Glasgow Airport Thread

[The Egg Man]

Simon Calder of the Indy newspaper and elsewhere was on Newsnicht extolling the potential of Prestwick as a competitor to Reykjavik.

Prestwick, he thought, could act as a hub between Europe and the eastern seaboard of the US in the way Dubai acts as a hub between Western Europe and the Far East and could probably take some pressure off Heathrow.

He also pointed out that it puts Ryanair in a very strong position in that it could tell the SE to **** off at any time.

The thing nobody is mentioning, probably because it would have an effect on jobs, is that there are too many large airports in central Scotland.

[RapidAssistant]

Simon Calder of the Indy newspaper and elsewhere was on Newsnicht extolling the potential of Prestwick as a competitor to Reykjavik.

Prestwick, he thought, could act as a hub between Europe and the eastern seaboard of the US in the way Dubai acts as a hub between Western Europe and the Far East and could probably take some pressure off Heathrow.

He also pointed out that it puts Ryanair in a very strong position in that it could tell the SE to **** off at any time.

The thing nobody is mentioning, probably because it would have an effect on jobs, is that there are too many large airports in central Scotland.

Much as I like reading Simon Calder's column, the idea of PIK becoming some sort of hub is total nonsense given Glasgow's main airport is 30 miles closer to the city it is supposed to serve and has plenty of spare capacity.

If Ryanair went t*ts up tomorrow - or indeed moved to GLA - it'd take Prestwick down with it, few want to face up to this inconvenient truth. O'Leary holds the ace card here definately, and the politicians are more than aware of it.

[The Egg Man]

Much as I like reading Simon Calder's column, the idea of PIK becoming some sort of hub is total nonsense given Glasgow's main airport is 30 miles closer to the city it is supposed to serve and has plenty of spare capacity.

...................

I reckon, if you started from George Sq, in rush hour and had to use public transport, you could probably get to Prestwick in roughly the time it'd take to get to Glasgow Airport.

Isn't it the case that REALLY big jets can't use Glasgow and that the runway can't be extended in either direction?

As I understand it, European rules won't let the Scottish Executive subsidise Prestwick. What happened to the plans for a tax-free zone that was to be set up to support the high-tech aerospace firms that were supposed to be being attracted to around PIK?

[RapidAssistant]

Much as I like reading Simon Calder's column, the idea of PIK becoming some sort of hub is total nonsense given Glasgow's main airport is 30 miles closer to the city it is supposed to serve and has plenty of spare capacity.

...................

I reckon, if you started from George Sq, in rush hour and had to use public transport, you could probably get to Prestwick in roughly the time it'd take to get to Glasgow Airport.

Isn't it the case that REALLY big jets can't use Glasgow and that the runway can't be extended in either direction?

As I understand it, European rules won't let the Scottish Executive subsidise Prestwick. What happened to the plans for a tax-free zone that was to be set up to support the high-tech aerospace firms that were supposed to be being attracted to around PIK?

Maybe the Antonov cargo plane which regularly use PIK can't use GLA, but that's of no relevance to passenger flights. GLA currently handles the Emirates 777-300 every day which is only slightly smaller than a 747, ditto the Virgin Atlantic A340-300/500s which they do the summer flights to Orlando on. They could easily buy out Renfrew Golf Club to extend the existing runway to the north. Whether the residents of Clydebank and Linwood agree or not with more planes, is another matter!

Travel time is not a valid argument anymore I don't think as the M74 extension has alleviated the worst of the rush-hour jams on the M8. I'm pretty sure that if the rail link plans are sitting in a filing cabinet somewhere they can be dusted off and put into practice when the need arises and the cash is available.

[The Egg Man]

I appreciate there are arguments and counter arguments future use of Prestwick but if EU law* says you can't subsidise it from public funds and you can't simply shut it down, especially in the run up to the referendum, what's to be done with it?

*This is only really relevant if 1) The Separatists win the referendum and 2) a Separate Scotland is allowed to remain within the EU.

[Lucky Poet]

Is that the referendum you said wouldn't happen? In any case relax, man: I heard we'd have to sell off all the country's tarmac to help sustain the 'something for nothing' culture, and nobody would be speaking to us any more anyway so certainly wouldn't want to fly here, so no problem.

[Lawman]

Prestwick could operate fully without the passenger terminal, it gets good business from freight, military and commercial repairs.

Personally I like flying from Prestwick, I'd be driving to the Airport anyway, it's only another 15-20mins down the road.

All that is required from the Glasgow side is a more frequent train service, maybe a dedicated shuttle with a siding at the airport and trains fitted out with more case space, small change in relation to the grand scheme of the GLA rail link.

The biggest pitfall for the transatlantic stuff was fog, which in this day and age isn't really an issue at all

[Lucky Poet]

That's an interesting point about the passenger terminal - it's usually presented as being one and the same as the airport itself.

One thing that springs to mind - I seem to remember Prestwick's status as the only international airport in Scotland being condemned by everybody apart from the Tories. Could it be that at least a part of the reasoning behind keeping at that was to avoid the too-many-airports situation we have?

[The Egg Man]

Is that the referendum you said wouldn't happen? In any case relax, man: I heard we'd have to sell off all the country's tarmac to help sustain the 'something for nothing' culture, and nobody would be speaking to us any more anyway so certainly wouldn't want to fly here, so no problem.

That's the one. The Separation referendum that I still don't think will happen.

I didn't mention that in my post 'cos there were already a number of conditions and adding an 'if the referendum goes ahead' would just have made it too clumsy.

For the avoidance of doubt, I still think Salmond will chicken out. Govan, though a modest test, won't have pleased him. A Labour win in Dunfermline will scare him a bit more. The polls aren't moving in his favour but who knows what will happen between now and Sept 2014.

My genuine concern, for both sides, is what happens after the poll (assuming it happens and regardless of who wins). There's going to be a lot of ill will out there.

[RapidAssistant]

That's an interesting point about the passenger terminal - it's usually presented as being one and the same as the airport itself.

One thing that springs to mind - I seem to remember Prestwick's status as the only international airport in Scotland being condemned by everybody apart from the Tories. Could it be that at least a part of the reasoning behind keeping at that was to avoid the too-many-airports situation we have?

Totally agree with the first point. However, the big challenge with PIK is always going to be attracting the big airlines - by that I mean "proper" full-service airlines who are willing to actually pay to land there. Ryanair is irrelevant because they are screwing all of the airports that they fly into - Prestwick included, and said airports have to therefore make ends meet somewhere else - if you've suffered the punitive prices PIK charges for parking, or its food/drink outlets you'll know what I mean.

I think also you have to separate Prestwick's strategic function as a diversionary airport, as well as its military and cargo functions from its viability as a civil airport. The former will ensure the airfield is always there - the latter I'm still not convinced about.

[Dexter St. Clair]

The Elvis Touch birthday bash is celebrating his 78th birthday and 40 years of Aloha from Hawaii T the Aviator's Longe on Saturday 12 January 2014. Ideal for an HG night out and it might generate enough income to keep the Airport open.

[banjo]

h.g night out.how does that work then?

[The Egg Man]

h.g night out.how does that work then?

Someone chooses a time and a place, tells nobody and then proceeds to berate the entire forum for failing to trap.

[RapidAssistant]

The Elvis Touch birthday bash is celebrating his 78th birthday and 40 years of Aloha from Hawaii T the Aviator's Longe on Saturday 12 January 2014. Ideal for an HG night out and it might generate enough income to keep the Airport open.

Isn't it an urban myth that Elvis' only visit to the UK was at Prestwick Airport - allegedly he visited London as well.

[Dexter St. Clair]

only if you're a gullible Tommy Steele fan like Bill Kenwright.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-561170/Revealed----Elviss-secret-visit-London-little-help-rock-rival-Tommy-Steele.html