Flights for 2025

[FlyGLA]

I've just arrived at GLA for the 20:45 to BRS, and my days, the place is a depressing ghost town. Scanned my boarding pass at security, and the staff member looked bored out of their mind—sat at a desk, elbow resting, head in hands.

Got to security and walked straight up to the scanner—no queues. Five security staff were just standing around chatting. The guy scanning bags was taking about three minutes per bag to analyse the X-ray. Not like there was any rush—only me and about four others behind me, all through in no time.

Then came the obligatory stroll through World Duty Free. The first staff member by the cigarette area actually looked surprised to see me. Into the main departure area, where most shops were either boarded up, closed, or shutting down for the night. Caledonia Bar had one section open, the other half closed. Beardmore, 90% of the tables had chairs stacked on them, waiting for cleaners, certainly not for customers.

Even with all departures up to 8am tomorrow, only one departure screen is in use, and flights barely take up half of it. The other screen, once used for flights, now just rolls adverts

The place is in a sorry state, lifeless, empty, a shadow of its former self. How did Scotland’s most important airport, serving its biggest and most vital city, end up like this?

[bill]

Same thing happened to me a couple of months ago, on the same flight down to BRS for a meeting 1st thing the next day. Sitting at a table in the pub (the one with the views (of...nothing) over the apron) and the lassie moved all five of us over to the other side so she could vacuum under the tables.
The experience actually made me depressed. How the hell did it all come to this? Rhetorical question btw.

[FlyGLA]

Depressed is definitely the word, Bill, no doubt about it!

And yes , my closing question was rhetorical too. We know the answer. It starts with 'A' and ends with 'GS'."

[Iain]

I take your point on the airport being deserted - and the new owners do need to try to get airlines in to use the existing capacity, particularly at quiet times - but at the same time, most regionals in the UK don't have a lot of departures in the evenings, particularly in the winter season.

If you look at EDI, it's only got 5 pax deps after 8pm tonight. BRS and NCL have 1, even MAN only has 5.

Of course, what would've helped put pax through GLA in the evenings would have been retaining EKs 2nd service.

[FlyGLA]

Indeed. Add that one 777 to the mix and you easily more than double the number of passengers currently in the terminal. But of course much like all our US and Canada flights, we know where the evening EK flight ended up.

[bill]

I take your point on the airport being deserted - and the new owners do need to try to get airlines in to use the existing capacity, particularly at quiet times - but at the same time, most regionals in the UK don't have a lot of departures in the evenings, particularly in the winter season.

If you look at EDI, it's only got 5 pax deps after 8pm tonight. BRS and NCL have 1, even MAN only has 5.

Of course, what would've helped put pax through GLA in the evenings would have been retaining EKs 2nd service.

Exactly, or replacing it with another ME3 carrier who won't shaft us at the first opportunity. The other option is reduced tariff's for away based flying at this dull, lifeless time of night. The likes of W6 would bite your hand off, in my opinion and FR could be interested. Possibly.

[FlyGLA]

I got a bit bored, so I took a stroll along the West Pier. Aside from two staff members glued to their phones, possibly reading this (good evening if you are!), the place was completely deserted. As expected, the Emirates lounge was closed, shutters down. Grim!

I then wandered over to the Central Pier. The only sign of activity was the BA flight to LHR boarding at Gate 23; beyond that, nothing happening. Interestingly, a large section of the pier appears to be shut off, with the shutters completely down, perhaps major works are underway towards the top where the BA gates are?

Now, I’ve taken a seat at the bottom of the Central Pier, just at the bottom of the ramp connecting departures to the Central and East Piers. There are seven other people here, and the atmosphere is as quiet as a dentist’s waiting room.