FEB Route Resumptions

[PiperOne]

If they are genuinely not interested in getting lo-co business, then there needs to be a strategy to grow other areas, particularly hub feeding and encouraging Tui to grow longhaul by making GLA a 787 base, as well as consolidating the 737 operations with a multiple aircraft base. Remember, we still have 3 TCX A321s and an A330 to find replacement capacity for. Other longhaul could be a bit trickier to land, although the airport's uncongested facilities should help as a selling point.

I’d suggest if they weren’t interested in getting lo-co then they are working in the wrong industry.

I don't know what market segments they are targeting, but the needs of lo-co are different from full-service carriers, or longhaul carriers. As we know, some capital was deployed to create the extension to the East pier, which Easyjet have settled into, but more has been put into full-service, particularly Emirates, but also including lounge enhancements. So, until we get a new masterplan, we are going to be a bit in the dark over the strategy. Whatever the outcome, they will be looking to find a way back to profitability over the next few years.

[Iain]

Iirc Most, if not all of, of Provan's experience comes from BAA (ABZ I think?) and LHR - two airports, particularly the latter, that have very little loco traffic. Also, in the case of LHR, that's not an airport that needs to fight for business at all! Does he have the right qualifications or experience to lead an airport group that's biggest asset has lots of loco and needs a lot more?

Out of the 9 largest regional airports on the UK mainland, GLA it's the only one that doesn't have an FR base - totally embarrassing imo. If all these airports can deal FR in profitably and support such an operation the argument that GLA can't is utter nonsense.

We hear a lot about foreign inbound tourism, but the official stats show that Glasgow has just as many tourists as Liverpool, more than Bristol and iirc 2 or 3 times as many is Leeds in Newcastle - so the argument there's not enough foreign tourists to support an FR base is frankly absolute p*sh!

The fact that EDI - which had the same COVID and lockdown as us - has just secured a 25% increase in based aircraft. So that blows the COVID argument out the water too. And it's not just EDI, even LBA is getting an extra FR aircraft!

Talking about LBA, we should remember that FR has bases there and at LPL, despite their proximity to MAN (which obviously puts EDI in the shade in terms of route network!) and direct rail connections to that airport. So the argument that FR will only use one airport to serve a geographical area doesn't really wash.

Even the perennial failing airport, CWL, has landed a wizz base!

Instead of trying to catch up and put the situation to rights, the management only seem interested in making excuses and spreading hyperbolic negativity to any parliamentary committee that will listen to them (trashing their own business in the press as they do so!). Utterly clueless imo.

Some of the stuff that I see from them makes me wonder if they have just given up - perhaps Ferrovial are preparing to jump ship pretty soon. Let's hope so, because the current ownership and management don't appear to have any strategic plan or idea how to improve the airport or compete effectively!

GLA is like a football team that's rooted to the bottom of the league and can't buy a win no matter what they do. The only solution is to "Sack the board"!!!

[Clive]

Iirc Most, if not all of, of Provan's experience comes from BAA (ABZ I think?) and LHR - two airports, particularly the latter, that have very little loco traffic. Also, in the case of LHR, that's not an airport that needs to fight for business at all! Does he have the right qualifications or experience to lead an airport group that's biggest asset has lots of loco and needs a lot more?

Out of the 9 largest regional airports on the UK mainland, GLA it's the only one that doesn't have an FR base - totally embarrassing imo. If all these airports can deal FR in profitably and support such an operation the argument that GLA can't is utter nonsense.

We hear a lot about foreign inbound tourism, but the official stats show that Glasgow has just as many tourists as Liverpool, more than Bristol and iirc 2 or 3 times as many is Leeds in Newcastle - so the argument there's not enough foreign tourists to support an FR base is frankly absolute p*sh!

The fact that EDI - which had the same COVID and lockdown as us - has just secured a 25% increase in based aircraft. So that blows the COVID argument out the water too. And it's not just EDI, even LBA is getting an extra FR aircraft!

Talking about LBA, we should remember that FR has bases there and at LPL, despite their proximity to MAN (which obviously puts EDI in the shade in terms of route network!) and direct rail connections to that airport. So the argument that FR will only use one airport to serve a geographical area doesn't really wash.

Even the perennial failing airport, CWL, has landed a wizz base!

Instead of trying to catch up and put the situation to rights, the management only seem interested in making excuses and spreading hyperbolic negativity to any parliamentary committee that will listen to them (trashing their own business in the press as they do so!). Utterly clueless imo.

Some of the stuff that I see from them makes me wonder if they have just given up - perhaps Ferrovial are preparing to jump ship pretty soon. Let's hope so, because the current ownership and management don't appear to have any strategic plan or idea how to improve the airport or compete effectively!

GLA is like a football team that's rooted to the bottom of the league and can't buy a win no matter what they do. The only solution is to "Sack the board"!!!

Can’t argue with much of that, Iain.

But about the market - even Loganair, who live here, don’t see any overseas market worth serving.

easyJet finally launch a BCN service which, at any UK airport would be a bread and butter daily link, and they only see a fraction of such a market. They can’t even do AMS or CDG daily. Those kind of flights should be as well trodden as the bus stop on Hope Street.

Even the Ryanair city routes from PIK have gone - and they haven’t gone to GLA, they’ve departed the west of Scotland market altogether.

So maybe we do need to worry about the lack of demand for outbound bread and butter routes which, as I say, are as boring and as run of the mill as getting on a bus at all of our peer group airports.

Lo co flights attract pax. Put on the services and they appear from nowhere. But for some reason the airlines don’t want to invest any resources in GLA.

GLA bosses have to do whatever it takes to reverse that and if they won’t, they need to move over and vacate the premises.

[GeorgeNTravels]

Iirc Most, if not all of, of Provan's experience comes from BAA (ABZ I think?) and LHR - two airports, particularly the latter, that have very little loco traffic. Also, in the case of LHR, that's not an airport that needs to fight for business at all! Does he have the right qualifications or experience to lead an airport group that's biggest asset has lots of loco and needs a lot more?

Out of the 9 largest regional airports on the UK mainland, GLA it's the only one that doesn't have an FR base - totally embarrassing imo. If all these airports can deal FR in profitably and support such an operation the argument that GLA can't is utter nonsense.

We hear a lot about foreign inbound tourism, but the official stats show that Glasgow has just as many tourists as Liverpool, more than Bristol and iirc 2 or 3 times as many is Leeds in Newcastle - so the argument there's not enough foreign tourists to support an FR base is frankly absolute p*sh!

The fact that EDI - which had the same COVID and lockdown as us - has just secured a 25% increase in based aircraft. So that blows the COVID argument out the water too. And it's not just EDI, even LBA is getting an extra FR aircraft!

Talking about LBA, we should remember that FR has bases there and at LPL, despite their proximity to MAN (which obviously puts EDI in the shade in terms of route network!) and direct rail connections to that airport. So the argument that FR will only use one airport to serve a geographical area doesn't really wash.

Even the perennial failing airport, CWL, has landed a wizz base!

Instead of trying to catch up and put the situation to rights, the management only seem interested in making excuses and spreading hyperbolic negativity to any parliamentary committee that will listen to them (trashing their own business in the press as they do so!). Utterly clueless imo.

Some of the stuff that I see from them makes me wonder if they have just given up - perhaps Ferrovial are preparing to jump ship pretty soon. Let's hope so, because the current ownership and management don't appear to have any strategic plan or idea how to improve the airport or compete effectively!

GLA is like a football team that's rooted to the bottom of the league and can't buy a win no matter what they do. The only solution is to "Sack the board"!!!

Can’t argue with much of that, Iain.

But about the market - even Loganair, who live here, don’t see any overseas market worth serving.

easyJet finally launch a BCN service which, at any UK airport would be a bread and butter daily link, and they only see a fraction of such a market. They can’t even do AMS or CDG daily. Those kind of flights should be as well trodden as the bus stop on Hope Street.

Even the Ryanair city routes from PIK have gone - and they haven’t gone to GLA, they’ve departed the west of Scotland market altogether.

So maybe we do need to worry about the lack of demand for outbound bread and butter routes which, as I say, are as boring and as run of the mill as getting on a bus at all of our peer group airports.

Lo co flights attract pax. Put on the services and they appear from nowhere. But for some reason the airlines don’t want to invest any resources in GLA.

GLA bosses have to do whatever it takes to reverse that and if they won’t, they need to move over and vacate the premises.

FR added a 3rd weekly Warsaw flight for this year, maybe, just maybe if they fill up to healthy loads FR will look to add more flights.

[PiperOne]

Iirc Most, if not all of, of Provan's experience comes from BAA (ABZ I think?) and LHR - two airports, particularly the latter, that have very little loco traffic. Also, in the case of LHR, that's not an airport that needs to fight for business at all! Does he have the right qualifications or experience to lead an airport group that's biggest asset has lots of loco and needs a lot more?

Out of the 9 largest regional airports on the UK mainland, GLA it's the only one that doesn't have an FR base - totally embarrassing imo. If all these airports can deal FR in profitably and support such an operation the argument that GLA can't is utter nonsense.

We hear a lot about foreign inbound tourism, but the official stats show that Glasgow has just as many tourists as Liverpool, more than Bristol and iirc 2 or 3 times as many is Leeds in Newcastle - so the argument there's not enough foreign tourists to support an FR base is frankly absolute p*sh!

The fact that EDI - which had the same COVID and lockdown as us - has just secured a 25% increase in based aircraft. So that blows the COVID argument out the water too. And it's not just EDI, even LBA is getting an extra FR aircraft!

Talking about LBA, we should remember that FR has bases there and at LPL, despite their proximity to MAN (which obviously puts EDI in the shade in terms of route network!) and direct rail connections to that airport. So the argument that FR will only use one airport to serve a geographical area doesn't really wash.

Even the perennial failing airport, CWL, has landed a wizz base!

Instead of trying to catch up and put the situation to rights, the management only seem interested in making excuses and spreading hyperbolic negativity to any parliamentary committee that will listen to them (trashing their own business in the press as they do so!). Utterly clueless imo.

Some of the stuff that I see from them makes me wonder if they have just given up - perhaps Ferrovial are preparing to jump ship pretty soon. Let's hope so, because the current ownership and management don't appear to have any strategic plan or idea how to improve the airport or compete effectively!

GLA is like a football team that's rooted to the bottom of the league and can't buy a win no matter what they do. The only solution is to "Sack the board"!!!

Can’t argue with much of that, Iain.

But about the market - even Loganair, who live here, don’t see any overseas market worth serving.

easyJet finally launch a BCN service which, at any UK airport would be a bread and butter daily link, and they only see a fraction of such a market. They can’t even do AMS or CDG daily. Those kind of flights should be as well trodden as the bus stop on Hope Street.

Even the Ryanair city routes from PIK have gone - and they haven’t gone to GLA, they’ve departed the west of Scotland market altogether.

So maybe we do need to worry about the lack of demand for outbound bread and butter routes which, as I say, are as boring and as run of the mill as getting on a bus at all of our peer group airports.

Lo co flights attract pax. Put on the services and they appear from nowhere. But for some reason the airlines don’t want to invest any resources in GLA.

GLA bosses have to do whatever it takes to reverse that and if they won’t, they need to move over and vacate the premises.

I'm having deja vu all over again. This is very much a re-run of the 2012/13 discussions, before Ryanair came to town, and we were still suffering from the Globespan collapse. As I mentioned previously, I think the way with Ryanair this time would be to secure lots of non-based flying, as creation of a base has a higher cost to it. Non-based also improves utilisation of the airport's facilities.

[bill]

Iirc Most, if not all of, of Provan's experience comes from BAA (ABZ I think?) and LHR - two airports, particularly the latter, that have very little loco traffic. Also, in the case of LHR, that's not an airport that needs to fight for business at all! Does he have the right qualifications or experience to lead an airport group that's biggest asset has lots of loco and needs a lot more?

Out of the 9 largest regional airports on the UK mainland, GLA it's the only one that doesn't have an FR base - totally embarrassing imo. If all these airports can deal FR in profitably and support such an operation the argument that GLA can't is utter nonsense.

We hear a lot about foreign inbound tourism, but the official stats show that Glasgow has just as many tourists as Liverpool, more than Bristol and iirc 2 or 3 times as many is Leeds in Newcastle - so the argument there's not enough foreign tourists to support an FR base is frankly absolute p*sh!

The fact that EDI - which had the same COVID and lockdown as us - has just secured a 25% increase in based aircraft. So that blows the COVID argument out the water too. And it's not just EDI, even LBA is getting an extra FR aircraft!

Talking about LBA, we should remember that FR has bases there and at LPL, despite their proximity to MAN (which obviously puts EDI in the shade in terms of route network!) and direct rail connections to that airport. So the argument that FR will only use one airport to serve a geographical area doesn't really wash.

Even the perennial failing airport, CWL, has landed a wizz base!

Instead of trying to catch up and put the situation to rights, the management only seem interested in making excuses and spreading hyperbolic negativity to any parliamentary committee that will listen to them (trashing their own business in the press as they do so!). Utterly clueless imo.

Some of the stuff that I see from them makes me wonder if they have just given up - perhaps Ferrovial are preparing to jump ship pretty soon. Let's hope so, because the current ownership and management don't appear to have any strategic plan or idea how to improve the airport or compete effectively!

GLA is like a football team that's rooted to the bottom of the league and can't buy a win no matter what they do. The only solution is to "Sack the board"!!!

Good post Iain and probably what I was trying to say previously. This management team are not suited to GLA's needs and need to be removed pronto. It is as simple as that.Provan especially is anti- lo co and Heathrow-centric. The polar opposite of what we need right now.

[bill]

Can’t argue with much of that, Iain.

But about the market - even Loganair, who live here, don’t see any overseas market worth serving.

easyJet finally launch a BCN service which, at any UK airport would be a bread and butter daily link, and they only see a fraction of such a market. They can’t even do AMS or CDG daily. Those kind of flights should be as well trodden as the bus stop on Hope Street.

Even the Ryanair city routes from PIK have gone - and they haven’t gone to GLA, they’ve departed the west of Scotland market altogether.

So maybe we do need to worry about the lack of demand for outbound bread and butter routes which, as I say, are as boring and as run of the mill as getting on a bus at all of our peer group airports.

Lo co flights attract pax. Put on the services and they appear from nowhere. But for some reason the airlines don’t want to invest any resources in GLA.

GLA bosses have to do whatever it takes to reverse that and if they won’t, they need to move over and vacate the premises.

Historically never have and never will mate. A truly domestic airline.

[Clive]

Can’t argue with much of that, Iain.

But about the market - even Loganair, who live here, don’t see any overseas market worth serving.

easyJet finally launch a BCN service which, at any UK airport would be a bread and butter daily link, and they only see a fraction of such a market. They can’t even do AMS or CDG daily. Those kind of flights should be as well trodden as the bus stop on Hope Street.

Even the Ryanair city routes from PIK have gone - and they haven’t gone to GLA, they’ve departed the west of Scotland market altogether.

So maybe we do need to worry about the lack of demand for outbound bread and butter routes which, as I say, are as boring and as run of the mill as getting on a bus at all of our peer group airports.

Lo co flights attract pax. Put on the services and they appear from nowhere. But for some reason the airlines don’t want to invest any resources in GLA.

GLA bosses have to do whatever it takes to reverse that and if they won’t, they need to move over and vacate the premises.

Historically never have and never will mate. A truly domestic airline.

They do plenty of second string Scandinavian flights from Turnhoose but couldn’t even make a fist of GLA-DUS and wouldn’t touch GLA-CPH with a barge pole - two more routes which would be bread and butter from any peer group airport (>10m or is it now >5m?) in Europe.

[atuk]

I’ve been reading all the posts with great interest and agree with many of the issues raised.

To be fair Mr Provan’s background was originally at GLA before ABZ,STN and LHR then moving back home. As we all know the aviation industry has changed enormously over the past couple of years and may still do so more again if the Russian war against Ukraine escalates further and becomes more widespread.god forbid, but it’s is distinct possibility which shouldn’t be discounted.more so given the USA statements regards advising against travel to Europe!

Back to GLA. Yes a fortress TUI airport would make sense- how many years have I banged that drum? GLA covering EDI, ABZ, BFS working together with NCL aircraft on multiple W flights.
It looks like this summer TUI Lakes and Mountains may be vacating GLA for seats on EZY from EDI! Yet another lost market mirroring the eclipse of ski destinations on offer from GLA versus EDI.

SAS have recently introduced SAS Link from CPH using a lower cost base. Perhaps scope to capture a GLA-CPH service?

Work with EZY to introduce a more city services with alternative departures from GLA to complement EDI services where EDI have been or are double daily or 11 weekly. MXP, GVA, CDG all spring to mind.

Work with IAG to offer EIUK departures using 330/321 trans Atlantic taking the pressure off DUB and increase destinations on offer.

Develop seamless transfer options and use GLA as a northern hub with feeder flights from SOU, BRS, CWL, EMA using LM/BACF.

But….what about everyone’s solution to save GLA, Ryanair? Many will wish to throw darts in my eyes, stab pins in a voodoo doll of me but my words are Caveat Emptor! Ryanair have recently vacated FRA claiming increased overheads but the reality is the deal has run out. Their operation may have increased their own footfall but adversely impacted LH, DE and X3 !

Ryanair has also thrown the toys out of the pram with LIS in a row over slot allocations. Again if things don’t go Ryanair’s way it’s their way or no way and to hell with everyone else. Yes they have 10 based aircraft at EDI this summer so it looks like any chance of more flights from GLA have simply disappeared given the proximity of both airports and Central Scotland being viewed as a single market.

[GeorgeNTravels]

The only thing about having a large TUI base is that they don't begin summer flying until May, so the easter holidays flying programme would be covered by their winter schedule which might be a concern for TUI.