charter flights to the American colonial state will be the first of their kind in the UK. Chief executive of KIA operators Infratil Steven Fitzgerald said:

"Cosmos Holidays choosing KIA for this service is due to the support and interest received from local groups. Everyone is driving in the same direction and that gives us great confidence. This is a fantastic programme of flights, which I believe it will be the first of many."

From May 2, planes will fly direct from KIA to Norfolk Airport in Virginia every Wednesday until October. Virginia boasts mountains, sandy beaches, historic sites and one of the world’s best golf courses, and was the location of the country’s first surviving English settlement in 1607. Prices for flights and holidays start from £399 per person. The Virginia flights will bring the number of destinations KIA will fly to next year up to four, including trips to Faro, Alicante and Palma with Kent Escapes.

KentNews 7th Sep 2006



Direct flights to USA from Manston next year

Direct flights transatlantic flights will start from Kent International Airport next year. Tour operator Cosmos and its sister airline, Monarch, will start direct transatlantic flights between Manston in Thanet and Virginia next year. The weekly charter flights will be the first direct passenger link between the United States and Kent and will initially operate during the spring and summer. The move follows a feasibility study carried out by air industry consultants.

Norfolk International Airport in Virginia is contributing half the start up costs – £400,000 – with Kent County Council and a coalition of investors including SEEDA, Infratil Airports Europe Ltd, Kent Attractions LLP, East Kent Partnership, Thanet District Council, Canterbury City Council and Gravesham Borough Council providing the rest. KCC leader Paul Carter said,

"The 400th anniversary of the founding of the colony of Jamestown in Virginia is coming up next year with strong Kent links; Dover Cruise Terminal is going from strength to strength. There will never be a better time to establish a direct air link between Kent and the States to help boost Kent International Airport, our tourism industry and in particular hard pressed East Kent."

Terry Williamson, Cosmos Holidays managing director, said:

"It is indeed an exciting development for both the Kent International area and us. Whilst relatively unknown to many in the UK, Virginia offers a huge array of attractions and places of interest and given the 400th anniversary celebrations, it is an excellent time to launch this service."

YourMaidstone 23rd Jul 2006

Direct air link to US cleared for take off

Long-promised direct flights between Kent and Virginia look set to take off next year. Senior representatives of Norfolk International Airport, Virginia, and Kent County Council are poised to sign an agreement that paves the way for new aviation links from May 2007.

A weekly charter service between Norfolk and Manston would be operated by Cosmos in the UK and CI Travel in the United States. Norfolk Airport Authority has agreed to become a financial partner and is understood to have pledged half the start-up costs. The proposed service builds on a Memorandum of Understanding between the state of Virginia and Kent signed in Richmond, Virginia, last June. One of its stated aims is the creation of an air bridge between the two regions to promote business, education and leisure links.

Speaking from Fairfax, Virginia, Cllr Alex King, KCC deputy leader, said:

"A deal is close to being finalised and I expect the final arrangements to be completed soon. Thorough investigations have revealed a market for a charter flight between Kent and Virginia. It will get an extra lift from the 400th anniversary of the establishment of the first colony at Jamestown by the three boats that sailed out of the Thames from Gravesend. It is rather fitting that this new opportunity comes on the 400th anniversary of the epic tale of the first settlers."

Kent-based consultants Paul Tipple and Tony Freudmann of FT International, who both previously worked for PlaneStation, the collapsed former owner of Kent International Airport, Manston, and low-fares airline EUjet, have investigated the feasibility of a service.

Their report has convinced US and Kent officials that it would be viable, given sufficient financial backing. However, KCC, already bitten by its £100,000 cash injection in the failed EUjet venture, has refused to invest in the proposed venture. Norfolk Airport Authority chairman Peter Decker said:

"The history of England and Virginia is legendary. This is a tremendous opportunity to be the air gateway for international visitors coming to the Jamestown 2007 festivities. 'And also for local travellers to see one of the most beautiful parts of Great Britain."

Norfolk International Airport is the major airport serving south east Virginia and northeast North Carolina. Scheduled airlines currently using the airport include American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, Southwest, United Express and US Airways.

kentonline 4th May 2006

Passenger flights to America from Manston planned

The county could become a gateway to the United States by next spring, Kent on Sunday can reveal. Negotiations are at advanced stages to operate passenger flights between Kent International Airport at Manston and Norfolk, Virginia, on the east coast of the US. Alex King, deputy leader of Kent County Council, told KoS:

"Although nothing is yet settled, we think there is a high probability that it will go ahead."

And he emphasised KCC was using no public subsidies to help the operation get off the ground. He added:

"I am hopeful that there will be flights to the US out of Kent and vice versa by the beginning of April or May next year."

Kent on Sunday 20th Feb 2006

Kent's investment in US event "value for money"

What were they thinking?

Kent County Council is to spend £225,000 as a joint sponsor of a major cultural festival in America, it has emerged. The council has agreed to become a key financial backer of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington in 2007 as part of a drive to boost the number of American tourists coming to Kent. Council chiefs say the investment represents “value for money” and could eventually deliver a £50 million fillip to the county’s tourism industry.

While KCC’s involvement with the festival in 2007 has been public knowledge for some time, its financial investment has not previously been disclosed. Details were released to the Kent Messenger Group in response to a request we made under the Freedom of Information Act. It has also emerged that KCC is separately spending a further £265,000 developing its links with Virginia. KCC deputy leader Cllr Alex King, who is spearheading the council’s participation in the festival, said:

“The potential is very significant in terms of the impact on the Kent economy. What we have to do is promote Kent in a way which promotes the county elsewhere coherently and effectively. We have a very strong partnership with Virginia, which will lead to two-way tourism. In my view – and it is a conservative estimate – we can bring £50m into the Kent economy and if we get it right, the impact will last for a lot longer.”

But he conceded that KCC could not be assured of a return on its investment.

“There are no guarantees in this. Sometimes, you have to take a punt. But in two weeks, one million people visit the festival and it is the biggest event of its kind in North America. It is very good value for money.”

KCC says its presence will give it a “shop window” to promote the county to potential visitors, with exhibits and performances by Kent-based artists, craftsmen, food producers and musicians. Cllr King said some of the £225,000 would be used to meet the costs of groups or individuals participating but commercial enterprises would have to pay their own way.

“I am not funding anything which will pay for itself.”

The decision to become involved in the festival is a result of Kent’s efforts to exploit its historic links with the state of Virginia. Those links go back 400 years, when many of the first settlers in Virginia came from the county.

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What is the Smithsonian Festival?

The free 10-day festival, founded in 1967, promotes itself as a global “cultural celebration” focusing on showcasing, through exhibits and performances, traditional arts and crafts from America and elsewhere. It is held outdoors on the National Mall at Capitol Hill in Washington DC and is visited by more than one million people.

Kent County Council’s financial backing for the Smithsonian Festival is not the only money being spent on its efforts to forge closer ties to America. It has allocated £265,000 to a project to “identify and develop links between Kent and the Commonwealth of Virginia, USA”.

A further £50,000 is being spent on a marketing campaign “to position Kent as a destination of choice for US visitors”. Meanwhile, consultants have been paid £50,000 to examine if direct transatlantic flights between Manston Airport in Thanet and the USA would be commercially viable.

The money is coming from the Kent Regeneration Fund, which is worth £1.5million a year. The fund is used to allocate grants to initiatives or projects that could help boost the Kent economy. It was used by KCC to make a £121,000 investment in EUJet, the low-cost air operator based at Ramsgate’s Manston Airport. The company went into administration last year and KCC lost its money.

While the fund is public money, Cllr King said it did not add to the burden on taxpayers as it was generated from the windfall resulting from the development at Kings Hill.

kentonline 13th Jan 2006