FlyGlasgow.net Glasgow Airport news, Glasgow International Airport news, latest news from Glasgow Airport, Prestwick Airport news, Glasgow Prestwick Airport news, latest news from Prestwick Airport.Spotlight Madrid; fly direct from Glasgow to Europe's third largest city for a fantastic city break! | 02 February 2012 | Europe's third largest city may not have a beach like Barcelona, but if you come on a city break to Madrid sunbathing is the last thing that'll be on your mind.
Any travel guide will tell you that Spain's capital is one bursting with culture and activities for tourists at every turn, with museums, art galleries and night after night of sexy flamenco. And if that doesn't whet your appetite, Madrid's tourism board will proudly inform you that the city has more bars per square metre than anywhere else in Europe.
When it comes to appearances Madrid is hard to beat too, having retained much of its historic and regal flair seen in its wide boulevards, elegant fountains and royal parks. And for those of you who are bad with your bearings, don't worry, despite the size of this metropolis, Madrid's centre is surprisingly small. It has one of Europe's best metros too.
The cuisine's not bad either and guess what, it's cheap - well Madrid is the capital of tapas after all. The best place to find these cheap eats, along with the best bars and more upmarket restaurants is just off the Gran Via around the lively areas of Malasaña and Chueca. Check out Malasaña for its pumping underground bar scene too.
Then there's the shopping, which is what you'd expect from the capital of a country that has brought us the likes of Zara, Mango and Massimo Dutti. Calle Fuencarral and Chueca are a tourist's paradise and have an exhausting number of boutique shops and brand names. But it's in the designer district of Salamanca that you'll find 'the shops' of Madrid. A word of advice: just make sure you're on good terms with your bank manager before you shop here.
Thanks to Iberia's newly launched flights from Glasgow, Scottish passengers can now fly direct to Madrid every Tuesday and Thursday, providing passengers with the excellent flexibility of 2, 5 and 7 night breaks in the Spanish capital.
Iberia offer passengers a fantastic professional and business friendly service at great value for money fares. As passengers board their Iberia flight in Glasgow they will be given a complimentary newspaper and/or magazine before being seated and treated to a generous 31" of legroom in economy. Throughout the flight the cabin crew will serve complimentary drinks and snacks.
Book your city break to Madrid now with flights from Glasgow on sale at iberia.com. | 
 | | Glasgow Airport News. All the latest news and route developments from Glasgow Airport. Glasgow International Airport News and Glasgow Prestwick Airprot News. | Glasgow Airport News. | Aer Lingus increase flights from Glasgow to Dublin | 26 January 2012 | Aer Lingus will add an additional daily service on their popular Glasgow to Dublin route, bringing the total number of daily flights on the route to five in each direction.
Alongside increased flexibility for business and leisure passengers travelling between Scotland and Ireland’s largest cities, the increase in flights will bring an additional 42,000 seats a year to the route, which equates to 888 extra seats a week.
The fifth daily flight will operate in the afternoon, with flight EI3224 departing Dublin at 13:10, arriving into Glasgow International at 14:20. The return flight from Glasgow to Dublin will depart Glasgow International at 14:45 and arrive in Dublin at 15:50.
The full schedule will see Aer Lingus flight departing Glasgow at 08:25, 11:35, 14:45, 17:55 and 21:00 while flights will depart Dublin at 06:50, 10:00, 13:10, 16:20 and 19:25. The additional fifth daily service will commence operations on Friday 30 March 2012.
Director of Communications at Aer Lingus, Declan Kearney said: "In keeping with our commitment to providing customers with excellent choice and great value, we have increased our flying schedule on this important route and we look forward to welcoming even more passengers on our increasingly popular flights to Glasgow in 2012."
As well as offering five flights a day to Dublin, Aer Lingus will continue to offer five flights per week to Cork, Ireland’s second largest city.
Flights from Glasgow to Cork operate every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Aer Lingus flights from Glasgow to Cork, Dublin and onward connections to Boston, Chicago, New York and Orlando can be booked online now at aerlingus.com. |  | | Glasgow Airport News. All the latest news and route developments from Glasgow Airport. Glasgow International Airport News and Glasgow Prestwick Airprot News. | Glasgow Airport News. | PIA Pakistan International Airlines could return to Glasgow | 25 January 2012 | PIA Pakistan International Airlines could restore their flights from Glasgow to Lahore after MP’s secured talks with the airline and Government ministers from Pakistan.
Hanzala Malik, Labour MSP for Glasgow, said he had been given an assurance by PIA Pakistan International Airlines that the state-owned airline will reinstate the city's twice-weekly flight to Lahore that was withdrawn a year ago.
The service, which was introduced in 2006, was popular with Glasgow’s 50,000-strong Pakistani community and its loss has forced many passengers to travel to Manchester or London to catch alternative flights.
Mr Malik, who met Pakistan's trade minister last October to lobby for reintroduction of the flight, said the response had been sympathetic but stressed he, had not yet received a guarantee of reinstating it.
He said: "What we do have is correspondence that states they will include Glasgow in the next scheduling programme. We have not yet received a response from the Pakistani Government.
"We do not yet know when the next scheduling is due and it is only then that we can be sure it will be put back on and people can book tickets. We're not done yet."
Restoration of the direct Pakistan route would be a major boost to Glasgow's long-haul network, after Emirates announced an additional daily flight to Dubai earlier this month.
Despite tough competition in the aviation sector, many in Scotland's Pakistani community feel the demise of the Glasgow-Lahore service had more to do with mismanagement by PIA than a lack of demand.
Mr Malik said a lot of his constituents had claimed seats were limited on particular services only to find the plane was half-empty when they boarded.
A spokesman for Glasgow International Airport said its own market research demonstrated there is adequate demand to support restoration of the route. He added: "Pakistan International Airlines' direct flight between Glasgow and Lahore was first introduced in 2006 and was hugely popular, carrying almost 30,000 passengers every year until its withdrawal in January 2011.
"There is still a strong demand for the route and we would lend our support to the calls for its re-introduction." |  | | Glasgow Airport News. All the latest news and route developments from Glasgow Airport. Glasgow International Airport News and Glasgow Prestwick Airprot News. | Glasgow Airport News. | | First and Citylink join up journeys between Glasgow International Airport and Edinburgh | 24 January 2012 | Scotland’s largest bus operator First Glasgow has teamed up with coach operator Scottish Citylink to make life easier for passengers by joining up journeys between Glasgow International Airport and Edinburgh.
Up to 1 million people pass through Glasgow International Airport a month and thanks to the introduction of a new 'through ticket' which can be used on Citylink and First Glasgow services, it is now even easier for passengers to travel between Glasgow International Airport and Edinburgh. The new ticketing arrangement, which began on 8 January 2012, also helps customers save money on bus travel whether travelling to or from the airport.
After landing at Glasgow International Airport passengers can purchase the new through ticket on board First's Glasgow 500 Shuttle service which operates between the airport and Glasgow City Centre. The Shuttle service terminates at Buchanan Bus Station where through ticket customers can board the Citylink service 900 to Harthill and Edinburgh without having to purchase a separate ticket. Similarly, passengers travelling from Edinburgh to Glasgow International Airport can purchase a through ticket on the Citylink service 900 and then transfer on to the Shuttle service at Buchanan Bus Station which will take them to the airport. Free Wi-Fi is available on all Glasgow Shuttle service 500 buses and most Citylink service 900 coaches.
The through ticket to Edinburgh costs just £11.50 (single) or £16.50 (return).
First's Glasgow Shuttle provides customers with the most direct service between the airport and Glasgow city centre with links to Glasgow's two main rail stations; Glasgow Central and Glasgow Queen Street, as well as the main bus terminus, Buchanan Bus Station. Travel on the Glasgow Shuttle costs £5.00 single, £7.00 return or for an extra £1 customer’s upgrade to a Day ticket which offers network-wide travel on First Glasgow services until 1am on the day after purchase and includes travel on the Glasgow Shuttle.
First's Glasgow Shuttle service operates up to every 10 minutes, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and takes only 25 minutes from Buchanan Bus Station to the airport and the buses are low-floor for easy accessibility and are fully equipped with luggage racks.
Citylink Service 900 operates up to every 15 minutes and the journey from Buchanan Bus Station to Edinburgh takes around one hour and 25 minutes. The service calls at Harthill Services, Ratho, Gogar RBS, Maybury Junction, Drum Brae, Corstorphine, Edinburgh Zoo, Murrayfield, Haymarket Station and Charlotte Square.
The new service is perfect for business passengers travelling to and from Edinburgh as they can now fly into Glasgow International from over 100 worldwide destinations with a quick, simple and hassle-free onward journey to Edinburgh.
Ronnie Park, managing director for First Glasgow said: "Our Glasgow Shuttle service is very popular and we try to make the journey experience as easy and as enjoyable as possible for our customers, which is why we’ve joined up with Scottish Citylink to offer a special through ticket to Edinburgh."
Bob Montgomery, Scottish Citylink's managing director added: "We're pleased to be making travel easier for passengers through the introduction of this through ticket. It means that passengers landing at Glasgow International Airport can enjoy a hassle-free journey all the way to Edinburgh with a smooth change-over at Buchanan Bus Station."
For more information on First's Glasgow Shuttle service 500 visit firstgroup.com/glasgowshuttle and for further details about Scottish Citylink services visit citylink.co.uk. | 
 | | Glasgow Airport News. All the latest news and route developments from Glasgow Airport. Glasgow International Airport News and Glasgow Prestwick Airprot News. | Glasgow Airport News. | MAG say no to buying Edinburgh Airport | 23 January 2012 | Manchester Airport Group (MAG), who previously stated a desire to buy Glasgow International have publicly announced that they have no intention to buy Edinburgh Airport as they believe it has little prospect for future growth.
It is believed that the Manchester Airport Group (MAG) see Edinburgh as a low cost airport that has reached its potential and has little to no room for future growth.
Not only do MAG see little growth in the future for the airport, more than 50% of Edinburgh’s annual passengers are travelling with budget airlines such as Ryanair, thus providing low yielding travellers through the terminal which are unlikely to pay for premium flights and additional services which major airports such as Manchester and Glasgow can attract.
With over half of the airports traffic being operated by low cost airlines, the airport is unable to make a significant profit from the airlines using the terminal and the airports other areas of income such as retail are also very low yielding.
This is one reason Edinburgh has had to join other low cost airports in introducing a controversial drop-off charge, something that will not be found at major airports such as Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester or Glasgow.
Every airport in Britain has the market to support £10 flights to Europe and this is what Edinburgh lives on. However it takes a large, thriving and high-yielding market to support a major airport with long haul flights to all corners of the world with a variety of airlines and Britain only has four of these markets; London, Manchester, Glasgow and Birmingham.
This has been proven is recent times when Edinburgh has attempted to enter the high-yielding long haul market.
Delta Airlines launched flights to Atlanta, the world’s largest hub airport and just five months later cancelled the route due to appalling passenger numbers. The Scottish Government intervened and persuaded the airline to launch flights from Edinburgh to New York JFK, like the Atlanta route, this lasted a matter of months.
A number of tour operators, including the now defunct FlyGlobespan have unsuccessfully tried flights from Edinburgh to Florida while Canada’s second largest airline Air Transat, have also attempted to make a success of long haul flights from Edinburgh, but in October 2010 they announced the cancelation of their Edinburgh to Toronto route.
While Edinburgh has failed to support flights to Atlanta, New York JFK, Orlando and Toronto, the four biggest long haul markets from the UK, Glasgow continues to offer successful flights to eighteen long haul destinations, with a variety of airlines such as Air Transat, US Airways, Virgin Atlantic and even Emirates who offer a twice daily flight to Dubai with Business and First Class cabins.
As well as Edinburgh being a low-yielding market, it is believed that MAG feel the Edinburgh market has reached saturation point as a number of airlines including FlyBe, Iceland Express, Ryanair and Thomson are all cancelling routes from Edinburgh Airport.
January has been a particularly bad month for Edinburgh as it has lost 7 routes in a matter of weeks.
Ryanair has dropped its flights from Edinburgh to Berlin, Bologna and Marrakech while FlyBe have canned their short lived flights to Manson, Thomson has dropped its flights to Egypt after just one season and Iceland Express have cancelled their flights to Reykjavik, just six months after the route started.
With such a high number of routes being cancelled this proves the Edinburgh market has reached saturation point while down the M8, Glasgow International, Scotland’s largest airport has won 23 new routes, including flights from full service airlines such as Iberia and Eastern Airways and has greater potential for future expansion.
Many large markets remain un-served from Scotland’s largest city such as Abu Dhabi, Athens, Brussels, Chicago, Dusseldorf, Doha, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Milan, Munich, Singapore and Zurich, this giving Glasgow a much brighter scope for future growth. |  | | Glasgow Airport News. All the latest news and route developments from Glasgow Airport. Glasgow International Airport News and Glasgow Prestwick Airprot News. | Glasgow Airport News. | | Glasgow International Airport wins new direct flights to Lyon, Nantes and Paris | 20 January 2012 | Glasgow International Airport has won three new routes to France, with direct flights to Nantes, Lyon and Paris CDG cleared for take-off.
French airline Air Mediterranée, will launch direct non-stop flights from Glasgow on Wednesday 16 May 2012 to the three French cities.
While Paris CDG is already served by Air France, easyJet and FlyBe, Nantes and Lyon and both brand-new destinations for Glasgow.
The new routes have already won the backing of a major French tour operator who will use the flights to bring French tourists to Glasgow on package holidays. Go Voyages will offer French visitors the option of one or two week holidays to Scotland’s greatest city using the new flights.
It is expected the flights will be mainly used by French tourists visiting Glasgow although an estimated 10,000 Scottish passengers are also expected to use the flights.
Francois Bourienne, commercial director at Glasgow International Airport, said: “We welcome Air Mediterranée and their decision to launch its new services, which will further strengthen our route network.
“This is great news for Glasgow International Airport and our customers and it clearly demonstrates that despite the current economic climate, there is still a strong and growing demand for international travel.”
Willie Stewart, managing director of France Travel Services, said: “We are delighted to offer new direct flights from Glasgow to Nantes, Lyon and Paris.
“These will provide Scotland with direct links to the west coast beach resorts of Brittany and Vendee, the cultural and gastronomical delights of Lyon in the Rhone-Alps region and the ever popular Paris.”
Flights from Glasgow to Nantes, Lyon and Paris CDG will operate every Wednesday and can be booked online now at francetravelservices.co.uk or by calling 0845 872 4441. | 
 | | Glasgow Airport News. All the latest news and route developments from Glasgow Airport. Glasgow International Airport News and Glasgow Prestwick Airprot News. | Glasgow Airport News. | | 2011 is a year of strong and consistent growth at Glasgow International Airport | 19 January 2012 | Over 7.2 million passengers flew from Glasgow in 2011, an increase of 5.1% compared to 2010.
Glasgow International Airport recorded growth in 11 of the 12 months in 2011, with December showing the highest growth with passenger numbers soaring by a massive 16.8%.
The growth has been driven by strong and consistent demand for international travel as well the introduction of a number of new routes such as Iberia to Madrid in Spain, Eastern Airways to Stavanger in Norway, easyJet to Amsterdam and Jersey and the opening of a new Jet2.com base which now serves 15 international destinations.
A number of other airlines including Virgin Atlantic, Thomas Cook, British Airways, Icelandair and US Airways responded to increasing passenger demand throughout 2011 by adding capacity on existing popular routes.
2012 already looks like it will be another year of growth at Scotland’s largest airport as Emirates have added a second daily service to Dubai, starting on 1 June, while Jet2 will launch 7 new routes including flights to Barcelona and Rome. The airport has also won new flights to Lyon, Nantes, Paris CDG, Toronto and Venice.
Francois Bourienne, commercial director at Glasgow International Airport, said: “Despite the challenging economic climate, we experienced a renewed confidence among passengers and airlines in 2011 and we were successful in introducing new routes, including direct services to a number of major European cities.
“Expanding Glasgow International Airport’s route network will remain our main focus for 2012 and we have already made a strong start to the year with the news Emirates Airline will introduce a second daily non-stop flight to Dubai, commencing 1 June 2012. Jet2.com will launch direct flights to Rome and Barcelona in March, so there is much to be excited about.
“We are under no illusion that maintaining passenger growth in 2012 will be a challenge, especially if Chancellor George Osborne proceeds with plans to increase Air Passenger Duty (APD) in April’s budget and we also have concerns about the fragility of the economy and the rising price of fuel. In spite of this, we will continue to work closely with our airline and city partners to deliver new routes and promote the in-bound tourism potential of Glasgow.”
To view all new routes launching from Glasgow in 2012, click here. | | | Glasgow Airport News. All the latest news and route developments from Glasgow Airport. Glasgow International Airport News and Glasgow Prestwick Airprot News. | Glasgow Airport News. | | Emirates add second daily flight from Glasgow to Dubai | 10 January 2012 | Emirates Airlines are to double the number flights between Glasgow and Dubai by adding a second daily service.
From 1 June 2012 will fly twice a day direct to Dubai, with the existing early afternoon flight being upgraded to a three-class Boeing 777-300 while the evening flight will be operated using a three-class Airbus A340-500 type aircraft.
The additional flight, coupled with an aircraft upgrade on the existing service, will increase Emirates’ capacity at Glasgow by 47% with an extra 398 seats per day available for sale, 199 each way. The introduction of a First Class cabin onto both daily services, the first time this has been offered by a commercial airline from Scotland is further proof that Glasgow is Scotland’s only high-yielding airport.
The massive increase in capacity is also excellent news for Scotland’s exporters as it will bring space for an additional 13 tonnes of daily cargo, a 59% increase on existing volumes.
The announcement comes as a result of continued growth in demand for Emirates’ service between Glasgow and Dubai. It will generate up to 12 new direct jobs and indirectly support many others with Emirates’ contracted suppliers, as well as generating millions in visitor revenue, contributing to the overall Scottish economy.
Since its commencement in 2004, the Dubai-based international airline’s Glasgow service has carried over 1.7 million passengers and over 46 million kilos of cargo to and from the Middle East and beyond.
“This announcement illustrates our commitment to Glasgow and to our wider UK route network in difficult economic times,” said Laurie Berryman, Emirates’ Vice President UK & Ireland.
“Our Glasgow route has been a real success story, and we are extremely confident that there is the demand for additional services flying east to Dubai and onward to our global network of over 115 destinations. The service brings real benefits to Scotland’s economy and its international competitiveness.”
“The introduction of a First Class cabin on both daily flights also means greater choice for passengers, and increased cargo capacity means more export business opportunities for cargo shippers in Scotland,” added Berryman.
Councillor Gordon Matheson, Leader of Glasgow City Council and Chair of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, stated that this new flight would be a significant boost to Glasgow’s economy, connectivity and competitiveness. He said: “I am delighted that our discussions with Emirates and BAA over the past two years have borne success. This is fantastic news for Glasgow, which strongly reflects Emirates’ long-term commitment to the city and our airport.
“From a starting point in 2004 Emirates’ Dubai route has proved a huge success, generating over £164 million to date for the local economy and bringing more than 687,000 inbound passengers to Glasgow.
“The operation of a double daily service is a major step forward in terms of forging greater business links and increasing access between Glasgow and key Asian economic decision centres such as Hong Kong and Singapore as well as emerging markets in China and India.
“The introduction of a second daily flight from Dubai – one of the world’s largest hub airports – significantly increases Glasgow’s global connectivity, particularly through Emirates’ worldwide route network, and will generate considerable in-bound tourism in the years ahead.
“It is estimated that the twice-daily service will deliver local economic benefit of £33 million with almost 140,000 inbound passengers in 2012 alone. Over the next five years the route will be worth more than £200m to the city, bringing more than 846,000 inbound passengers to Glasgow through to 2016.
“Today’s announcement not only reinforces Glasgow International Airport’s position as Scotland’s long-haul gateway, but demonstrates the continued importance of the city council’s Air Route Development activity.”
Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “As part of our strategy to support economic growth, the Scottish Government is determined to improve our international air connections. The announcement of this new expanded service cements our growing business, education and cultural links with Dubai and provides an additional link to this key gateway through which to boost trade and tourism opportunities with key global markets such as south and south-east Asia, Africa and Australasia.
“Despite challenging economic circumstances, since it began in 2004 the Emirates’ Glasgow to Dubai service has continued to develop. This announcement of the new expanded service today underlines Emirates’ confidence in the Glasgow market’s ability to sustain and grow. As a government we believe that good quality air services must continue to increase if Glasgow is to maintain its competitive advantage and we will continue to promote our aviation sector in a bid to further boost inbound tourism and the business connectivity.”
Amanda McMillan, managing director of Glasgow International Airport, said: “Since its launch in 2004, Emirates’ Dubai route has proved hugely successful with business and leisure passengers and its decision to introduce a second daily service is fantastic news for both Glasgow International Airport and Scotland as a whole.
“The ability of Glasgow to maintain and increase its global competitiveness is dependent on having air links with established and emerging markets and not only will Emirates’ new service considerably strengthen our long-haul route network, it will play a crucial role in allowing companies from across Scotland to access and trade with markets such as China, south-east Asia and India.”
With Emirates’ rapidly expanding global network, travellers from Glasgow can connect to over 115 destinations worldwide via Dubai. The most popular routes for Scottish passengers include Dubai, the airline’s four Australian gateways – Sydney, Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane – along with New Zealand (Auckland and Christchurch), Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Singapore, Cochin and the Indian Ocean islands of Mauritius and the Maldives.
Mike Cantlay, chairman of VisitScotland said: “Access is hugely important for both leisure and business tourism and this double daily service not only opens up the Middle East market but more importantly the diaspora markets of Australia and New Zealand where some 2.5million people are of Scots origin. The opening of this new service couldn’t have come at a better time as Scotland is set to benefit from the tourism opportunity of a lifetime over the next three years - with eight milestones - from Year of Creative Scotland to Homecoming Scotland - attracting international visitors from all over the world. We have worked with Emirates for many years and plan to invest in a joint marketing campaign in the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand to promote this new service.”
The new scheduled evening service will be operated by a three-class Airbus A340-300 aircraft, carrying 12 First Class passengers, 42 in Business Class and 213 in Economy Class. The aircraft also possesses a cargo capacity of 13 tonnes. Flight EK26 will depart daily from Glasgow at 2130hrs, arriving in Dubai at 0800hrs (next day); with the EK25 return service departing from Dubai at 1450hrs, arriving in Glasgow at 2000hrs.
The existing daytime flight EK27/EK28 is being upgraded to a three-class Boeing 777-300ER with eight Private Suites in First Class, 42 lie-flat beds in Business Class and 310 seats in Economy Class. It also has 22 tonnes of cargo capacity.
Emirates flights from Glasgow to Dubai and beyond can be booked online now at emirates.com. |  | | Glasgow Airport News. All the latest news and route developments from Glasgow Airport. Glasgow International Airport News and Glasgow Prestwick Airprot News. | Glasgow Airport News. | | Sunwing Airlines announce new Glasgow to Toronto route | 01 December 2011 | One of Canada’s leading low cost airlines is to launch flights from Glasgow in 2012 with direct flights to Toronto.
Sunwing Airlines will operate a thrice weekly service between Scotland and Canada’s largest cities using a wide-bodied Boeing 767-300 type aircraft. Flights will depart Glasgow International Airport every Thursday, Saturday and Sunday and will operate direct to Toronto’s Pearson Airport. The new route will commence flying on Thursday 14 June 2012.
The new route already has the backing of three major Canadian tour operators who will use the service to bring Canadian tourists to Glasgow.
Sunwing Airlines expect the route to be a huge success and have confirmed that they hope to increase the Glasgow – Toronto route to a daily service while adding flights to Calgary, Halifax, Ottawa and Vancouver.
Amanda McMillan, managing director of Glasgow International Airport, said: “Canada and Scotland share rich historic and cultural links and as a result, demand for any direct route between the two countries is always extremely high. Sunwing’s service is a welcome addition to our extensive list of long-haul destinations and not only will it prove a draw for our customers, it has the potential to generate significant in-bound tourism for Glasgow and Scotland.”
Duncan Wilson CEO of Canada Travel Services said: "We are delighted to offer our wide bodied award winning champagne service to Toronto from Glasgow International Airport.”
Flights to Toronto can be booked online now from just £96 at flysunwings.com. |  | | Glasgow Airport News. All the latest news and route developments from Glasgow Airport. Glasgow International Airport News and Glasgow Prestwick Airprot News. | Glasgow Airport News. | | Ryanair announce four new routes from Glasgow | 01 December 2011 | Ryanair have today announced four new routes from their Scottish base at Glasgow Prestwick Airport.
The new routes will see the launch of direct flights from Glasgow to Barcelona, Bydgoszcz, Chania and Corfu. While Barcelona and Corfu are both already served from Glasgow International; Bydgoszcz in Poland and Chania in Greece are new destinations for Glasgow and Scotland.
Flights to Barcelona will operate daily, while flights to Bydgoszcz will operate every Thursday and Sunday. Both routes will commence flying on 25 March 2012. Flights to Chania, on the idyllic Greek Island of Crete will launch on 03 April 2012 and will operate every Tuesday while flights to Corfu will operate every Thursday from 05 April 2012.
Ryanair’s Head of Sales and Marketing Lesley Kane said: “Glasgow Prestwick today celebrates four new routes from April 2012 which will go on sale tomorrow. With a total of 25 low fare routes from Glasgow Prestwick, passengers can beat the recession by choosing Ryanair’s guaranteed lowest fares and no fuel surcharges to exciting destinations all over Europe. Ryanair’s 1.3 million passengers will sustain 1,300 jobs locally.
“To celebrate these four new routes from Glasgow Prestwick, Ryanair is releasing 1 million seats on sale for just £9.99 for travel across Europe in December and January. Since these seats will be snapped up fast, we urge intending passengers to book them immediately on ryanair.com”.
Glasgow Prestwick’s Chief Commercial Officer Graeme Sweenie said: “We’re delighted to be home to Ryanair’s growth and success in Scotland. This is great news for the airport and Scotland as a whole. It’s especially exciting that for the first time we can offer low-cost scheduled services from Glasgow Prestwick to Corfu and Crete, top sunshine destinations that are extremely popular with Scottish passengers. With a total of 25 routes operating to 9 countries, Ryanair provides a fantastic choice of destinations for leisure and business customers and today’s announcement will also help in attracting more inbound visitors to explore Glasgow.” |  | | Glasgow Airport News. All the latest news and route developments from Glasgow Airport. Glasgow International Airport News and Glasgow Prestwick Airprot News. | Glasgow Airport News. | | FlyBe launch direct flights from Glasgow to Donegal | 07 November 2011 | Glasgow’s newest route has taken-off as FlyBe launch their new flights to the city of Donegal, located on Ireland’s scenic west coast.
The airline will operate from Glasgow International Airport to Donegal Airport, between three and five times per week, with fares starting at £54.99, inclusive, one way.
Davis Hunter, operations director of Glasgow International Airport, said: "The welcomed addition of FlyBe newly enhanced schedule to Donegal is fantastic news for our customers.
“The Irish market has always been hugely important for Glasgow business and tourism and we are delighted the airline has identified the need for a frequent service to Donegal. I wish FlyBe every success for the future.”
FlyBe’s Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Hinkles said: “We’re thrilled to be taking over the service to provide Scottish travelers the direct link to Donegal.
“In the run up to this launch, we have seen dozens of new bookings being made each day and it’s clear that Glasgow businesses and residents are keen to secure the very best deals when travelling to Donegal.
“I’m confident that the right mix of competitive fares, fantastic customer service and FlyBe’s customary reliability will prove popular, and we very much look forward to serving this route for years to come.”
From May 2012, the airline also plans to enhance the service from Glasgow to Donegal by increasing the frequency of flights to daily. FlyBe flights from Glasgow can be booked online at flybe.com. |  | | Glasgow Airport News. All the latest news and route developments from Glasgow Airport. Glasgow International Airport News and Glasgow Prestwick Airprot News. | Glasgow Airport News. | | Iberia launch direct flights from Glasgow to Madrid | 01 November 2011 | Glasgow International Airport today welcomed Spain’s national carrier Iberia, as the airline launched its new Glasgow to Madrid route.
Demand for the first flight from Glasgow International has been so high the Spanish airline has upgraded its aircraft to add extra capacity on what is expected to be a very popular route.
Amanda McMillan, managing director at Glasgow International Airport, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Iberia to Glasgow International Airport. The new route, a first for Glasgow, will not only provide direct access to Madrid but also provide our customers with greater access to the Iberia route network.
“As a business we are fully committed to ensuring the routes available from Glasgow International Airport compliment our customer travel requirements and continuously work with new and existing airlines, the local business community and the city to identify opportunities in the market.
“I’m sure the route will prove to be a success, attracting both Scottish and Spanish business and leisure travellers.”
Richard Tams, British Airways' head of UK and Ireland sales and marketing said: "We are delighted that Iberia has begun services between Glasgow International and Madrid, the first time the Iberia Group has operated on the route.
"The new service will expand the travel options of Scottish passengers, creating air links between Scotland and hundreds of destinations served by Iberia, our partners in the IAG Group, and the oneworld Alliance.
"It will not only provide passengers with a direct service between Scotland and one of Europe’s most important and exciting capital cities, but it will open the way for connections to Latin America, bringing potential benefits to the business community and the leisure market at both ends of the route."
Councillor Gordon Matheson, Leader of Glasgow City Council and Chair of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, said: “Spain represents the fourth largest international market for Glasgow with 46,900 trips being made annually to the city by Spanish visitors who generate £15.5 million in economic benefit.
“Iberia’s new service to Glasgow from the Spanish capital not only presents us with a significant opportunity to increase short break visitors from Spain but also opens up the real possibility of growing international conference delegate numbers from South America through Iberia’s hub at Madrid Barajas airport.
“I am delighted that Glasgow City Council’s Air Route Development Fund, which is managed by GCMB and is a key component of the city’s economic strategy, has helped secure this new service.”
Stuart Patrick, Chief Executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, said: “The launch of Iberia Regional’s new Madrid flight is great news for Glasgow International Airport, as well as for the economies of the city and the region as a whole.
“Not only will the new twice-weekly route further expand Glasgow’s connectivity with the continent in terms of tourism, it will also help promote greater business links with the Spanish capital and the rest of western Europe. Of course we already have strong business links with Spain, not least through Bilbao-based Iberdrola whose acquisition of Scottish Power in 2007 created Europe’s third largest utility. Clearly this new route will support that and other business relationships.
“The management team at Glasgow International Airport work extremely hard to introduce and secure direct flight options to and from the city and Glasgow Chamber of Commerce will continue to fully support them. It’s very encouraging to welcome a new airline in Iberia to Glasgow for the first time.”
Frank Mitchell, chief executive at Scottish Power Energy Networks, said: "This new service between Glasgow and Madrid will further improve the growing commercial relationship between these two cities”
George Adam, MSP for Paisley, said: “Once again we have another good news story from Glasgow International Airport. Passenger numbers have been increasing month after month and now we have a new direct service to Madrid. The new business will benefit Glasgow and beyond, including all those who have working ties with the airport.”
Iberia’s direct flights to Madrid with onward connections to 50 destinations throughout Spain, Portugal and South America are on sale now at iberia.com. | | | Glasgow Airport News. All the latest news and route developments from Glasgow Airport. Glasgow International Airport News and Glasgow Prestwick Airprot News. | Glasgow Airport News. | | easyJet take off for Amsterdam | 31 October 2011 | easyJet, the UK’s largest airline, has launched a new low cost route from Glasgow International Airport to Amsterdam.
Scotland’s largest airline will operate daily flights to Amsterdam’s Schipol Airport with fares available from just £25.99, one way including taxes.
The new route, easyJet’s 15th out of Glasgow International, is already proving to be popular with both leisure and business travellers.
The new route follows easyJet increasing frequency on its Glasgow International to London Gatwick route during 2011.
As part of its objective to capture a greater share of the Glasgow corporate market, easyJet now operates four daily flights between Glasgow and London Gatwick, as well as daily flights to Berlin and Paris.
easyJet has also added a 180-seat Airbus 320 to its Glasgow fleet and introduced a new direct route from Glasgow to Jersey during the past 12 months.
The new routes to Amsterdam and Jersey, as well as the additional frequency to London Gatwick, and investment in the Airbus 320 aircraft, has increased easyJet’s capacity out of Glasgow Airport by around 250,000 seats each year.
Hugh Aitken, easyJet’s commercial manager for Scotland, said: “2011 has been an incredible year for easyJet in Glasgow.
“The launch of our first flight from Glasgow to Amsterdam represents a fantastic milestone and is testament to the drive and energy of all those involved in the Team Glasgow partnership.”
He added: “Through listening to customer feedback, we identified a real demand for Amsterdam as both a business and leisure destination.
“We are therefore very excited about the launch of this new route which further demonstrates our commitment to Glasgow city and the region, by offering passengers a greater choice of destinations, and meeting our objective of making air travel easy and affordable for our growing customer base in the corporate and leisure market place.”
Today’s news was welcomed by tourism and business leaders who said the route will increase Glasgow’s connectivity and competitiveness.
Councillor Gordon Matheson, Leader of Glasgow City Council and Chair of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, said: “The launch of easyJet's new Amsterdam route from Glasgow Airport is excellent news.
“The airline’s decision to increase its service offering from Glasgow not only reinforces our growing popularity as a premier destination for business and leisure tourism; it adds another valuable route to the city’s network of flights around the world, which in turn will increase Glasgow’s global connectivity.”
Amanda McMillan, managing director at Glasgow International Airport, said: “easyJet is one of the airport’s most popular airlines and the addition of a new service to Amsterdam to its route network is fantastic news for our customers.
“This announcement, along with easyJet’s decision to increase capacity on existing routes, demonstrates the airline’s commitment to its customers, the airport and the city.
“The new route to Amsterdam will undoubtedly prove popular with business and leisure passengers alike.” |  | | Glasgow Airport News. All the latest news and route developments from Glasgow Airport. Glasgow International Airport News and Glasgow Prestwick Airprot News. | Glasgow Airport News. | | British Airways increases capacity on Glasgow - Heathrow route | 26 October 2011 | British Airways has increased the number of seats on its Glasgow – Heathrow service by 25 percent to meet the additional demand.
The increase means an additional 4,000 seats a week will available on the route during the 2011/2012 winter flying season compared with the corresponding 2010/2011 winter season.
From January 2012, the number of return services per week between Glasgow International and London Heathrow will increase to 67, providing 134 flights between the airports.
In the corresponding period last year British Airways operated a maximum of 57 roundtrips per week. In addition to more flights, capacity on the Glasgow – Heathrow route will be boosted by using 252-seat Boeing 767 aircraft to operate return services four times a week.
British Airways also operates up to five return services a day between Glasgow International and London City Airport and up to four a day between Glasgow International and London Gatwick.
Tony Davies, British Airways regional customer services manager, UK regions, said the decision to increase capacity was the result of significantly greater demand on the airline’s Glasgow – Heathrow service because of changes in the market earlier this year.
“Because the changes in the Glasgow market came very late as we approached the summer 2011 flying season, we reacted quickly and were able to increase capacity by more than five percent on the Heathrow service, as well as adding an extra daily flight to London City.
“Now, having had time to look at our schedule in detail, we have been able to add a further 4,000 seats a week on our Heathrow service and look forward to carrying even more passengers in the coming year.
“This significant increase in capacity and recent developments at Glasgow International airport, such as the opening of our new ticket desk at Glasgow International Airport by chief executive Keith Williams and the recruitment of qualified engineers and apprentices at our Glasgow engineering base, clearly indicate the importance that British Airways attaches to our Glasgow operation.
“We remain fully committed to operating the most extensive schedule of any airline between Glasgow and London’s Heathrow, Gatwick and London City airports, connecting business and leisure passengers with hundreds of destinations on our global network and the networks of Iberia, our joint business partner in IAG, American Airlines and the oneworld Alliance.”
Amanda McMillan, managing director at Glasgow International Airport, said: “In recent months we have been unable to meet the high demand for flights into Heathrow so British Airway’s decision to significantly increase capacity on our most popular and busiest route is tremendous news.
“The airport, along with the business community, has stressed the importance of having more available seats and flights to and from Heathrow, and we are absolutely delighted BA has responded in this way." |  | | Glasgow Airport News. All the latest news and route developments from Glasgow Airport. Glasgow International Airport News and Glasgow Prestwick Airprot News. | Glasgow Airport News. | | Eastern Airways launch direct flights from Glasgow to Norway | 12 September 2011 | A new route linking Glasgow with Stavanger in Norway has been launched by Eastern Airways.
The UK’s second largest regional airline has launched its first ever international service from Glasgow International Airport with three flights a week to Stavanger in Norway.
The route is expected to prove popular with business travelers, particularly those in the oil industry and Norwegian tourists looking to visit Scotland’s greatest city.
Norway is the third largest exporter of oil in the world and most major energy companies have bases in Stavanger on the south west coast.
The new Stavanger flights operate every Monday, Wednesday and Friday with fares available from £99 one way, including taxes and charges.
Kay Ryan, Eastern Airways’ commercial director, said: “A new convenient route to Stavanger from Glasgow will not only benefit offshore workers who live in central Scotland, but also Norwegian contractors and businesses with links in Glasgow and the surrounding region. We will monitor the service and look to increase frequency if there’s high demand for more flights.”
Amanda McMillan, managing director at Glasgow International Airport said, “We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Eastern Airways to Glasgow and are delighted they will be introducing a frequent service to and from Stavanger.
“The new route is fantastic news for leisure travellers who would like to visit Norway’s spectacular fjords and waterfalls and for business travellers who want easier access to Stavanger, one of Europe’s most famous oil and gas hubs.
“I look forward to working with the team at Eastern Airways and wish the airline great success for the future.”
Gordon Matheson, leader of Glasgow City Council and chair, Glasgow City Marketing Bureau (GCMB) said: "This is fantastic news for the Glasgow and our airport. The Stavanger service adds yet another valuable route to our network of flights around the world and is a boost for both business and the short break tourist market. Even in these tough times Glasgow is constantly improving its air links and we will continue to work hard to build on this latest success."
Although the new service will suit business travellers, as a former European Capital of Culture with breathtaking fjords and mountains, the Stavanger region is also ideal for tourists. The regional airline is consistently rated one of the UK’s most punctual scheduled airlines and has a fleet of 30 aircraft flying from 21 airports in the UK, Ireland, Norway and France. Passengers flying with the airline are not charged for check-in, baggage, choice of seat or onboard drinks and snacks. Check-in closes just 30 minutes before the departure time. |  | | Glasgow Airport News. All the latest news and route developments from Glasgow Airport. Glasgow International Airport News and Glasgow Prestwick Airprot News. | Glasgow Airport News. |
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