'Insult to a nation': Fresh condemnation of Edinburgh Airport must lead to real change
Edinburgh Airport is a vital part of the Scottish economy, but it has been providing an appalling first impression of the country to international travellers
In many ways, Edinburgh Airport is an extraordinary success story. The number of passengers has been growing steadily, with this year seeing a 5 per cent increase and a total of 1.8 million people passing through the ‘gateway to Scotland’ in August alone. However, unfortunately, it is not a success story of which we can be proud.
Writing in The Scotsman today, former First Minister Henry McLeish describes arriving at the airport as a “deeply depressing and embarrassing experience” and even an “insult to a nation” and Sandy Begbie, chief executive of Scottish Financial Enterprise, says the quality of the service “would simply not be tolerated in many other parts of the world”.
The dismay of these two high-profile figures adds to previous complaints about the airport, which has been variously condemned as “woefully inadequate”, a “disorganised, unwelcoming shambles” and “frankly embarrassing”.
£500 million redevelopment plan
People have repeatedly expressed anger at the poor treatment of international passengers on arrival, with lengthy passport queues and delays in collecting luggage.
Yet for far too long, Edinburgh Airport had given the impression that it was in denial about its excoriating reviews, defending the indefensible with unjustified vigour.
So it was a considerable relief to hear about plans for a £500 million transformation of the passenger terminal and then also that the airport’s new chief executive, Mark Johnston, had admitted in a letter to baggage handling companies: “There are areas of the operation where improvement is required. In particular, I am concerned about aspects of the arrivals experience and the impact this is having on passengers.”
Well said. However, we hope he will forgive us if we remain sceptical until we see concrete evidence of the necessary improvements. After all, bitter experience has taught us to be wary.
Edinburgh Airport is a key component of the Scottish economy and first impressions of a city and a country – of businesspeople, tourists and people coming for major events like next year’s Tour de France – really do matter.
It sounds like Johnston wants what the rest of us want: a main airport Scotland can be proud of. Now he just needs to ensure that it happens.
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