no idea, kind of hope not unless they have lots of money and clout - thw two airports didnt sit well together before..

On a side note none of the accounts produced by Infratil seperate the PIK and Manston business..I wonder what they would be if seperate entities?

If that is true then GOOD, get rid of Infratil and the fact that the two airports didn`t sit well together in the past is what? It`s not a route to Lubeck that interests me it`s "NEW OWNERS for PIK" - that`s what counts right now. What the place needs is drive, motivation and determination to succeed - something that Infratil of late have don`t seem to have, or care it seems! :ok:

rumour of takeover
 

If the above rumour is true, then it is a little surprising, but still welcome. The owner of Lubeck Airport is Yasmina Airport Management GmbH which in turn is owned by Geman-Egyptian businessman Mohamad Rady Amar. He has pledged 20 Million Euros over the next five years to improve and expand Lubeck airport.
Source: Lübeck Airport geht an Deutsch-Ägypter and fired through google translate.

If true, then some interesting times ahead.

Hey DC10 I wasnt talking about a route but the fact that they were once part of the same airport group and run together, which was a project that failed. Agreed on Infratil although would loke to use more colourfull language in relation to them.

My main point was ensuring that whoever owns the airport has the cash required to bring the place up to standard, market and aknowledge on how to run a secondary low cost hub...

Hi Sunsetrep, No dig at you - I can assure you - that is reserved for Infratil! But entirely agree on the fact that PIK needs an owner with money, and the drive and determination to make something of the place!

takeover rumour
 

Spoke with a pal who knows someone on S/Ayrshire council and the rumour is still alive but few details known. But to contradict this a colleague of mine who's husband works for the refueling company at PIK hasn't heard a thing (or been told to keep quiet :mad:) also no one at PIK is talking, so could be true or is it April 1st yet. Hope its true need some good news at PIK

I think we all know how this is going to turn out....

The "rumour" of Lubeck's owners having bought PIK is untrue.

Hi CabinCrewe, not sure I do. Perhaps you could help? Are you a betting man/woman? I love reading your one line gems of analysis as they're not at all identical, predictable and add so much information to the debate.

Let's hear your insight then, just let me shuffle onto the edge of my seat.

I have it on good authority that there is a very well funded Scottish backed bid being put together with local and national political support.

If this group can make it happen, there is a bright future for PIK as an operating airfield. Details still sketchy but I believe that the local MSP is heavily involved.

Starting to look like the Cardiff thread...

Well said Skipness.
CabinCrewe, your negativity towards Prestwick is astounding.
Perhaps you should take it elsewhere!!

He/she does! Just check the Newcastle thread!

Happy to revisit this thread in a year and we'll see the outcome. I most certainly will not be on the edge of my seat....
Interpretation of negativity is actually realism. And the sooner the spotters deal with it the better.

I would be very surprised if there is a political led option. I actually have emails from the Scottish Government stating clearly that they are not taking part in any discussion and or help to see a buy out. There are two local MSP's I am in contact with who strongly disagree with this and want to see a Co-Operative buy out similar to the original ACAP in 1992 - a strong political led buy out would be the best option as it would require all parties to ensure success... The link below was to campaign for something like this but few signed it and the parties that be answered with a firm NO.

Keep Prestwick Airport Flying Petition

SWBKCB Prestwick was saved before by a political and community rescue and it made money! ACAP was a lesson in what could be done if everyone pulled together. It all went wrong when big business came in and local focus was lost.
CabinCrewe really has nothing to say on any subject beyond one line of easy negativity like a wet blanket. I may be a spotter but an analyst is my day job and I am sure PIK can bounce back if they get the cost base right.

Indeed growth is already back with us on passenger numbers, they just need to stem losses!

Good to see that the PAX growth has been sustained now for three months in a row - between 25 and 35% up on the corresponding months in the same period last yearly all accounts although I've not seen the official figures. That's encouraging and I'm led to believe that FR forward bookings for the summer are looking healthy so despite the loss of Wizz (which may dent the continued growth figures to a small degree) there appears to be a degree of increased optimism about. Just need to get the new ownership sorted out.

PIK is a fully commercial operation and it has to live or die by it's own commercial merits. If a buyer can buy it and make a good fist of it (either with or without the pax ops) then good luck to them, but it's not reasonable to expect the Scottish Gov to cough up. In these days of austerity, governments and local authorities have far better things to spend their money on than subsidising loss making airports, particularly when we've already got two other highly profitable ones to fall back on. There have unfortunately been a fair few large closures in Scotland recently with associated large job losses - i.e. the Halls meat plant in W Lothian (>1000 jobs gone) - The Scottish Gov did not attempt to buy out or subsidise that, so why should they do it at PIK? Even if they wanted to, we are in a fully competitive airport market in central Scotland now and if the Scottish Gov started buying out PIK or handing over wads of cash I think that BAA GLA and GIP EDI (and their respective legal teams) would be taking a very close interest in proceedings re the legailty of state aid.

Wrt to Wales there is no guarantee that the Welsh Gov's proposed purchase of CWL will be for the best. The situation is manifestly different anyway in that CWL is the only international airport in Wales, whilst we have several in Scotland.

Incidentally, I'm pretty sure I remember previously on these forums reading certain posters on this thread lambasting the Scottish Gov/SNP/Alex Salmond for allegedly being swivel eyed tax and spend socialists and slamming Scotland for apparently having a "public sector driven economy", but now they're seemingly pretty keen for the Scottish Gov/councils to pony up millions of public money to take PIK into public ownership (nevermind paying to do it up, subsidise ongoing losses - and lining MOLs pockets in the process!).

PIK is arguably a strategic national asset residing in private ownership. It was after all rebuilt by the taxpayer. Were the airfield to close, it would have an impact beyond cheapie Ryanair flights. Public ownership is not the answer I agree.

My information is the Scottish Govt is acutely aware of the necessity to keep PIK open. They are not looking at any type of public ownership but they are willing or, to more accurate, eager to smooth the path for prospective owners to develop whichever non-aviation developments they deem necessary to keep PIK going.