spending close to £1 billion to purchase and upgrade an airport that may or may not attract long haul routes is something of a gamble.
Spending any money on airports is always going to be a gamble - look at the risks the industry faces.
However, there is a clear opportunity to buy EDI & develop it.
There's also the flipside of the high speed rail point too - if it served the airport directly, pax could be poached from what by then would be rival GLA.
On the other hand, if London is within 2 1/2 hours, big loss of all those shuttle flights.
Meanwhile, what impact would a yes result in the independence referendum have? I can't see much reduction in demand on routes to what would be then be EWNI, meanwhile, Edinburgh gains international stature. Probably just greater yields to BRU, and President Salmond wanting a direct link to the White House! Apart from that, the Castle is still the Castle, and Arthur's Seat isn't moving anywhere. What about all the financial services?