Time now for all us Wiggins watchers to move with the times and start using Planestation, the new company identity. The name Wiggins Group plc has now disappeared from the database at Companies House and Planestation is now listed on the LSE website.

So fellow travellers, forget Wiggins, the name of the game is now PLANESTATION. Lets hope it goes like an express train.

My understanding is that the DC-8 is scheduled for 3 runs per week. I am not certain what the capacity of a DC-8 is but supposing it brings 50 tonnes 3 times per week 52 weeks per year, that would add up to 7800 tonnes. That may be an over estimate so lets be pessimistic and say 5000 tonnes.

Then they may take out a load on each flight so there could be a total of say 7 - 10k tonnes added to the annual figures. It's not earth shattering but it is a start and could add around 25% to the annual figure, ish.

ttt. If only to note that Oliver Iny and Geoffrey Lansbury have had their contracts terminated with immediate effect.

Kent Online keeping up Manston's profile.

http://www.kentonline.co.uk/business/news.asp?article_id=16263

This could be fun:

http://www.airandalucia.com/company.htm

Found this on TMF posted by 'localspy'

18 AUGUST 2004
WORK NEARS COMPLETION ON FOOD CARGO BUILDING
Kent Business


A new 2.5 million cargo facility is about to open at Kent International Airport.

The 3,200 square metre Border Inspection Post at Manston will provide full cargo handling facilities for foodstuffs from outside the European Union.

It is one of the largest such posts in the UK offering chilled storage as well as facilities to enable the Department of the Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to carry out quality checks.

Construction began in January and the final stages of fitting out are now in hand. It has the capacity to handle multiple cargo loads and is expected to attract significant new business to the airport.

Airport director Alistair Robertson said there had been keen interest and discussions were underway with several operators.

He said: The availability of flight slots at key times and the quick turnaround of cargo achieved at Kent International are our great strengths.

We regularly clear cargo from unloading to lorries dispatched on the road in 45 minutes, which is an outstanding industry time.

The latest cargo operator moving to use Manston is United Arabian Airlines. Managing director Cpt Mustafa Kordofani said: The new facilities at London Manston are impressive and combined with its location and good transport links made the airport a first choice for us.

Kent and Sussex firms were involved in construction of the BIP, including architects Blundell, Thompson, Hargreaves of Longfield; civil engineers Tully De'Ath (Consultants) of Forest Row, East Sussex; and surveyors Groves Associates of Tonbridge. The main contractor is GSE of Ashford.

RNS Number:2621C
Planestation Group PLC
24 August 2004


PlaneStation Group plc ("the Company")

Agreement with Langtree Group plc ("Langtree")

24 August 2004


On 14 May 2004 the Company announced that it was involved in discussions with
Langtree on the detailed terms of a sale agreement for the Company's leasehold
interest in the International Garden Festival site in Liverpool. The Company is
now pleased to announce that it has received non-refundable payments of 1.5
million from Langtree. Completion of the sale remains conditional on the
assignment of the lease from the Company to Langtree being approved by Liverpool City Council ("LCC").
Further payments will become due following a successful negotiation of the approval of the lease assignment and an appropriate
announcement will be made in due course.

Martin May, PlaneStation's Chief Executive Officer, said "The anticipated sale
of our Liverpool site to Langtree is in line with the Company's stated strategy
of disposing of its non-core assets for investment elsewhere in the Company."

It would be nice to know what the full price agreed !!!

Not before time, some news on this sale but as you say Fundy not too generous with detail.
No mention of the loss of MK freight business. They appear to have cut Manston and are offloading at Ostend (that must create some logistical problems for them) I wonder if it is Manston that has cut them out!!
We will have to await details on this, should be a RNS soon as it will have a material effect on freight figures, certainly for the short term at least unless new contracts are to 'arrive' almost immediately.

Folks ,have been away. whats this about MK?


G12

Fill you in a little GG12, not much other info as yet:

From this morning's CEEFAX :

A leading freight operator is pulling out of Kent International Airport, saying a rise in charges has made it too expensive to be based there. Freight flights form the majority of the business at the airport in Manston. MK Airlines has flown out of the airport since 1999 but is now moving its base to Ostend in Belgium.

The airline said it wanted to stay but could not afford to do so. Airport management said MK Airlines had enjoyed a very attractive deal for 5 years.

If you believe what's written you'd have to conclude that PTG has priced their major customer out of the airport. On last night's local TV news it said that MK handled 95% of all freight passing through Manston.

Cheers optomistic


Where does this leave the airport now with their new refridgerated unit having
just been built ??
I wonder how this will affect cargo figures???

GG12 PTG management surely cannot be so naive as to let their major freight customer go unless new more lucrative business is already in the pipeline.
If they are we are in trouble, but looking at todays share trading the market is not too concerned about this (I hope)
In the meantime MK has some problem getting its loads off the aircraft in Ostend onto other transport to get it over the channel then to another distribution base over here, and then hopefully for them directly to the shops, if not things ain't gonna be as fresh as they used to be!
I'm waiting for that imminent announcement, It will have to be soon even for PTG (IMO)

Good point, still have my holiday head on :))))

Just out folks

PlaneStation Group plc (the Company)

Agreement with Langtree Group plc (Langtree)



On 14 May 2004 the Company announced that it was involved in discussions with Langtree on the detailed terms of a sale agreement for the Companys leasehold interest in the International Garden Festival site in Liverpool. The Company is now pleased to announce that it has received non-refundable payments of 1.5 million from Langtree. Completion of the sale remains conditional on the assignment of the lease from the Company to Langtree being approved by Liverpool City Council (LCC). Further payments will become due following a successful negotiation of the approval of the lease assignment and an appropriate announcement will be made in due course.

Martin May, PlaneStations Chief Executive Officer, said The anticipated sale of our Liverpool site to Langtree is in line with the Companys stated strategy of disposing of its non-core assets for investment elsewhere in the Company.



Further Enquiries:

Isabel Crossley
St Brides Media
Tel: 020 7242 4477

Martin May
PlaneStation Group Plc
Tel: 020 7495 8686

Thanks GC. see post 779 :-)

I'm still not on the ball,but i'm getting there.

Cheers G12

Now come on guys, you're not watching whats going on.

http://www.aeroshuttle.co.uk/

Thanks Socrates

As the 28th August draws to a close, it is only a fraction over 72 hours to the start of the day on which scheduled passenger services start from Manston. That will be an interesting day with lots of press attention.

Here's a little article from our friend at Telegraph.....

MK Airlines take off

A report that Manston airport in Kent had lost MK Airlines, its principal freight operator, set me ferreting. Manston, which is owned by PlaneStation, starts passenger services this Wednesday, but its future is also based on freight. On the face of it the news was perturbing for holders of PlaneStation shares, which include me.

But a favourable five-year contract for MK has ended. With other freight operators poised to take advantage of Manston's new facilities it is uneconomic for PlaneStation to continue with old terms.

Last Tuesday it was announced that the property and airports group had received 1.5m from a partner for a major site in Liverpool. If the council assigns the lease, a payment possibly five times that would accrue. Longer-term, PlaneStation would get a half-share of development profits, possibly 30m.

It is said that the previous chief executive has just had three separate approaches to buy his 5 per cent stake, at a premium. The property deal is in line with PlaneStation's objective of "inviting other parties to consider joint ventures or partnerships". It could involve firms taking stakes in PlaneStation and/or specific airports. Now this would make the business hum.

At about 6p the shares remain high risk/reward yet the strategy looks on track. Artemis Fund Managers recently doubled its stake to 8.5 per cent of this 135m group. Shareholders may learn more at the September 14 annual meeting.

Tomorrow will be an exciting day for many with PTG having their first scheduled services running out of Kent International Airport (Manston). What will it do to the share price, anything?

It will be interesting to see how many passengers there are, hopefully they will outnumber the crew!