Readers' letters: Criticism of Edinburgh Airport is entirely justified

Unlike pretty much any international airport, it has no escalators – bar one up to departures – which means that the overwhelming majority of travellers have to descend/ascend two flights of stairs on departure/return. This is because so few gates have air bridges, so that the infirm and those with babies have to negotiate the stairs, cross the tarmac and ascend the steps to the plane. It is scandalous that the air bridge, an invention with a long history, is not in universal use in the 2020s, although other airports seem to use them more than Edinburgh. Yes, airlines pay for air bridges (or in Edinburgh, mostly not), but the airport could have a policy of encouraging them.

But what really stuck in my craw was the utterly shameless response of the airport team. They say they have an 89 per cent satisfaction rate? Pull the other one.

The failure on the part of these people to understand the fury that is widespread about the inadequacies of Edinburgh Airport, and their shameless self-congratulation, demonstrates that they have no conception of “customer care” or of how to run an airport. Let them be gone, and bring in people who have some idea of how to structure and run a modern airport.

Jill Stephenson, Edinburgh

Avoid flying

While I agree with former MP Douglas Chapman, I suggest those who have had equally bad experiences should boycott Edinburgh Airport for overseas holiday travel. Being in an overcrowded airport early morning or late at night is the least enjoyable part of any holiday and should be avoided.

Like many I have been avoiding overseas travel for years, thus avoiding queues at passport control and the need for checked baggage. Scotland, Ireland and Northern England have the best landscapes and people in the world.

Edinburgh Airport has become a victim of its own success, with too many flights for its capacity. Outgoing chief executive Gordon Dewar has promised to fix the mess by extending the terminal yet again, so more traffic, congestion and chaos. As he states, the immigration hall is “not the standard we aspire to”, but it’s become that on his watch.

As for tourists, their welcome to Edinburgh must seem like entering a war zone. They also get ripped off by high accommodation costs and high taxi fares. Like the NHS, airport staff do an amazing job in challenging circumstance. It’s no wonder some were contemplating strike action recently. If things don’t improve passengers will choose alternative travel where possible.

Neil Anderson, Edinburgh

Bad manners

Your piece about MSPs on their mobile phones during commiteee meetings (7 September) resonated with me.

It’s not just a matter of common sense. It is disrespectful and bad manners to be scrolling on a mobile phone during a meeting, especially when someone has come to answer questions. What kind of example does it set to our younger folk?

I have witnessed MSPs’ “rubbish, preprepared questions” aimed at scoring political points. We vote for MSPs to represent us and they owe it to us, their constituents, to pay proper attention and to ask pertinent questions.

Fiona Garwood, Edinburgh

Dodging questions

In a Sunday TV interview John Swinney was answering questions on his plans to reduce health boards in Scotland from 14 to two (Scotsman, 7 September).

He was asked the same question in four different formats: how many jobs will be lost? He gave some long-winded replies, but failed to give any cogent answer. Eventually the presenter gave up, and went on to another question.

Also, the First Minister did not seem to understand that Glasgow is different from Stornaway, and Edinburgh is different from Stranraer. A more logical solution would be to have four health boards – Edinburgh and Glasgow conurbations, the Borders and Highland and Islands.

The First Minister also said that local authorities could be reorganised by amalgamating some smaller councils with larger councils, but for the time being no details were given regarding savings or job losses.

While it is interesting that the Scottish government is at least looking at reorganising the bloated public sector, as usual the devil is in the detail, and the end result may be slightly different from the initial proposal.

James Macintyre, Linlithgow, West Lothian

Fix this first

After reading articles in The Scotsman regarding the SNP plan to reduce the number of health boards in Scotland, I would suggest they may improve outcomes for people by first sorting out the scandalous, ineffective appointments system at local health centres,

I recently needed to visit a doctor but only got through after 106 calls and 25 minutes, just to be told there was no doctor available and I had to see a nurse instead. During the appointment the nurse went next door and consulted the doctor anyway.

This way of getting an appointment with a doctor is a disgrace and should be at the very top of the list of things that need to be sorted in the heath system, before the reduction in heath boards – which I would think is more likely to make the issue worse.

A Thorpe, Dunfermline, Fife

High feelings

While in Edinburgh for a couple of International Festival events at the end of August, I was appalled to see the theatres displaying large posters carrying the ridiculous and dangerous slogan: “Don't think. Feel.” Such a message puts us on the road to fascism, for that is precisely the way fascism works – by stirring up feelings, while turning off the brain.

If you feel you hate someone – or some group – don’t bother to think. Just go out and hate.

Just express how you feel and you will feel better for it, no matter how it may affect anyone else: it is you who matters! Especially when you feel you are part of a group of like-minded brain-dead screamers.

However you feel just do it – the best way – for you. That’ll make you a real live feeling and caring human being again. Whatever the result.

I expect most of the staff at the Festival are far too young to remember the battles that my parents’ generation had in combatting fascism – so that my generation could enjoy the benefits of a free Europe (or mostly free). They all need to “check it out” before feelings get the better of thinking.

Peter D Brown, Morecambe, Lancashire

No appetite

Who does Marjorie Ellis Thompson (Letters, 5 September) reckon she’s kidding? She mocks the Falkland Islanders’ democratic decision to remain British rather than be ruled by a developing country like Argentina, with a long history of bankruptcy and military dictatorship, not to mention an attempt to seize this overseas territory by force in 1982.

President Milei has started the ritual sabre-rattling about “Las Malvinas” again to divert attention from domestic protests at his unpopular right-wing economic reforms. He is emboldened by Donald Trump’s latest pronouncements on the islands’ sovereignty.

Alluding to the 2013 Falklands vote where nearly all inhabitants expressed a desire to keep the status quo, Ms Ellis Thompson remarks sarcastically, “How unfortunate that the same generosity of spirit is not applied to Northern Ireland, Wales or indeed ourselves!”

Polling consistently shows that only around 36 per cent of people in the Six Counties want unification with the Republic of Ireland. Although it’s true that about two-thirds of Éire’s electorate aspire to this ideal, a mere one in five consider it to be a priority.

As for Wales, nationalist parties Plaid Cymru and the Greens between them garnered just 42 per cent of votes in recent Senedd elections. Not much of a mandate for a referendum there then either.

We actually had one in 2014 (with a huge turnout) which decisively rejected separation. The SNP have now lost all but eight of their Westminster seats. Over 58 per cent of the electorate who actually troubled to cast their ballots in May backed unionist parties. And yet, the majority continue to be dictated to by a radicalised minority.

After decades of Scottish government profligacy and mismanagement, we face a projected £5 billion deficit along with further deterioration in life expectancy, standards of living and public services. The only people Ms Ellis Thompson’s fooling is herself and other hardcore separatists.

Martin O’Gorman, Edinburgh

Troubled waters

I watched with some disbelief when Donald Trump tried to rename “Lake Ontario”. I had assumed he realised the lake wasn’t named by the Canadian government, but obviously not.

In a single stroke of a pen, he managed to insult not just Canadians, but also the Iroquoian people who named the lake and live in both Canada and America.

Surely Indigenous people in Canada and America have suffered enough. To add yet another careless slight – especially one born of not knowing who named the lake in the first place – feels needless.

.Whatever Trump decides, it will always be “shining waters”, or “beautiful lake”, as the Iroquoian people named it.

Judith Campbell, Portree, Isle of Skye

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