The abandoned English airport with plans to relaunch budget flights to Spain, Netherlands & Cyprus

A UK airport that has been deserted for years could reopen to passenger flights – including to Spain and Cyprus.

Manston Airport in Kent was closed back in 2014 after reporting huge losses.

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Formerly known as RAF Manston, the airport was first used in 1916 during the First World War and, due to its location near the English Channel, also during the Second World War.

It has since been used as a filming location, most recently for Sam Mendes’ blockbuster Empire of Light, and as a truck stop for drivers stranded between the UK and France.

However, a huge renovation project hopes to reopen the airport as early as 2026.

RiverOak Strategic Partners (RSP), which owns the airport, plans to open it initially as a cargo airport and operate about five flights a day.

The huge project is likely to cost more than £500m due to the huge infrastructure changes.

This is because few updates have been made since the RAF left in 1999, requiring new terminals and updated runways.

Most of the buildings will also have to be demolished, while new roads will also have to be built to cope with the increased traffic.

However, if the cargo routes are profitable, this could lead to passenger flights by 2028.

Dutch airline KLM could be one of the returnees, while talks with low-cost airlines Ryanair, easyJet and Wizz Air also began ahead of the pandemic, according to local media.

With early-morning slots already filling up at London airports like Stansted and Luton, it could mean Manston could offer those in-demand routes instead.

And if they continue, destinations such as Spain, Cyprus and Malta could resume, as well as domestic flights across the UK.

Manston Airport is not the only UK airport hoping to reopen.

Plymouth City Council leader Richard Bingley supports a bid to reopen Plymouth Airport, which closed back in 2011.

FlyPlymouth CEO Raoul Witherall said there was good reason to bring flights back in and out of the city, which could include routes to Amsterdam.

And Swansea Airport is reopening after 19 years, announcing a new flight route to and from Exeter Airport to be launched this year.

However, some airports have been forced to close – Doncaster Sheffield Airport closed permanently in October 2022 after airline Wizz Air ceased operations.

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