Wiggins is a property group turned airport operator.

They currently own land at and or will operate 8 airports(planestations).

These are

Manston in Kent
Lahr in Germany
Parchim in Germany
Cuneo in Italy
Odense in Denmark
Smyrna in the US
Pilsen in the Czech Republic
Ajman airport

The main initial focus is on cargo operation manston is currently the 7th biggest airport in terms of cargo weight in England. cuneo is the only Airport that currently has scheduled services from 3 febuary there will be 3 flights a day to Rome and 1 flight a day to Strasbourg in the summer there will be charter flights.

As well as the airports Manston still has a valuable non airport related land bank which it plans on selling/developping and using the money generated to invest in the planestations.

Lets hope they start to move soon!!

Manston To Fly As Cliffe Is Grounded
Kent Business

Airport joy as council spells out challenging 2004 agenda

London Manston airport has won renewed backing following the government’s decision to ground controversial plans for an airport on Cliffe marches.

Kent County Council welcomed the decision by Alistair Darling, the Transport Secretary, to rule out the precious wildlife site.

Instead, he opted for runway expansion at Stansted and Heathrow, Birmingham and Edinburgh, with the possibility of an extra runway at Gatwick after 2019. While some business people and planners thought an airport at Cliffe would have given a tremendous boost to jobs and commerce, KCC insisted it would have “over balanced” the economy.

Cllr Alex King, Cabinet member for regeneration, said increased airport capacity was essential to Kent’s growth, but Cliffe was never the right place for it.

Manston has a runway capable of taking intercontinental passenger flights – it is in talks about scheduled charter flights to Florida – and cargo traffic rose 29 per cent last year.

“It gives us a real opportunity to develop Manston,” said Cllr King. “Blight is now off. I would like to see Manston realise its full potential.”

A spokesman for Wiggins Group, the owners of Manston, said the Aviation White Paper offered it “a major opportunity for growth. It recognises that there is considerable scope for us to meet demand for air services and goes on to braket London Manston with major airports such as London City and Southampton.”

Mr Darling’s decision was greeted with tears of relief among opponents of a scheme that would have seriously damaged Dickins Country and a unique site for birds.

It was a huge victory for the people of the Hoo Peninsula and beyond who campaigned against the proposal.

Campaigner George Crozer said: “The decision is a huge relief. I’m over the moon the fight is over.”

Meanwhile Cllr King outlined a number of other challenges Kent must over come to take advantage of “an open window of opportunity” running up to 2007 – when the Channel Tunnel Rail Link is fully open – and beyond:

Everyone has to pull together.
All opportunities to promote Kent’s interests should be seized.
The Government must be persuaded to invest up to 10bn in infrastructure to go hand in hand with the housing development.
Kent should offer better communications such as universal broadband.
The country’s position as a gate way to and from Europe has to be emphasised.
Education “from primary school upwards” must achieve a step change in skills.
Entrepreneurship has to be encouraged.
The Government should reduce the burden of regulation and reverse the trend towards “stealth taxes” and taxes on businesses.