PRESTWICK
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Irvine
Posts: 280
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
In this case renationalisation is the answer. Prestwick Airport was making a profit prior to being owned by Infratil and it can with the right management, make a profit again. To say that renationalisation is never the answer is just wrong. Renationalised East Coast Trains have just made £200 million for the UK Govt. The alternative was that Infratil were going to close the airport which I've no doubt would delight some people.
Last edited by james170969; 9th Oct 2013 at 10:04.
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London (Babylon-on-Thames)
Age: 42
Posts: 6,168
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Whilst I certainly don't want jobs to be lost, nationalization is never the answer.
btw Is Rolls Royce still in business? Why? It was nationalised after going bust due to development issues with the soon to be world class RB211 engine.
it soon became clear the offer was nonsense.
Has any kind of purchase price been announced ? If Infratil sell PIK for a nominal £1 it is an excellent deal for the Govt, while if the price was £1bn it's not such a good deal. Anything in between is a grey area....
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Irvine
Posts: 280
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I would also like to stress that renationalisation of Prestwick Airport is only temporary, albeit long term. The Deputy First Minister did say that it would be returned to the private sector at some point in the future. The Scottish Government is also going to be seeking a private company to manage the airport on their behalf.
Infratil put a price tag on the airport of somewhere in the region of £11 million, nowhere near £1 billion!
Infratil put a price tag on the airport of somewhere in the region of £11 million, nowhere near £1 billion!
Last edited by james170969; 9th Oct 2013 at 10:18.
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: London, UK
Posts: 705
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This will be a disaster. Given that market forces will not of themselves generate increased pax traffic at PIK, the Scottish Government will not be able to resist trying to meddle to increase revenue at their state owned airport, either covertly by using tax payer subsidised discounts or overtly by introducing some sort of traffic distribution rules. The only sensible option for PIK is for it to abandon pax flight and thus lose all the associated costs i.e. close the pax terminal completely and concentrate on being an mx base and maybe freight etc.
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: Ireland
Posts: 1,621
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
In this case renationalisation is the answer. Prestwick Airport was making a profit prior to being owned by Infratil and it can with the right management, make a profit again. To say that renationalisation is never the answer is just wrong. Renationalised East Coast Trains have just made £200 million for the UK Govt. The alternative was that Infratil were going to close the airport which I've no doubt would delight some people.
What can a new owner (and moreover one subject to EU State Aid Guidelines) do which the existing owners can't, and which isn't just playing a zero-sum game with traffic at GLA? (Genuine question.)
As Prestwick is on the west coast, it provides an airfield that the military of many nations can use and as I have done, been through there on fixed wing aero-medical flights.
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London (Babylon-on-Thames)
Age: 42
Posts: 6,168
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The only sensible option for PIK is for it to abandon pax flight and thus lose all the associated costs i.e. close the pax terminal completely and concentrate on being an mx base and maybe freight etc.
Knock the old cargo sheds down and put up a basic tin shed passenger terminal with access to the railway and remove the current building before it finally blows away in a winter gale.
What can a new owner (and moreover one subject to EU State Aid Guidelines) do which the existing owners can't, and which isn't just playing a zero-sum game with traffic at GLA? (Genuine question.)
Last edited by Skipness One Echo; 9th Oct 2013 at 12:40.
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Scotland
Age: 64
Posts: 261
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
First piece of news following yesterday
BBC News - Aircraft scrapping firm starts up in Prestwick
As ever BBC not quite up to date - doesn't DTV now have a scrapping operation?
As ever BBC not quite up to date - doesn't DTV now have a scrapping operation?
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: The M77...
Age: 41
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
According to the BBC, Infratil may give PIK away, full story here:
BBC News - Glasgow Prestwick Airport 'may be given away for nothing'
On a side note, where does this leave Manston?
BBC News - Glasgow Prestwick Airport 'may be given away for nothing'
On a side note, where does this leave Manston?
Last edited by The Hypnoboon; 9th Oct 2013 at 20:34. Reason: had an afterthought
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: The M77...
Age: 41
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You can always rely on the PPrune comedians...
I think I would be safe to say that the Scottish Government has no interest in Manston, that would make it very vulnerable. But back to Prestwick, its difficult to see where the growth will come from on the passenger side. But with all the things going on around other areas of the airfield, I think there is grounds for cautious optimism.
I think I would be safe to say that the Scottish Government has no interest in Manston, that would make it very vulnerable. But back to Prestwick, its difficult to see where the growth will come from on the passenger side. But with all the things going on around other areas of the airfield, I think there is grounds for cautious optimism.
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Prestwick
Age: 44
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I would say Manston is very vulnerable - if you have studied the accounts (sorry boring I know) but a majority of losses have been incurred at Manston, whereas the majority of spending has also been done there..
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: U.K.
Posts: 63
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
PIK
At the very least I hope they rename it and get rid of those stupid cartoons adorning the terminal.
And perhaps some management that are willing to put themselves out and try to attract new business and to look after what little they have at the moment.
And perhaps some management that are willing to put themselves out and try to attract new business and to look after what little they have at the moment.