Scottish tourism will suffer as BA slashes northern routes Business leaders and tourism chiefs warn of the negative economic effectsBy Jasper Hamill SCOTLAND'S TOURIST authority warned of a possible drop in visitor numbers yesterday after British Airways announced plans to cut flights to Scotland and ratchet up the prices of those that survive the cull.
Small businesses also warned flights could become scarce and prohibitively expensive, preventing owners from travelling and putting off British tourists, who account for 80% of visitors to Scotland.
BA blamed the cuts on "the worst trading environment the industry has ever faced", caused by the double whammy of a global economic slowdown and exorbitant oil prices. Fuel now accounts for one-third of BA's overall costs and its fuel bill is expected to soar to £3 billion a year.
The announcement came after the airline revealed a massive dip in its
profits. BA's pretax profit between March and June this year was £37 million - an 88% drop from the £298m it earned over the same period a year ago.
Willie Walsh, the chief executive of BA, said: "We are in the worst trading environment the industry has ever faced.
"The combination of unprecedented oil prices, economic slowdown and weaker consumer confidence has led to substantially lower first-quarter profits."
Almost 500 of the 5000 flights between Scotland and Heathrow and Gatwick will be axed between October and March as part of BA's plans to cut 3% of its flights.
Aberdeen is worst off, with 6.5% of flights to the city to be discontinued. Glasgow will lose 6% of its flights and Edinburgh 3%.
BA's operations in Scotland will be pared back to just the London routes from October when it ends its arrangements with Loganair for 23 services in the Highlands and Islands. Flybe will take over those routes.
VisitScotland is already making plans to persuade visitors that the romance of travelling by train is preferable to the convenience of flights.
James Lakie, from the national tourist agency, said: "There could be an impact on the tourism industry, but there are a number of ways people can travel to Scotland.
"If the flights are cut that's a disappointment to us because the main way people get here is flying into Edinburgh and Glasgow."
"We hope people in London will use other routes like the train. We are running a Highland Spring campaign on the tube in London to showcase a perfect day that people can have coming up to Scotland.
"Getting the train holds a romance to it, and Scotland is a romantic place. If people aren't able to get flights this may be our opportunity to highlight getting the train instead."
The Federation of Small Businesses warned that BA's plans, when considered alongside Scotland's "poor transport links with the rest of the UK", will put the country at a "competitive disadvantage".
A spokesman said: "The way that British Airways have cancelled their flights makes it very difficult for small businesses to organise journeys.
"There are also implications for the tourist industry because 80% of tourists come from the UK.
"For some people, there's no other quick way to get to London, people in the northwest for instance. This decision is unfortunate at best."
There are no plans yet to put on any extra rail services to make up for the lost flights, First ScotRail said, but it insisted it would keep an open mind.
A spokesman for the rail franchisee said: "We have not made any decisions yet, but we do acknowledge that this is an opportunity for us to increase awareness of the Caledonian Sleeper.
"Until we see the outcome of the drop in flights, there won't be any decisions made."
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Posted by: rabster, london on 12:04am Sun 3 Aug 08
This is being blown way out of proportion. A few less BA flights is not going to make any difference to the ability of people from London to travel to Scotland. 80% of tourists might come from the UK, but that doesn't mean 80% fly from London! As for increasing rail services, it might have been more sensible to ask Virgin or National Express rather than First, whose only offering is the overnight sleeper. On which note, if ever there was a service that is crying out for some investment then it's the Caledonian Sleeper. Buy some new carriages, make them more spacious and comfortable (including showers and toilets), then do some more promotion (including promoting it in Europe since it could now connect nicely with Eurostar services to St Pancras) and this could be the jewel in the crown of Scotland's tourist industry. As it is it's a halfhearted offering with carriages that seem to date from the 1960s, giving the overriding impression that First would ditch it at the first opportunity if it weren't a franchise commitment.
This is being blown way out of proportion. A few less BA flights is not going to make any difference to the ability of people from London to travel to Scotland. 80% of tourists might come from the UK, but that doesn't mean 80% fly from London! As for increasing rail services, it might have been more sensible to ask Virgin or National Express rather than First, whose only offering is the overnight sleeper. On which note, if ever there was a service that is crying out for some investment then it's the Caledonian Sleeper. Buy some new carriages, make them more spacious and comfortable (including showers and toilets), then do some more promotion (including promoting it in Europe since it could now connect nicely with Eurostar services to St Pancras) and this could be the jewel in the crown of Scotland's tourist industry. As it is it's a halfhearted offering with carriages that seem to date from the 1960s, giving the overriding impression that First would ditch it at the first opportunity if it weren't a franchise commitment.
Posted by: Traquir, Alba on 1:23am Sun 3 Aug 08
This would appear to be yet another Union dividend.
I wondered just how well Scotland is doing in the airline stakes
so thought I would take a look at a key economic metric behind
global business -international flights. From personal experience
it appears to be that more often than not when
taking flights for business internationally I end
up having to go through London. Big surprise then to find Scotland
has an embarrassingly low number of international flights where
most Scots are forced to have to fly via England in particular
via London. It is interesting to see how some other
countries of comparative size to Scotland are doing -
Ireland - Number 14 in terms of international flights
Denmark - Number 20 in terms of international flights
see - tinyurl.com/5v8xqk
Topping the list of course is London and even Manchester
is 22. Glasgow or Edinburgh are both conspicuous
by their absence.
Scotland has literally and deliberately been cut off from
reasonable direct access from the rest of the world.
I also wondered where British Airways is centralized with their top
paying HQ jobs - well what a surprise Greater London.
Interesting to see how London in particular is doing out of this
Union :
. £30 billion subway upgrade program
see - tinyurl.com/6sxrgv
. £5.9 billion on one London railway station
see - tinyurl.com/6yheht
. £16 billion For another London rail line
see - tinyurl.com/yphdwl
. £1 billion to upgrade an existing railway station
see - tinyurl.com/5sn8mm
. three quarters of a billion on a Dome !
see - tinyurl.com/6h6ezn
. Followed of course by yet another London regeneration project
£5 billion
see tinyurl.com/5l3jp3
. £6 billion Channel Tunnel Rail Link
see - tinyurl.com/4pg53n
. £2.5 billion -Roads just around the Docklands in London
http://tinyurl.com/5
5wh6b
. £3.2 billion For Another Tube line
see - tinyurl.com/5qjoao
. £1 billion improvement to an existing Light Rail Line
see - tinyurl.com/6q2424
. £20 billion for a Second Thames flood barrier planned
see - tinyurl.com/5uf79a
. A £4 billion greenhouse tower over Batersea power station
see- tinyurl.com/6ac8hn
. £9.3 billion for the Channel Tunnel -
see tinyurl.com/6s4vsb
. £4.3 billion for a 5th Heathrow Terminal
see - tinyurl.com/2h5hx6
. £5 billion Upgrade other London airport upgrades
see - tinyurl.com/5oe82n
. £10 billion Plans for Heathrow link to Channel tunnel
see - tinyurl.com/568dzq
. £13 billion for a third runway Heathrow runway
see - tinyurl.com/3bgdtt
. £9 billion for Brown's plans to transform Thames Gateway
see - tinyurl.com/4kr3pt
We Scots are being taken for fools by this Union that we are funding,
and we do even have a basic level of international airline travel.
We need to end this Union before it completely bankrupts us.
Saor Alba
This would appear to be yet another Union dividend.
I wondered just how well Scotland is doing in the airline stakes
so thought I would take a look at a key economic metric behind
global business -international flights. From personal experience
it appears to be that more often than not when
taking flights for business internationally I end
up having to go through London. Big surprise then to find Scotland
has an embarrassingly low number of international flights where
most Scots are forced to have to fly via England in particular
via London. It is interesting to see how some other
countries of comparative size to Scotland are doing -
Ireland - Number 14 in terms of international flights
Denmark - Number 20 in terms of international flights
see - tinyurl.com/5v8xqk
Topping the list of course is London and even Manchester
is 22. Glasgow or Edinburgh are both conspicuous
by their absence.
Scotland has literally and deliberately been cut off from
reasonable direct access from the rest of the world.
I also wondered where British Airways is centralized with their top
paying HQ jobs - well what a surprise Greater London.
Interesting to see how London in particular is doing out of this
Union :
. £30 billion subway upgrade program
see - tinyurl.com/6sxrgv
. £5.9 billion on one London railway station
see - tinyurl.com/6yheht
. £16 billion For another London rail line
see - tinyurl.com/yphdwl
. £1 billion to upgrade an existing railway station
see - tinyurl.com/5sn8mm
. three quarters of a billion on a Dome !
see - tinyurl.com/6h6ezn
. Followed of course by yet another London regeneration project
£5 billion
see tinyurl.com/5l3jp3
. £6 billion Channel Tunnel Rail Link
see - tinyurl.com/4pg53n
. £2.5 billion -Roads just around the Docklands in London
http://tinyurl.com/5
5wh6b
. £3.2 billion For Another Tube line
see - tinyurl.com/5qjoao
. £1 billion improvement to an existing Light Rail Line
see - tinyurl.com/6q2424
. £20 billion for a Second Thames flood barrier planned
see - tinyurl.com/5uf79a
. A £4 billion greenhouse tower over Batersea power station
see- tinyurl.com/6ac8hn
. £9.3 billion for the Channel Tunnel -
see tinyurl.com/6s4vsb
. £4.3 billion for a 5th Heathrow Terminal
see - tinyurl.com/2h5hx6
. £5 billion Upgrade other London airport upgrades
see - tinyurl.com/5oe82n
. £10 billion Plans for Heathrow link to Channel tunnel
see - tinyurl.com/568dzq
. £13 billion for a third runway Heathrow runway
see - tinyurl.com/3bgdtt
. £9 billion for Brown's plans to transform Thames Gateway
see - tinyurl.com/4kr3pt
We Scots are being taken for fools by this Union that we are funding,
and we do even have a basic level of international airline travel.
We need to end this Union before it completely bankrupts us.
Saor Alba
Posted by: alistair knox, Oban on 4:10am Sun 3 Aug 08
When will scots realise that this is NOT a British airways but should be renamed ENGLISH Airways
BA have consitantly downplayed the air services in Scotland and now in particular connections to their hub in London.
With all the congestion at heathrow why has BA not developed an alternative HUB airport in Scotland (either Glasgow or Edinburgh it wouldnet matter)
and fill the puported "empty" seats in the shuttle service that way
I hope that the landing slots at heathrow will be taken from BA and given to another carrier who is prepared to give a decent level of service on the route at an affordable price
PS
whatever happened to British Caledonian? this very successful airline gobbled up by BA in the 80's to restrict competition on its international routes.
The government of Scotland needs to act on this and dont leave it up to the numpties in Westminster who are doing a useless job in developing an international air network for Scotland.
As an example: Why can places like Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong have international call air connections (population the same or less than Scotland) and we are deprived of it by the policies of BA, BAA and the westminster government??
When will scots realise that this is NOT a British airways but should be renamed ENGLISH Airways
BA have consitantly downplayed the air services in Scotland and now in particular connections to their hub in London.
With all the congestion at heathrow why has BA not developed an alternative HUB airport in Scotland (either Glasgow or Edinburgh it wouldnet matter)
and fill the puported "empty" seats in the shuttle service that way
I hope that the landing slots at heathrow will be taken from BA and given to another carrier who is prepared to give a decent level of service on the route at an affordable price
PS
whatever happened to British Caledonian? this very successful airline gobbled up by BA in the 80's to restrict competition on its international routes.
The government of Scotland needs to act on this and dont leave it up to the numpties in Westminster who are doing a useless job in developing an international air network for Scotland.
As an example: Why can places like Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong have international call air connections (population the same or less than Scotland) and we are deprived of it by the policies of BA, BAA and the westminster government??
Posted by: donald, glasgow on 8:01am Sun 3 Aug 08
The union Jack sting is in the tail
The union Jack sting is in the tail
Posted by: tris, scotland on 4:40pm Sun 3 Aug 08
Where possible I have always avoided BA. They are pretty grim compared with most of the competition. Many of their staff are rude and unhelpful, and frequently the food served is almost inedible.
Air France is preferable.
Heathrow is one of the most awful airports I have ever had the misfortune to visit. It should be avoided at all costs.
Where possible I have always avoided BA. They are pretty grim compared with most of the competition. Many of their staff are rude and unhelpful, and frequently the food served is almost inedible.
Air France is preferable.
Heathrow is one of the most awful airports I have ever had the misfortune to visit. It should be avoided at all costs.
Posted by: megz, glasgow on 4:46pm Sun 3 Aug 08
ah the union dividend just keep on paying out eh? I really despair at the country, surely people will wake up to how much better off we would be independent!!
ah the union dividend just keep on paying out eh? I really despair at the country, surely people will wake up to how much better off we would be independent!!
Posted by: jeremy wood, Greenville, SC on 5:05pm Sun 3 Aug 08
Its not even English Airways, its London Airways, and I speak as an exciled Aberdonian with a gold flier card with them. Heathrow is indde appalling (T5 notwithstanding as it still shows the BAA flaws of management and operations of teh otehr terminals). When travelling to and aroudn Europe I do try to use Schiphol which is a much more pleasant experience.
All that said, which SPECIFIC flights are being cut from the GLA/EDI/ABZ schdules. As far as I can make out ABZ us losing 1 daily round trip - hardly a crisis when BMI fly teh same route.
Its not even English Airways, its London Airways, and I speak as an exciled Aberdonian with a gold flier card with them. Heathrow is indde appalling (T5 notwithstanding as it still shows the BAA flaws of management and operations of teh otehr terminals). When travelling to and aroudn Europe I do try to use Schiphol which is a much more pleasant experience.
All that said, which SPECIFIC flights are being cut from the GLA/EDI/ABZ schdules. As far as I can make out ABZ us losing 1 daily round trip - hardly a crisis when BMI fly teh same route.
Posted by: hector, Greater Scythia on 5:44pm Sun 3 Aug 08
Surely the fewer airline flights there are between Scotland and London the better?
The journey can be made quite easily, and with far less impact on the environment, by train.
And all you nationalists can waive your saltires and bare your arses at the English.
Surely the fewer airline flights there are between Scotland and London the better?
The journey can be made quite easily, and with far less impact on the environment, by train.
And all you nationalists can waive your saltires and bare your arses at the English.
Posted by: MacBeat, The Hague on 9:42am Mon 4 Aug 08
Simple Solution - avoid england-shire and the mess of london - travel through Schiphol for conections by air and land - soon to be extended by the HSL railway to Belgium and France; england's had its day - now it's time for Scotland to return to the continental way!!
Simple Solution - avoid england-shire and the mess of london - travel through Schiphol for conections by air and land - soon to be extended by the HSL railway to Belgium and France; england's had its day - now it's time for Scotland to return to the continental way!!
Posted by: Jack, England on 9:05pm Sat 9 Aug 08
Given that it's the English who provide the bulk of Scotland £4 Billion Tourist Industry and that North Sea Oil only accounts for 1.5% of UK GDP and generates less than 2% of taxes, whilst London produces at least ten times this figure in GDP and you can double this figure again if you take i to account the surrounding London regions.
The Scottish seem to think they are some form of Economic powerhouse they are not, there economy is much bigger than Yorkshire's. At the same time it's the English who now have the choice of getting a non-stop train through to France and the Alps rather than the Scottish Highlands.
Given that it's the English who provide the bulk of Scotland £4 Billion Tourist Industry and that North Sea Oil only accounts for 1.5% of UK GDP and generates less than 2% of taxes, whilst London produces at least ten times this figure in GDP and you can double this figure again if you take i to account the surrounding London regions.
The Scottish seem to think they are some form of Economic powerhouse they are not, there economy is much bigger than Yorkshire's. At the same time it's the English who now have the choice of getting a non-stop train through to France and the Alps rather than the Scottish Highlands.
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