PRESTWICK
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Skippy
You also have form and strong views on every subject on Pprune so troll is a little strong...........but back to PIK
The problem is the future not PIK's glorious past, show me another airport that makes a return on running cargo services alone in the UK?
Time will tell
The problem is the future not PIK's glorious past, show me another airport that makes a return on running cargo services alone in the UK?
Time will tell
Join Date: Aug 2002
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OK fair point, but I try and back it up with info and context.
If you take the time again, please, to read what I said, you will discover it's not just cargo. You know there's a fair bit of military traffic I imagine? Transit and training as well? There are a few airfields that get by as a going concern with much less. My key point is the business needs to be right sized with fewer costly overheads, like an enormous glass building that's falling down for example. PIK is likely to be more of Kemble or a Coventry in future I suspect. It's no accident that the other UK airport "run" by the geniuses at Infratil is about to close (Manston)
Careful, this genuinely means nothing and can be changed at the flick of a switch, as Wizz were as NWA and Air Canada were before them. The airline will maintain and sell into the market at all times to keep business as usual until any decision is made public. To me the question is whether FR ae going to bring additional traffic to Scotland via GLA with non based aircraft or simply move the PIK base.
The problem is the future not PIK's glorious past, show me another airport that makes a return on running cargo services alone in the UK?
And why have Ryanair loaded their Dublin winter schedule showing PIK when they are moving to GLA on Oct 14th so we're told as 'FACT' ?
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Dont shout me down fellow PPruners, but it is possible (maybe just) that PIK could become the nerve centre for all mail / freight and cargo flights in and out of Scotland.
I suggest this in light of EDI having to maintain Runway 12/30 'primarily' on the back of the Royal Mail contract, with other freight carriers adding their tuppence. The whole cargo apron(s) and associated security required is a drain on GIPs resources - parking space better suited to commercial aircraft with 'bums on seats'. GLA also facing a similar situation, albeit with smaller aircraft and operation.
Good road links in the Central Belt to PIK with the airport pretty much ready to accept such flights.
I suggest this in light of EDI having to maintain Runway 12/30 'primarily' on the back of the Royal Mail contract, with other freight carriers adding their tuppence. The whole cargo apron(s) and associated security required is a drain on GIPs resources - parking space better suited to commercial aircraft with 'bums on seats'. GLA also facing a similar situation, albeit with smaller aircraft and operation.
Good road links in the Central Belt to PIK with the airport pretty much ready to accept such flights.
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Silver streak
Whilst it would be possible to centralise mail/cargo operations to PIK, it should be remembered that mail is time critical and the extra time for road transport is a critical factor.
PIK location on the West coast and it's excellent weather and low fog risk was i understand the main factor in its location in the days before precision approaches were commonplace.
I have flown for a number of airlines that use PIK as a designated alternate for GLA/EDI but if and when we diverted we never went there, it was purely for planning purposes because it was always above alt minima, but no revenue for PIK in that!!
It maybe possible to down scale the airport to reduce costs.
Skippy
They may have bought it for £1 but you and I know the real cost is the liabilities, i have no idea what they are, but it will likely be millions and probably 10"s of them.
PIK location on the West coast and it's excellent weather and low fog risk was i understand the main factor in its location in the days before precision approaches were commonplace.
I have flown for a number of airlines that use PIK as a designated alternate for GLA/EDI but if and when we diverted we never went there, it was purely for planning purposes because it was always above alt minima, but no revenue for PIK in that!!
It maybe possible to down scale the airport to reduce costs.
Skippy
They may have bought it for £1 but you and I know the real cost is the liabilities, i have no idea what they are, but it will likely be millions and probably 10"s of them.
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According to Nicola Sturgeon the Scottish Government has already "invested" £5m in Prestwick.
What exactly they have spent that money on would be interesting as I have not seen any major infrastructure developments, but I would suspect that £5m would be about right for covering the losses since they took over. £200k per week!
BBC News - Nicola Sturgeon: Return on Prestwick 'could take years'
What exactly they have spent that money on would be interesting as I have not seen any major infrastructure developments, but I would suspect that £5m would be about right for covering the losses since they took over. £200k per week!
BBC News - Nicola Sturgeon: Return on Prestwick 'could take years'
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PPPP Pick up a penguin. Im just dealing with " FACTS " not "MIGHT BE ". PIK is a PAX Airport " FACT ". And the lies on here about ryanair moving to GLA in October are laughable. All i ask is for people to stop saying they have reliable sources as when october comes, Ryanair will still be operating from PIK.
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It's interesting and reassuring to read of the healthy increase in non scheduled and cargo traffic that PIK has achieved. Though with this increase, it does beg the question, surely, of exactly how the rocket scientists in charge have managed to quadruple their losses... especially as a brief glance at the airport infrastructure shows precious little in the way of investment.
It's not a political forum, I agree, but at the same time surely we can all recognise that the Scots Government have hardly covered themselves in glory by leaving in place a management team who have demonstrated their incompetence with great success over the last seven years. Did they really expect a sudden improvement in business acumen, just because there was now a pot of public money to waste instead of using Infratil's overdraft?
I had high hopes when the government took it over, and saw some of the news stories about businesses trying to start there as a really positive step. Looks like I was unduly optimistic - plus ca change, plus c'est meme chose, if you like.
It's not a political forum, I agree, but at the same time surely we can all recognise that the Scots Government have hardly covered themselves in glory by leaving in place a management team who have demonstrated their incompetence with great success over the last seven years. Did they really expect a sudden improvement in business acumen, just because there was now a pot of public money to waste instead of using Infratil's overdraft?
I had high hopes when the government took it over, and saw some of the news stories about businesses trying to start there as a really positive step. Looks like I was unduly optimistic - plus ca change, plus c'est meme chose, if you like.
Join Date: Mar 2008
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Wind sock (good Scottish name) neither actually UK expat so couldn't give a toss either way.
But your wrong there is a political element to this, because much of every decision made by both Westminster & Edinburgh has one eye on the referendum, each side will seize any opportunity to put down the other, £200k a week just over £10 million a year or roughly 200 nursing jobs.
But your wrong there is a political element to this, because much of every decision made by both Westminster & Edinburgh has one eye on the referendum, each side will seize any opportunity to put down the other, £200k a week just over £10 million a year or roughly 200 nursing jobs.
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Windsock,
It is clearly stated in the BBC article
Manston was sold separately with a separate set of accounts.
It is clearly stated in the BBC article
Prestwick, which was sold for £1 to the Scottish government on 22 November last year, had a pre-tax loss of £9.77m in the final full year of its ownership by Infratil.
It was a sharp worsening of its financial position, after a £2.3m pre-tax loss in the year to March 2012.
It was a sharp worsening of its financial position, after a £2.3m pre-tax loss in the year to March 2012.
Join Date: Apr 2001
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silverstreak:
Oh yeah? When was the last time a Royal Mail aircraft used 12/30 - or are you only talking about the times 12/30 was opened at night because 06/24 was under maintenance?
EDI having to maintain Runway 12/30 'primarily' on the back of the Royal Mail contract
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NorthSouth - well that's my point exactly...
12/30 is only used when 06/24 is under maintenance (very rarely), costing GIP precious money keeping it in operational condition - BUT as part of the Royal Mail contract, it must be available at all times, in the event 06/24 is out. Normally 12/30 is just a taxi-way or parking lot...
12/30 is only used when 06/24 is under maintenance (very rarely), costing GIP precious money keeping it in operational condition - BUT as part of the Royal Mail contract, it must be available at all times, in the event 06/24 is out. Normally 12/30 is just a taxi-way or parking lot...
I just had a look at the departures/arrival board for Prestwick and was stunned to see only 4 scheduled departures, 0635, 0725,1535 and 2115. There are only one departure and one arrival in the 9-5 time zone.
The place looks dead and I cannot see why the controlled airspace is still there.
bb
The place looks dead and I cannot see why the controlled airspace is still there.
bb
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Not quite as quiet as perhaps you perceive BB - PIK is more than just 4 scheduled winter FR movements in that there is a mix of GA, cargo, fuel / tech stops, military and training movements. It could be busier though and if you look back over the thread there are some decent educated posts about PIK's future outlook alongside unfortunately the usual drivel.
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The place looks dead and I cannot see why the controlled airspace is still there.
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To be fair to PIK bad bear, the Thursday pax schedule from PIK this winter is particularly quiet - okay there aren't exactly waves of departures the other days but they are busier than a Thursday (and Tuesday).