Might be more accurate to say EDI has been defeated in a battle to maintain long-term high frequency LHR links. Once the 3 year compulsory operating period is up, its inevitable the slots will go to long-haul flights ex-LHR. And happily for the Beard, if there are no flights you can take his trains instead.
This has been discussed at length elsewhere and you are wrong on both points
1. The slots are ring fenced for
London-Aberdeen
London-Edinburgh
London-Nice
London-Cairo
London-Moscow **restricted by bilateral agreement to two UK operators who are BA and EZY**
London-Riyadh
for 3 years (7 rotations for EDI/ABZ) then must be used for European routes or designated lh routes, which are
London-Cairo
London-Moscow **no traffic rights**
London-Riyadh.
The rules are
here if you are interested. So no long haul bonanza for Virgin there.
2. The alternative train is ECML which is government operated at the moment. No SRB benefit there either.
Ex