Well if they don't Scotland has no long haul inbound main deck cargo capability whatsoever. Is that worth anything at all in terms of economic activity?

junglie,

Neither Glasgow nor Edinburgh can handle 747-400F or -8F and certainly could not handle the big Russian freighters.

Being complimentary to GLA & EDI is where Prestwick's future lies.

Jungle.... A380 lol. Id rather watch a cessna land on runway 2-1

GCE, thank you for a constructive answer. I agree completely - there are too many central belt airports for them to compete, so complementing each other's strengths and weaknesses is the obvious way forward.

My post wasn't intended to troll. One of the few advantages that PIK had over GLA in particular was the perception that they were the only Scottish airport capable of handling full transatlantic (or indeed other longhaul) flights. I appreciate that GLA has hosted Emirates flights for some time, but my understanding is that they are still limited on takeoff weight because of the short runway. I'm willing to be corrected.

I saw PIK as having a real opportunity to get some much needed additional revenue by concentrating on the flights that GLA and EDI can't handle - large, loaded passenger flights - but it now seems that boat has also sailed.

There was literally no market for large loaded passenger flights that could not use Glasgow. Bare in mind BA and NW used the much mess capable L1011 and DC10 out of GLA rather than PIK.

Yes I well remember my honeymoon flying supposedly direct GLA - BOS on a NW DC-10 until the captain announced "Because of the length of Glasgow's runway and the atmospheric conditions we either leave 30 of you behind or we stop for fuel in Shannon".. Shannon it was!

Was that 1990 perchance?

August 1992. Although flew GLA - BOS - JFK in 1990. Was originally booked to fly from PIK but as we all know the flights moved to GLA. I do remember it being mayhem in the old departure lounge at GLA because of the numbers flying out.

Ah yes not the best! Miss those days :)
Much of the PIK-YYZ TriStars were ATC cleared to Mirabel with an en route diversion for YYZ. The DC8s could make it though.

PIK offered NWA the use of their facilities for next to zero when they pulled out of GLA but they couldn't be tempted back as the facilities were not up to spec.

If memory serves me right (and it might not) did they not offer 7 years of no handling charges? Oddly I was thinking about this at work. I believe the offer was an open offer to any transatlantic operator, but I could be mistaken. Time and too many beers have dulled the memory...

About 20 years ago I flew with wife and daughter GLA JFK on BA - must have been a 767. Non stop no problem but I can also recall the chaos as a number of transatlantic flights boarded close together from a pier and gates that just were not designed for it.

So its not state aid then.........
 

BBC News - Edinburgh Airport boss Gordon Dewar hits out at state aid


Came across this, interesting argument that it isn't state aid because it will be repaid.......and how exactly can they guarantee it will be repaid?

He could argue that East Coast Trains, as a subsidiary of the DfT, is competing unfairly with airlines too.

He might do if East Coast trains were to receive state aid, but it doesn't.

I wonder what Gordon Sewars views are on the state-aid received by the many airlines at his airport including Delta, United (despite already serving EGPF), QR and US (again, despite already flying from EGPF).

Gordon Dewar is the MOL of the airport world. :mad:

What exact state aid for the specific routes was received ? (if any, im not sure its in the public domain) unless you can show otherwise ?

The Man is a muppet, Should probably stick to his own airport rather than Prestwick and Dundee. Certainly his airport didnt come across great on the t.v programme on BBC during the week .

East Coast won't be allowed to fail, the trains will still keep running (as they did when GNER and National Express walked away) unlike airlines who have no such protection.

I wonder what is so threatening to Edinburgh about Dundee's two flights a day? Or are there other considerations that I, as SLF, am missing?

Ryanair will be flying an extra 44 flights from PIK to some of its Mediterranean destination in late summer/autumn.


Viva Espana! Extra Ryanair Flights to Spain this Autumn | Glasgow Prestwick Airport

Any more news on the possible Ski flights to Berne that were mentioned back in January using Skywork ATR 72 ! ( long old way on that a/c )

I think it was Berne airport trying to organize something not a travel company from BOH , NQY , PIK and Manston which is more than likely not going to happen now ?