A bit of good news at long last: June passenger numbers up 6.5% (compared to June last year) at 176257. (source: CAA provisional data here.)

Another small bit of good news
 

Continuing the theme of the above post, July 2010 passenger numbers were 197,198, an increase of 2.7% on July last year (source: airport website).

I also noticed the last time I passed the airport that new runway lights were being installed at the 13 approach (they may also be on the 31 approach, but I haven't passed that end in a while). Good to see some investment being made.

Also of not is that South Ayrshire Council has published their Main Issues Report as a precursor to their new Local Development Plan (see here, but note that the report is a 90mb download). There's a chapter dealing with the airport, which states, among other things, that "An Action Plan shall be prepared for the Airport and surrounding area to link future Airport and non-Airport development, and to promote the expansion of Airport and runway facilities." The Action Plan will also seek to "Retain the second runway for airport related use", which is good news in the light of the airport's masterplan suggesting that the second runway could be redeveloped.

Any other news or rumours doing the rounds? Any word on a tenant for the old Polar hangar?

That's good news for Prestwick Airport considering the state of the economy and the airline industry at the moment. Let's hope Prestwick Airport continues to flourish.

heard 2day that now the pik - ryanair relationship is starting 2 get back on track. Discussing new routes for next year, tom wilson re building the bridges that rodwell knocked down!

new hangar open, max capacity of 8 aircraft, old and new hangar joined together, im not 100% sure but i think theres a bay for a bigger aircraft. also heard some flights at edinburgh are not working out, maybe some might return to PIK?

That would be great for Prestwick if that happened. I hope the Charleroi route will come back. I have a 100 mile journey from there to Ostend which can take up to five hours by bus and 2 trains. The thought of my journey being made even longer by having to go all the way to Edinburgh, is enough to put me off going. I might as well get the sleeper train to London and go to Ostend by train from there.
Also, I hope that Flybe will return to Prestwick next year.

While at work in Saltcoats today I noticed an aircraft heading for Prestwick. It was a few minutes after the Wizzair flight from Warsaw had landed. It was smaller than the Wizzair possibly British Airways but it was hard to tell looking at it from Saltcoats prom! Does anyone know what it was doing at Prestwick and which airline it was?

... was a BA Airbus A318 I think - it flew over me as I was driving along the A79 - did a "touch and go".

Thanks for that guys! I wish I could have got a better view but I was working in Saltcoats at the time. I've never had the opportunity to fly in an Embraer. It would be nice to see one on a regular basis at Prestwick.

:\ .. I was concentrating on driving the car - honest :)

Does anyone know when flights to Alicante for May / June will be available for sale? My cousin wants to fly over there for a fortnight's holiday in Benidorm. Easyjet and Jet2 both have summer flights on sale although Jet2 is around £60 more expensive than Easyjet. My cousin wants to fly from Prestwick but if she has to wait any longer she'll get me to book her flight with Easyjet from Glasgow.

They should be on sale in November/December.

summer schedule loading up, looks promising so far, any body any idea how many aircraft based?

Does anyone know if Flybe are coming back to Prestwick next year?

Prestwic good for cargo, Bad for people
 

Having used Airports throughout the WORLD I think Prestwick International is up amongst the worst place to depart or to arrive. Firstly the facilities are sparse, cold and unwelcoming, Then through the security, WARNING don’t, Just DONT say anything to these people, They are hyper and looking for ANY excuse to stop you boarding your flight, If you manage to run the gauntlet of these persons you will enter a shopping area, Well sort off, No bigger than some convenient stores, Then the Cafe/Bar Very expensive, More so than major Airports of Manchester/Liverpool or Gatwick. and so called Departure lounge, again cramped with hard seating, Everything is over priced except the Newspapers and mags. but you want a can of Coca Cola, Sorry cant have, but you can have three for about £4.50. (Less than a pound outside) Then the real test of your strength, The GATE to the departure corridor, Guarded by Ladies and sometimes boys in pink shirts. "Stand in line" you will be ordered, "No reading in the queue Pay attention" Wow your back in the school playground once more. Weigh your hand luggage, One bag per passenger, “Excuse me, your camera has to go in your bag, Yes and your bum bag that’s got to go in as well. now bring it to MY scales so I can charge you of it is a gram overweight“ Oh yes they get a share of all money they can extract from you at the gate, If you have negotiated that without loosing your cool, Then the long walk to the Aircraft, Out into the open with the biting wind sweeping the airfield, Queues to board and everyone freezing by this stage. On the Aircraft eventually and a seat at last. Relaxed, No not really, You may need to return and that’s even worse.
I found some the staff just doing their jobs but they are the cleaners and shop assistants, The Prestwick ground staff are consumed with power and the desire to give passengers the most hassle and discomfort as is humanly possible. You could complain, But no matter how valid your complaint would be, These Ayrshire people always stick together.
My advice, Leave or arrive at Glasgow or Edinburgh, Prestwick may be cheaper, If you get away at all., We will pay the little extra and use a major airport in future.:{:{:{

Everyone is entitled to their opinion but Prestwick is not as bad as you are making out and I have had issues with staff at several airports including Prestwick, Glasgow and Malaga. I prefer flying to and from Prestwick where at all possible mainly because of it's size and not having to walk miles from the departure lounge to the departure gate. I fail to see how you can complain about the "long walk" when at Glasgow International the walk is much longer especially with the new security building where it is. Anytime I have flown with Easyjet to Malaga I have had to get a bus to a remote stand and face the cold and rain. Yes, I agree, certain parts of Prestwick Airport need updating but that would not put me off from flying to and from Prestwick. I would love to see more flights and more airlines at Prestwick. And before anyone accuses me of being anti Glasgow - I have no qualms about flying from there. It just happens to be that my preference is Prestwick.

Ivor Goodstory, if I may.

You flew with Ryanair. Reflect on this for a moment and perhaps balance that against your expectations. They have a reputation that I am happy to deal with when I fly with them, but that experience isn't for everyone.

Prestwick was built for a different age of 707s and DC8s and so is oddly enough the perfect size for the B737-800.

The airside shop is WHSmith who have rip off shops in most UK departures. Their prices are shockingly high in comparison with major retailers like ASDA or Tesco but Prestwick is no different from GLA or EDI in this respect.

I won't ask but you're right. It's best not to. This applies as much to the TSA as Prestwick.

Reading in the queue is allowed and today men are permitted to wear any colour. Purple is no longer punishable by execution and pink doesn't mean he's a friend of Dorothy in any way. It just means he has lamentable taste. This is also allowed.

This is standard fare flying Ryanair. I don't mind as I like seeing the aircraft from the outside and for the price of the ticket I pay I can usually deal with it. Even easyJet at EDI and GLA has EXACTLY the same issue most of the time.

That's true we do.

Posted by Ivor goodstory
Difficult to believe that anyone would take advice from a person with a user name like that !! :ok:

The worst thing about the airsde WH Smiths at PIK is that they only ever have one member of staff manning the counter. I have had to dump my newspapers/magazines etc numerous times as I've waited so long and my flight has been called.

They should install some of those 60's style, US, newspaper dispensers or something as it is a pure joke standing half an hour to pay for a 30p newspaper.

Have to agree with Ivor on most of his comments though, it's hardly a 21st century airport and the mad "departure gate" queue, if you can call it that, is a joke.

I will however continue to fly from pik as it is far more convenient for me than Glasgow Airport. I'd rather stand in a queue for 20mins than sit on a train for an hour.

Ivor

Your complaint explains why your fare was probably very cheap. You want a 21st century airport as you call it then pay the premium.

Skipness is right, there is no pretence, fly with Ryanai you get what it says on the tin.

You cannot have it both ways although a lot expect they can.