Aberdeen runway extension 'set to generate million

[richardtaylor]

(BBC Website Story)

The £10m extension of Aberdeen Airport's main runway will generate millions of pounds for the local economy, a study has claimed.

The extension was completed in October almost eight months ahead of schedule.

A report for the airport, by York Aviation, predicts an additional 205,000 passengers by 2015.

Airport managing director Derek Provan told Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce the extension put Aberdeen "back on the radar".

He said: "It sends a powerful message to airlines around Europe and beyond that Aberdeen Airport is open for business."

Bob Collier, chief executive of Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, said: "The chamber's board and council have always backed this project and lobbied strongly for it to go ahead so we very much welcome this report."
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In this climate?? We'll see.

[richardtaylor]

We had a Titan B757 flying to Malabo yesterday evening, which is Equatorial Guinea. A 7.5hr flight direct! To me,obviously oil-related (I think likely oil freight, which is one of the things I was advocating would benefit from an extended runway). I noticed it coming up yesterday evening, but hadn't realised it was heading all the way out to Africa. I hope there is more of this sort of thing!

Edit: Thanks to Tangoecho on PPRUNE, who reports it was an oil pax flight with 50 on board. Again though, I hope (with the longer runway) we can get these on a more regular basis.