Scotland in summer – it’s gently but steadily raining, that fine misty drizzle that penetrates even the best of waterproofs. The east coast haar means you can’t see Fife from Granton. It’s mild but muggie. With the school holidays about to start, small wonder that families are keen to get away to warmer climes. Staff at Edinburgh Airport are gearing up for what they expect to be the busiest weekend of the year.
They’re confidently predicting that almost 100,000 passengers will pass through the terminal this weekend. On Friday, the figures suggest that just under 21,000 people will head for the sun. The most popular destinations include Orlando in Florida, Cancun on the Mexican coast and many of the more traditional resorts on the Mediterranean. There are also some new routes such as Cagliari and Bologna in Italy and Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt.
Gordon Dewar
CEO of Edinburgh Airport
According to Gordon Dewar, the airport’s Chief Executive of Edinburgh Airport, “We’re delighted that this year looks set to be our busiest summer on record, with this weekend, the start of the traditional trade fortnight, looking set to be the busiest weekend of the year so far.
“We work extremely hard to give our passengers the very best choice when it comes to deciding on their summer getaway. We have a fantastic selection of destinations to choose from and we’ll continue to listen to what our customers want from us.
“Our ultimate goal is to make their experience of Edinburgh Airport as enjoyable as possible so this year we will once again have a range of family-friendly entertainment dotted throughout the check-in terminal and departure lounge. We will also be operating our family lane once again at security to ensure families can progress through security as quickly and easily as possible.”
Edinburgh has long taken over from Glasgow as Scotland’s busiest airport. More than 40 airlines operate from it, serving over a hundred destinations. Over 9.2 million passengers a year pass through its doors – figures which are expected to increase as Scotland’s international connections develop.