This week, the media have covered the latest case for Glasgow Prestwick Airport being put into public ownership.
As a marketer, one wonders if the message of Glasgow Prestwick is truly etched on the minds of those people in airlines around the world responsible for appraising new routes and fast journeys from touchdown into our cities. Is Prestwick genuinely on the radar with these people with all the key benefits it brings?
Here are a few without too much thought;-
Touchdown to terminal – 5 minutes max – Swift processing through airport – covered walkway to rail station – 3 new electric trains per hour straight into Glasgow (often only 4 stops) and the Central Belt in 40 minutes– dual carriageway and M way onto the national Motorway way network! – 35 minutes to the Centre of Glasgow, – bus service direct from the door into the city – only minutes from one of the world class golfing areas on the globe – Ryder Cup – Commonwealth Games – and of course long runway and fog free all year!
Try doing that in London, Amsterdam, Rome, Paris, or closer to home, – Bristol, Cardiff, Aberdeen etc!
Has the resource/budget been there to deliver the message, repeated time after time, to highly targeted markets to ensure that Glasgow Prestwick remains ‘top of mind’ right through the year? This is absolutely not to detract from the management of Prestwick or from Glasgow which does a great job.Before any plans are made to mothball, a fresh view of the total market opportunities and targets would surely be worth some speedy effort. As an example, I did notice that the organisation who run route conferences throughout Europe are always looking for new venues to hold their conferences, – a possible link with the racecourse as a venue? – you can only ask the question!!The potential effect on the West of Scotland economy is just too devastating to contemplate.
For more rant and some possible genuine options on this topic, contact russ@rfm.co.uk