XPost: alt.airports.uk.edinburgh, alt.airports.uk.glasgow   
   From: news@jazza.demon.co.uk   
      
   Adrian Tupper wrote :   
   >Which leaves us to further speculate what Ryanair's options would have   
   >been if PIK had been bulldozed 10 years ago.  Would MOL have paid BAA's   
   >going rates?  Or would he not have bothered with a Scottish base?   
      
   I think we might have touched on this in the past, the base at Prestwick   
   arose out of special concession that Ryanair had won in terms of being   
   able to operate a domestic route as a foreign airline (PIK - STN). This   
   concession was won in some measure due to the then chairman of the Royal   
   Bank who was also chairman of PIK once BAA left, and the Ayrshire Mafia.   
   At the time a very good move for them, as it preserved the airport.   
      
   What we make of it in hindsight is quite something else. I am inclined   
   to think it is still a good thing, and does add lots of interesting   
   routes. However from a business point of view Ryanair services are only   
   useful where they operate more than once daily. I welcome the new   
   announcement as some of the flights will double (Milan/Bergamo is   
   specially welcome).   
      
      
   --   
   John   
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   Use my name with the domain (@+the rest)   
      
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