Shetland's airports (and parking)

[Capeesh]

Is there anybody in the Sumburgh area with an empty field and a mini bus willing to start a park and ride?

£1 a day sounds reasonable

[Space]

Can't find the link (recent Shetland Times article), but I read HIAL has to raise £150,000 to balance it's books. HIAL has been criticized for not investigating alternatives for raising this money. One alternative suggested was a 40p airport landing charge.

[George.]

Can't find the link (recent Shetland Times article), but I read HIAL has to raise £150,000 to balance it's books. HIAL has been criticized for not investigating alternatives for raising this money. One alternative suggested was a 40p airport landing charge.

 

For example, Hial claim the charges would raise £150,000.

 

There may be improvements in the ferry, though. The next North Boats contract might well be a step in the right direction. No promises but it may become better than it has been in the past.

Edited April 27, 2018 by George.

[Space]

Thx George, that was the link.

The more I think about it, the more the suggestions like a 40p landing charge seems sensible.

It takes away hassle at the airport. It hits everyone but with a much lower fee, which if increased will still be a low fee. It might annoy the non-car user, but if this was about balancing the books, it's not exclusively about the car so spreading this makes sense and is of less impact on the individual. 

Parking charges bring pay and display type machines and parking wardens and penalty notices and maybe wheel clamps. Have hial thought this through properly? That said what about cars that don't park in designated spaces and don't use over spill space back up the approach road to the terminal...

[George.]

Very true, Space. A 40p landing charge is payable by just about everybody and it means that everybody has done their bit. The problem is, how long will it be 40p? It wouldn't take too long until it became 50p, a pound or a fiver. It won't stay at £3.00 for drivers to pay for very long until it's risen to a fiver, a tenner and on it goes while they carry on telling us that it's all due to inflation. The cost for the boat will go the same way.

Edited April 27, 2018 by George.

[Rasmie]

I think that HIAL sees itself as being like  a "proper" airport operator. They see the big boys making loadsa money off parking and concessionary charges from retail sales and think they should be doing the same.

Running airports is a bottomless moneypit, and they will always need more money. Even if they manage to cover Sumburgh's costs they will still want more and more to pay for their loss making airports i.e. 7 or 8 out of 10.

[George.]

I think that HIAL sees itself as being like  a "proper" airport operator. They see the big boys making loadsa money off parking and concessionary charges from retail sales and think they should be doing the same.

Running airports is a bottomless moneypit, and they will always need more money. Even if they manage to cover Sumburgh's costs they will still want more and more to pay for their loss making airports i.e. 7 or 8 out of 10.

 

Heathrow airport is owned by BAA, a Spanish company. HIAL is owned by the Scottish government, held by a public limited company. It's not perfect having the airports owned by a PLC on behalf of your government but it could be worse, the Spaniards might move in.

Edited April 27, 2018 by George.

[Hohenzolleren]

Mass boycott of the new airport parking charges ? Folk too law abiding?

[Wheelsup]

Nothing wrong with Spaniards moving in as long as they do a good job. But unfortunately they will only take over profitable airports.

People will. Be too lazy to boycott the car parks

[George.]

Nothing wrong with Spaniards moving in as long as they do a good job.

 

Of course there's nothing wrong with Spaniards moving in and doing good jobs, apart from the fact that they'll take all our money home to Spain. Will they say thank you as they take all the earnings that they have stripped off us, before or after they leave Heathrow?

They won't say anything to us in Sumburgh, of course

[Wheelsup]

All part of being in the interNationalist socialist paradise that is the EU.

[George.]

And how much longer are we supposed to be there for?

[Wheelsup]

It’ll depend, when Scotland gets independence, we’ll be right back in.

[George.]

Scotland going back to the EU is no more than a political arguement. The minute we did, all the euro fishing boats would be back stripping all the fish out. That wouldn't be a good idea, would it? 

[mikeyboy]

All part of being in the interNationalist socialist paradise that is the EU.

All the utilities and organisations ran from Dubai, China and USA is that because of the EU as well?