Originally Posted by
Skipness One Echo
This was Gil Thompson's stated objective but be honest, that predated the fragmentation of airport policy and the rise of open skies in Scotland and Edinburgh taking off after years of being politically restrained. Given most of the main MAN long haul carriers have a presence at either GLA /EDI,your asking them to cannibalise their own traffic. Emirates doesn't want it's GLA traffic at MAN and Delta don't want EDI traffic using VS out of MAN. There will be feed of course but MAN is not going to be the long haul airport of choice for the Scottish market.
Maybe not, but Scotland still has the problem of schizophrenia as far as air transport is concerned, for long haul certainly. A population of 5 million plus perhaps a few more from the very North of England, and two airports to serve a catchment a quarter the size of MAN's (without Scotland). Airline has to decide - I want to serve Scotland, do I go to EDI for the Tattoo or GLA for the bevvies? I am not going to both parties.