PASSENGERS are once-again flying from Kent International Airport, Manston.

Sun-seekers were boarding the first flights of this year’s summer season on Thursday, with planes chartered by Kent Escapes leaving for Faro.

Other warm destinations they will be flying to this year in their 165-seat MD83 include Palma and Alicante.

KIA’s new manager, Matt Clarke, was on hand to see them off, just five weeks into his job.

Mr Clarke was previously the CEO at Infratil’s Rotorua airport in his native New Zealand and has high hopes for Manston, both in the passenger and freight sectors.

He said: "We are known as a long-term and active investor and we have a 20-year plan for Manston. London seems to be spreading further south and with the high speed rail there is great potential for passenger flights."

Infratil has a close relationship with Ryanair, the largest airline in the world, which flies out of the firm’s site at Glasgow Prestwick. Rumours have constantly circulated about the possiblity of the operator to transfer flights to KIA, but Mr Clarke stayed tight-lipped.

He said: "We want to make sure we develop the airport sustainably and we will judge where the market is at. Low cost is definitely the most popular sector and there is definitely the potential for Ryanair to be in the mix here."

But until a large passenger operator comes on board, freight is vital for KIA's viability.

"We carried 26,000 tonnes of freight by the end of the financial year, which is more than double the year before," said Mr Clarke. "We’ve also doubled the number of people on our freight team and we now employ 80-100 depending on the season.

"An airport like this has an enormous value to the community and it’s a huge thing to be able to employ that many people."