[DannySco]

Great news for Glasgow Airport, the A380 is a game changer so well done for getting it in. I’m booked on the A380 on April 10th so hopefully this will be the first of many trips on it. There’s a good chance it will be deployed on the route permanently from Nov. The dedicated Emirates lounge is under construction currently at the airport also and will enhance the passenger experience also so a great investment by Emirates at GLA.

[Speedbird_ABZ]

Aberdeen is a funny market, people just do not move away from BA. Virgin are struggling to half fill their 3 flights per day and yet BA fill up 8 or 9 flights to LHR. There was talk of a Houston flight – KLM ‘dropping in’ on their way from AMS – didn’t they have an all-business 737 AMS/IAH (??) – but that was a while ago and has never happened. Although the runway has been lengthened it still has a long way to go before we get anything of any viable size in here I reckon. We had Azerbaijan Airlines non-stop to Baku which I think is the longest route we’ve had with their A320 – probably just further than the regular Canaries flights. Mind you, we used to have Tristars every Friday to LHR many many moons ago!

[conshaldow]

Just a quick update.

The A380 at MTOW requires a runway 9,020ft long for take off. Currently GLA airport runway is 8,743ft long so as long as the aircraft isn’t at MTOW (likely but not guaranteed), then it shouldn’t have a problem using the current facilities.

The A380’s MLW required runway length is only 5,000ft so this is more than covered.

Provided Emirates make assurances that they won’t operate at MTOW I can easily see the A380 making it’s debut in early 2015.

[TerryMcManus24]

From just over 30 years ago..

.for us old codgers…..did I say us….No… take that back..

October 1983:

British Airways Glasgow – London services celebrated the introduction of its new “Super Shuttle” with the larger Boeing 757 taking over from the aging British Airways Trident 3 aircraft.(remember the Trident..?)

B.A. marked the start of the service by bringing 3 of their Concorde aircraft into the Airport at the same time.(picture)

http://glasgowairport.0catch.com/HTMS/gla1976.htm

with thanks from…?

[AMcWhirter]

Terry – re the Super Shuttle. I wrote a blog about the heyday of domestic aviation. Here’s an historical picture which shows all three Concordes at GLA in 1983.

http://www.fotothing.com/fotothinger/photo/68482e75ccbff4c1506a28706064c3b5/

http://www.businesstraveller.com/discussion/topic/Alex-ona-the-heyday-of-domestic-aviation

conshaldow – As I mentioned in a posting above, when use of the A380 was first mooted last year, the main issues (for regular scheduled service) was upgrade of the taxi-ways and the installation of a dedicated A380 airbridge.

[conshaldow]

AMcWhirter – agreed!

I think people are focusing on the runway where as you have rightly pointed out it is the A380 airbridge that will require the most effort to put in place. I believe/hope that GLA do have the space required to develop and expand in such a way.

[AllOverTheGaff]

AMcWhirter – 17/02/2014 11:05 GMT
As I mentioned in a posting above, when use of the A380 was first mooted last year, the main issues (for regular scheduled service) was upgrade of the taxi-ways and the installation of a dedicated A380 airbridge.

I’m slightly further away from GLA than I am from EDI by around 20 minutes/half-an-hour so my airport of choice is EDI. I know a lot of folks in my neck of the woods are the same, and indeed, EDI has become the largest Scottish airport in terms of passenger numbers.

Having seen the reaction from my ‘regular’ friends (non-jaded-travellers!) who are all excited by going to see the A380 in GLA, I do wonder if the airport could steal a some of that EDI traffic with a daily A380 flight to DXB, from the hype I’ve seen thus far, I suspect a lot of Scots would love the opportunity to fly the aircraft.

I’m not fussy tbh, I prefer the 777 as the 1st suites are a little more spacious than on the A380, albeit, would be good for Scotland, would be good for GLA and would be good for EK I suspect – especially with the new EK lounge opening at GLA soon, will be the last thing that needed improving with their 1st-class/business experience, making it by far the best premium product out of Scotland.

Rgds.
AOTG.

[AMcWhirter]

conshaldow – The A380 can cope with a single deck airbridge but then the airport cannot deliver the best ground handling standards.

Certainly that was the case at ZRH in 2009 at the time when SIA was mulling over deploying its A380.

Said a spokesperson for ZRH at the time “I can tell you that SIA is very keen to come here. We believe three airbridges are not essential for A380 ground handling. Having two [airbridges] is really a quality issue.”

In the end, ZRH did construct a third airbridge for the A380.

http://zrhnews.flughafen-zuerich.ch/?p=86&lang=en

http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/sia-plans-a380-flights-to-zurich

ATOG – Yes I am sure that some EDI passengers will defect to GLA if and when the A380 is deployed.

That was the case in the early days (ie when the A380 wasn’t so commonplace) that passengers from BHX would defect to either LHR or MAN to fly EK’s A380.

[DannySco]

From another forum, confirmation that GLA’s runway can more than cope with reg A380 ops!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gommsta
From an Emirates 380 Skipper:

“Hi Joe, nice to hear from you. It kind of depends, we operate with quite a wide range of take off weights, between roughly 430 and 575 tons. At heavier weights about 3500m still gives some flex, however, most european flights we take off around 440 – 460 tons, and then 2500m is plenty, the take off performance is quite amazing. Glasgow is no problem at all!”

[TerryMcManus24]

Positive further good news for our City and Scotland generally.

Now time to get those fingers out for a couple /or 3 spiffing brand new -A380 airbridges asap and maybe even a nice new space age energy efficent Terminal.

Seem to remember a proposal to do a direct rail link from Central Station..a few years ago……is it finished yet?

Would rather have seen a Skytrain or Maglef running along the Clydeside(maybe linking to Edinburgh and even Prestwich)…but high speed rail is albeit .. basic…but good start…

[JordanD]

The rail link (“GARL”) was due for completion in late 2013, but was cancelled by the Scottish Government (SNP) in September 2009.

This followed the cancellation of the Edinburgh equivalent (“EARL”) in September 2007, also by the SNP. This project would have created a station in a tunnel underneath the airport/runway and would have been a hub with connections to all of Scotland (Glasgow/Inverness/Aberdeen) by rail.

Both were cancelled on cost grounds (potential for overspend by against the public purse). Both would have cost considerably less than the feeble Edinburgh Tram.

[JohnHarper]

So it sounds like the A380 may well be on for Glasgow. That’s good news for the city. I guess EK want to stay ahead of the game given that QR are bringing the 787 to EDI and EY are about to enter the game with their premium offering.

[DannySco]

Tim Clark, President of Emirates airline will be on the A380 flight to Glasgow so I would expect big announcement/s. Exciting times for Emirates at Glasgow!

[AMcWhirter]

New tram route could cover Glasgow airport at half the cost than the previous rail link plan.

http://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/glasgow-tram-route-half-the-price-of-rail-link-1-3341191

[JohnHarper]

Isn’t it amazing, if we were to believe BA there is no demand for long haul travel from the regions and yet EK are operating the A380 from one regional airport and it looks like it will soon be two alongside many 777 operations. EK and QR are on the scene two with world leading products.

And BA have no plans to compete? Amazing.

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