I’m not sure how much of this can be laid at the door of AIA, but they were quick to take the oil dollar back in the boom time and didn’t really invest much in the drome until it started falling apart a few years back.
For me if I’ve got to go out East, I would rather jump on a train to EDI and go out via Turkish or the long haulers and unless LH come back I’ve got no intention of going via LHR and all the pullaver that involves. I know many of my colleagues prefer this route too.
Nothing much is really in AIAs favour at the moment, APD, ageing population, a drastic decline in the average wage and those whose lives haven’t been affected by the downturn seem to be choosing to holiday in Dubai or the US as it’s often cheaper for a family of 4 than the offering from TUI etc direct from ABZ. The amount of NE travellers on EK flights out of GLA is apparently staggeringly high.
With Eastern on a seemingly downward spiral as far a schedules are concerned, and this latest news it’s no wonder AIA were announcing next summers (same as this years) RYR schedules as if it were something to celebrate.