The Ayrshire Daily New’s Doug Maclean, has a fine piece of journalism serving the information needs of the community.
Professor John Robertson OBA
Thanks to Robert Martin for alerting me to this.
Both Prestwick airport and its sister airport at Manston in Kent were available for sale in 2013. Both were losing money and the company that owned them were not able or prepared to invest in their long term future. Prestwick was sold to the Scottish Government for £1 as it was not only an airport but the site for multiple aerospace companies and considered too valuable to shut. The Scottish Government invested several million pounds to cover immediate operating losses.
Prestwick is operated by an “arms length” company which was charged with returning the airport to profitability. The declared figures are:
▪ 2019/20: Reported a £1 million operating loss
▪ 2020/21: Reported a £2.1 million operating profit.
▪ 2021/22: Reported a £3.2 million operating profit.
▪ 2022/23: Reported a £2.1 million operating profit.
▪ 2023/24: Reported a £3.2 million operating profit, marking the fifth consecutive year of profitability.
Manston was also sold for £1 and within 6 months it closed as an airport with the loss of all jobs. Since thenit has been most famous for renting out its runway as a lorry park during the post Brexit shambles with English Channel ferry crossings. It was subsequently sold for £16.2 million and “may” open again as an airport in 2028 but only after multiple more millions are invested in restoring it to an operational airport.
More important details below.
In 2014, Nicola Sturgeon launched a £10m investment in Prestwick and suggested that future revenue could come from freight and retail development. It does, now 70% of its £3.2 million profit.
A BBC Scotland report in 2014 reported the above but gave half of the space to:
Scottish Labour’s infrastructure spokesman, James Kelly, said: “Nicola Sturgeon had the opportunity today to set out the Scottish government’s plans for Prestwick Airport, unfortunately she has failed to do so in any detail, and Scottish tax-payers remain in the dark.
“Last year Prestwick Airport was losing nearly £1 million a month.
“It is a nonsense that it will be close to a year since the Scottish government bought the site before a credible plan is put to the people of Scotland, especially when the Scottish government has blocked the publication of analysis they commissioned on the airport.
“Key information is available now, but it is being denied to the Scottish public.”
He added: “Nicola Sturgeon should make a statement before parliament on Prestwick, and publish the business case so that taxpayers can see how £15m of public money is being invested and when the airport will return to profitability.”
Scottish Conservative transport spokesman Alex Johnstone said: “By refusing to publish the report into the work by consultants Romain Py, on the grounds of commercial confidentiality, the Deputy First Minister has left many unanswered questions.”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-27897006
Will BBC Scotland seek an update from these doomsayer parties in the light of their ‘sour’ expectations?
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
A good piece of business for Scotland. News headline for the state broadcaster? I know, I know, stupid question.
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