March 21 - According to a BBC report, Kent's Manston Airport could be closed as early as April 9, 2014 says its chief executive Charles Buchanan.

Airport staff were told on March 19 that the loss-making airport's future would be decided after a 45-day consultation period.

Buchanan said the situation had arisen as a result of "ongoing operational losses"; a second reason was "the lack of reliable prospect of profitability in the medium term", according to the BBC report.

A petition against the closure of Manston Airport has already attracted more than 5,000 signatures; a task force is currently being set up to assess the economic impact of a shutdown and to support the 144 staff members affected.

Robert Goodwill, the UK government's aviation minister, described the potential closure as "disturbing".

Discussions in the Commons have already begun to discuss how Britain's fourth-longest runway could be kept open in the "national interest".


www.manstonairport.com

www.bbc.co.uk

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