EDINBURGH

[CabinCrewe]

overlap, why ? Jet2 dont operate to FUE from any UK base

[OntimeexceptACARS]

Cabin Crewe, fair point, just meant that as a bucket and spade route its more up Jet2's tailpipe than Lodz or Poznan....

[Joe Curry]

Could turn out to bite them on their backsides. LS is just waiting to grow at EDI... this could be a good reason!

Let's hope they make advances under the new owners, BAA would otherwise
extoll the virtues of flying from elsewhere.

[edi_local]

Originally Posted by JSCL

Could turn out to bite them on their backsides. LS is just waiting to grow at EDI... this could be a good reason!

No doubt LS will see some openings here and good luck to them if they do pounce on some routes, but I do hope someone steps in to serve some of FRs more "exotic" cities. No chance of LS ever serving TLL, BTS or BRE, which certainly gave a good bit of variety to Scotland's offerings.


Maybe we will see Wizz at EDI? I have often thought some of their destinations (Kiev, Belgrade, Sofia, Bucharest, Warsaw for example) would do quite well at EDI.

[CabinCrewe]

Im sure if the Gatwick owners get EDI they will really be persuing "the virtues of flying from elsewhere"

[Fairdealfrank]

Quote: "Im sure if the Gatwick owners get EDI they will really be persuing "the virtues of flying from elsewhere"

This seems like dismantling one "empire" (BAA) to create another (GIP).

This enforced sale of airports does appear to be a diversion from the real issue: inadequate capacity.

[Bartek]

GIP to acquire Edinburgh Airport for £850m?

Being reported this morning that, barring an eleventh hour hitch, Gatwick-owners GIP are expected to be successful in their bid for EDI, acquiring it from BAA for a tidy £850m.

GIP to snap up Edinburgh airport in £850m deal - Telegraph

A formal announcement might take place later today.

[WHBM]

Now reported sold for "about" £800m

BBC News - Edinburgh airport sold for about £800m

I seem to recallthat GIP (in a slightly different guise) paid about this for London City in 2006, which they are now looking to sell for about £1.25bn. Seems a surprising difference given the different traffic levels, land area, etc.

[PAXboy]

At the end of that item on the BBC:

It is thought that GIP intends to improve the speed at which passengers move through the airport at check-in, security and baggage handling, and to link the Scottish capital with new routes.

All of which is GOOD.

Its investment pattern is to sell the asset on after about seven years.

All of which is BAD as it means everything will be short term. It means patching up and covering up. Typical. I have seen so many business' follow this rank behaviour. They call it an 'exit strategy' but what it actually is - is zero interest in the business out of which they are making money. I'm sure that I don't have to spell out the problems.

[bos2gla]

Long may the divergence continue

At last, an end to the uncertainty. EDI will continue down the route of being Scotland's LCC hub (like Gatwick or Luton or Stansted) and BAA can polish their favourite toy - continuing the process of making GLA the long haul hub for Scotland - sort of like a mini LHR.

Everybody is a winner - the EDI fans will keep their hard fought for title of 'mair passengers than the Weegies' and GLA fans will see the long haul portfolio grow as EDI doesnt have the infastructure, or the space to do anything but grow LCC and UltraLCC destinations. Result all round methinks!

[commit aviation]

PAXboy

Whilst I understand & in many ways agree with your views on what happens when a business invests for the short term, I think in this instance you need to take into account what GIP has done at LGW. Maybe they plan to keep LGW for more than 7 years, I don't know. Either way, I think there may be a requirement to be open minded for now.
Let's meet back here in 7 years & see who needs to eat their words!!

[edi_local]

Originally Posted by bos2gla

At last, an end to the uncertainty. EDI will continue down the route of being Scotland's LCC hub (like Gatwick or Luton or Stansted) and BAA can polish their favourite toy - continuing the process of making GLA the long haul hub for Scotland - sort of like a mini LHR.

Everybody is a winner - the EDI fans will keep their hard fought for title of 'mair passengers than the Weegies' and GLA fans will see the long haul portfolio grow as EDI doesnt have the infastructure, or the space to do anything but grow LCC and UltraLCC destinations. Result all round methinks!

Surely new owners at EDI will resolve the problems with the airport and will do what is needed to attract new routes, be they long or shorthaul. Space at EDI is not really running out, but a much better use of the space they have would be a good idea for GIP to look at.

[LGS6753]

By all accounts GIP has done Gatwick proud. If they are as good for EDI, it can only improve. And surely it will start to compete (properly) with GLA. Then the real shortcomings of BAA will become apparent.

[PAXboy]

Interesting point, commit aviation, and I do hope that my world weary, cynical view is confounded. Since I have been part of this forum for more than seven years, I dare say that I shall still be here in another seven. So, unless I've already been shipped as cargo to the crematorium, let's review in 2019.

[j636]

OLT Express will start a weekly service using an A320 between EDI-Lodz from 29 October. Operates on Sundays. A replacment for FR dropping the route at the end of the summer.

[j636]

OLT also to add 2 weekly to Bydgoszcz from October.

[Severn]

OLT Express

OLT Express launched operations on 02 April 12, initially with 10 domestic routes within Poland. The airline is expanding its operation starting May 2012, and has announced the expansion to continental Europe starting 29 October 12 from 5 Polish bases (on-top of 23 domestic routes it will be serving by then);
Warsaw - 17 new European routes with 75 weekly flights all starting from 29 October 12
Gdansk - 13 new European routes with 57 weekly flights all starting from 29 October 12
Bydgoszcz - 12 new European routes with 25 weekly flights all starting from 29 October 12
Rzeszow - 7 new European routes with 18 weekly flights all starting from 29 October 12
Lodz - 5 new European routes with 8 weekly flights starting all starting from 29 October 12

The new routes to the UK & IRE will be:
BRS-BZG - 2x Weekly
LPL-BZG - 2x Weekly
NCL-BZG - 2x Weekly
LGW-BZG - 2x Weekly
LGW-GDN - 1x Daily
LGW-WAW - 1x Daily
ORK-BZG - 2x Weekly
EDI-LCJ - 1x Weekly
EDI-BZG - 2x Weekly

They seem to be pretty sorted, especially as it doesn't look like that they will be going head to head on many WZZ or RYR routes at all, and with cheap flights starting at 29.99 one way inclusive of 16kg baggage allowance and 8kg cabin baggage allowance. (also 50% discount applies for pax aged 2 to 18), then hopefully they will do very well.

[Joe Curry]

Everybody is a winner - the EDI fans will keep their hard fought for title of 'mair passengers than the Weegies' and GLA fans will see the long haul portfolio grow as EDI doesnt have the infastructure, or the space to do anything but grow LCC and UltraLCC destinations. Result all round methinks!

When I heard that GIP had purchased EDI my first thoughts were, "Thank God, we will now get rid of this EDI v GLA nonsense forever". Can we expect a more sensible GIP v BAA? My heart sunk when reading the above quote, it looks like the old battles will continue with imagined elitism (size and quality matters).
Let's hope GIP competes on all fronts and boots this childishness into touch forever.

[gopaisleygo]

United

Just heard from ground agt that 2nd NYC summer flight will stop at beginning of september. This usually operates through till end of October. Any ideas why so early an axe this year?

[bos2gla]

good job - I dont like this GLA vs EDI nonsense either - but look back over your 567 post Joe and see who really keeps it going! PS You are welcome to the last word on the matter - I will retain my dignity and will close this subject for ever.