Readers' Letters: It's a case of skyway robbery at Edinburgh Airport

While they preside over undoubted incompetence, much of the “passenger experience” is unashamedly driven by sheer bloody-minded determination to extract every last penny possible from a captive clientele. You need look no further than the “free” pick-up and drop-off facility.

In autumn 2024 I was delighted to see that signage to the free pick-up point had been installed from the arrivals exit all the way to the Long Stay car park, which made it possible for a friend visiting at Christmas to find her way to the pick-up point. Previously, sans-signage, the only practical and (and actually cheapest!) option was a one-stop tram ride to Ingliston Park & Ride, at a then cost of £5.80. Joy of joys, at last a piece of joined-up thinking from Edinburgh Airport. But...

On returning from Bristol earlier this year, I realised that the signs to the free pick-up point had all disappeared. A few signs to the free drop-off point remained, but only those in the know would equate the two. To use the free pick-up point, you already had to know where the free pick-up point was located. Otherwise, open your wallet and invite EDI to help themselves.

As of this autumn, EDI is still unashamedly pursuing this skyway robbery policy. I picked up friends from an overnight flight from Canada. After the horrendous logjam at that industrial shack called International Arrivals, they ended up totally lost en route to the now-anonymous free pick-up point.

Draw your own conclusions. EDI – you ARE an embarrassment.

Iain Masterton, Kirknewton, Edinburgh

Clip wings

The Scotsman should be congratulated on the launch of its series “Fit to Fly” around the current state of Edinburgh Airport and its proposed development plans.

The arrival experience is nothing short of embarrassing, with a painfully slow walk through the Terminal via stairs up and down, slow Border control, and the dirty, dingy and often dreadfully slow baggage reclaim facilities.

The icing on the cake to finish off this most unpleasant experience is the taxi rank. The Scotsman article (Tuesday 10 November) highlights the huge growth in passenger numbers, from 9 million in 2011 to 18 million expected in 2026, and the simple fact is that the infrastructure and services have not kept pace with the growth in these numbers.

Until and when this whole arrival experience improves and is fit for a world-renowned capital city, there should be a moratorium on new routes to and from Edinburgh Airport.

Richard Allison, Edinburgh

Red herring

Stan Grodynski (Letters, 10 November) raises the old SNP red herring of NHS privatisation south of the Border being a threat to Scotland.

It figured in the 2013 White Paper describing what would happen if Yes won the referendum, signed off by Alex Salmond. Apart from the fact that the NHS in Scotland has always been run from Edinburgh, having been set up by its own Act of Parliament, the NHS throughout the UK has always used the private sector on a massive scale.

Who makes the pharmaceuticals, surgical instruments, scanning machines and beds (including those for corridor patients to lie on while waiting for care )? And who designed and built the infection-struck Queen Elizabeth Hospital? Not the NHS but private organisations.

And Stan should remember that funding for the NHS is entirely determined by Holyrood, irrespective of events in England, even including the massive subsidy to Scotland that comes from the UK Treasury block grant.

Hugh Pennington, Aberdeen

Freedom’s cost

Daniel Johnson MSP is to be commended for extolling, in a recent speech at Holyrood, “the freedom of faith and to practise that faith as you choose” as a distinctly Scottish contribution to modern Britain, being linked to the Enlightenment.

He ought also to have noted the importance of the Scottish Reformation and the freedom of religion won by Scots martyrs such as Patrick Hamilton and George Wishart, burned to death at St Andrews. Mr Johnson’s speech also rightly noted that “it is because of struggles here in Scotland that we have the freedom to practise faith as we choose. That is why covenanters were incarcerated in Greyfriars kirkyard.”

His reference is to those brave defenders of the National Covenant of 1638, itself signed at Greyfriars, who were brutally imprisoned in a corner of the churchyard, exposed to the elements, prior to being banished to the American colonies, only for their vessel to sink off Orkney. Two hundred Covenanters were drowned.

We are indebted to Mr Johnson for this all too scarce reminder in our national Parliament of the very heavy cost paid by those who contended for the religious freedoms we now enjoy.

Michael Veitch, Scotland Policy Officer, CARE, Glasgow

Snouts out

Lindsay Laird (Letters, 10 November) quite rightly comments on the absurd increase in salary for members of the Corporate Body. Unfortunately it is common practice among politicians, both local and national, to ensure their remuneration is at a level commensurate with their perceived importance.

Here in Hampshire there are plans to merge three local authorities into one body. The recommendation of salary for the officials is higher than the highest of any of the areas. One local leader has already voiced concerns that this may well draw staff away from the areas. Snouts in the trough.

Charles Lowson, Fareham, Hants

Help the weak

Lorraine Currie (Perspective, 8 November) is right that the global community should help those at the forefront of climatic emergencies who are blighted by destitution, hunger, famines, malnutrition, food insecurity and diseases.

Sadly, climate change is inextricably intertwined with humanitarian tragedies unfolding around us. This is most evident in the Middle East. The region is already gripped by a cruel cycle of devastation, scarce water resources and poverty. What we need right now are bold initiatives, visionary leadership, human ingenuity and a coordinated and principled stance to repair our shared planet.

(Dr) Munjed Farid Al Qutob, London, United Kingdom

Net profits

The annual UN climate talks started this week in the city of Antalya on Turkey's Mediterranean coast (your report, 9 November). COP31 means that this is the 31st edition since COP1 was held in Berlin in 1995.

What has been achieved by these jollies involving well over one million people, aircraft journeys – many on private jets – and lavish food and drink, lavish accommodation and more?

The answer is obvious: 30 years of talk, talk, talk has achieved very little. The developing countries are only there for the money; this is evident as they claim the developed countries, with their thirst for fossil fuels, caused the problem.

The developing countries are becoming more strident as they see a way to get cash from the climate “culprits”.

Late on at COP30 in Belem in Brazil, developing countries agreed on language that “calls for efforts to at least triple adaptation finance to developing countries by 2035”. They say they will need $305 billion a year from the developed world to adapt to the impacts of climate change.

But wait a minute! China will not be net zero until 2060, India by 2070 and Russia by 2060. Never mind. Scotland with 0.1 per cent of global emissions will be net zero by 2045.

Clark Cross, Linlithgow, West Lothian

Painful statistics

The last three years in Scotland has seen 3,267 victims attacked by dogs in the period between April 2023 and March 2026.

The SNP administration will have to think again on how they can effectively reduce this growing problem as it is putting an avoidable load on our A&E services struggling to cope with their workload.

Dennis Forbes Grattan, Bucksburn, Aberdeen

Celtic Alliance

Following monumental political events in America, where good has triumphed over evil, Prime Minister Andy Burnham is reopening discussions on Brexit.

Shevaun Haviland, Director of the British Chambers of Commerce, has urged the PM to repair the damage of Brexit; adding that “the UK's current trading relationship with the EU was bad for business”! Scotland would certainly agree.

With a “Celtic Alliance” of devolved nations committed to self-determination and independence, this open-minded PM will struggle to keep the UK together, especially when a cost of living crisis, rise of the far right, control of AI and worsening climate events all take precedence. In Scotland, with the growth of many forms of renewable energy, along with a record independence majority in Holyrood, there is a chance of real change where “Scotland’s Right to Decide” must be honoured – as described by Andy Burnham.

Grant Frazer, Newtonmore, Highland

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