News

Infratil, the owners of an east Kent airport, hope a million passengers will be  using the facility by 2011.

In their 25-year expansion plan for Manston, published today they believe traffic levels at Kent International Airport could  increase to six million passengers by 2033.

Freight is also expected to rise from 33,000 tonnes to 500,000 tonnes.

Currently about 16,000 people travel through the airport every year.

In the plan it says Kent International Airport's one passenger terminal facility and single runway has "sufficient capacity" for the number of aircraft movements anticipated over the next 25 years.

The plan predicts it will provide "an increasingly attractive alternative for airlines and passengers as congestion increases".

A consultation period is now under way and public briefing sessions will also be arranged in the local area over the coming weeks.

This ends on 19 December, with the final version of the master plan due to be published early next year.