Aberdeen

[Billyboeing]

Loganair linking ABZ and OSL again


https://www.ttgmedia.com/news/loganair- ... 20Bulletin

[Ekally1]

Loganair linking ABZ and OSL again


https://www.ttgmedia.com/news/loganair- ... 20Bulletin

Sas dropped route so LM doing what they normally do picking up dropped routes ... let's see how long this lasts

[PiperOne]

Sunwing up and running with their base for Tui operations, B738 C-FYJD arrived from Toronto earlier in the week. Sunday departures are Reus and Tenerife.

[Iain]

Wizz are apparently increasing ABZ-GDN to 4w next summer:

https://twitter.com/SeanM1997/status/17 ... ENjjQ&s=19

Whilst AGS relationship with FR remains open to question, their relationship with Wizz is perhaps looking more positive.

[Iain]

The locals asking questions about route development:

Seven destinations Aberdeen Airport could (and should) fly to

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/ne ... ld-fly-to/

[Billyboeing]

Ryanair launching ABZ/KRK twice weekly from 02APR:-

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/ryanair-launc ... Bs5eKbfp8G

[Iain]

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/op ... n-airport/

Rebecca Buchan: Could Aberdeen International Airport’s buyout hold the key to the north-east’s success?



Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the prospect of new direct flights from Aberdeen to escape for some winter sun is ever so delightful.

As absolutely no one will be surprised to hear I was ecstatic to discover Aberdeen International Airport was being bought over as part of a £1.5 billion deal.

It is hoped as a result of this buyout, it will lead to a number of new routes being launched between the Granite City and destinations across the continent.

This, along with the announcement of Ryanair flights to Krakow starting next year, and the bid by Aberdeen City Council co-leader Christian Allard to try to reinstate the AirFrance route to Paris, is, of course, music to my ears.

It is no secret that I am a huge fan of Aberdeen and have on many occasions been caught singing about its pros to the high heavens.

But one thing that really, really annoys me is how accessible it is – or not as the case may be.

Rail links are average at best with hugely inflated prices, destinations by air are limited and public transport in and around Aberdeen itself is unreliable and expensive.

Is Aberdeen’s lack of connectivity putting people off?
A few years ago my boyfriend and I discussed where we wanted to build a home together. He had a flat in Glasgow and I had one here.

For me, it was a no-brainer, I couldn’t see myself leaving Aberdeen (and luckily he was in agreement).

But the benefits to living in Glasgow from a connectivity perspective are huge and vastly outweigh Aberdeen.

It’s lucky, I hear you say that wasn’t a main priority for you in reaching your decision.

But actually, it was, purely and simply because I like to be able to hop on a plane a few times a year to go on holiday.

It made me think if it matters to someone like me, who has strong ties to the city and who only travels recreationally, how much of a deterrent is our current level of connectivity to prospective newcomers.

So with this in mind, it would not be unreasonable to think this could be the first step to greater connectivity to the north-east.

Aberdeen has seen an influx of people leaving it since the start of the oil and gas downturn and the coronavirus pandemic.

A mixture of oil and gas companies downsizing their operations in the city and the ability people now have to work remotely from anywhere in the world have attributed to this.

If we want Aberdeen’s economy to survive we need to encourage people to live and work here
But it is vitally important that if we want our local economy to thrive, and not just survive, we need to encourage new blood to come to live and work here.

Take our healthcare for example. NHS Grampian waiting times are among the worst in Scotland, our ambulances are stacking up outside ARI and when it comes down to it, it’s largely due to the fact we don’t have the staff.

Now while I know we can’t attribute the lack of people wanting to come to live and work in the city directly to the lack of flights from Aberdeen Airport or the hundreds of pounds it costs to take a train to London, it doesn’t help encourage people here.

And right now, everyone who has a stake in the city, whether they own or operate a business here, live here or are part of the city council which governs here, they should be doing everything in their power to encourage this.

Because it’s way more than just where I can get to in under three hours for my holidays.

The north-east corner has a lot to offer, from the beautiful coastline to the scenic rolling hills of Aberdeenshire.

When the Queen died in 2022, it was broadcast from above for the whole world to see.

But anyone curious to come see the place she felt most at home would have to embark on an almost mammoth effort to get here. In this day and age that should not be the case.

So I, for one, am extremely positive about the future of Aberdeen International Airport. Exactly what this means for the future of the region no one can really tell, but my hope is that it is the perfect catalyst to help our economy soar.