easyJet unveils 4 new winter flights from Scottish Airports
Flights from the Scottish capital to Barcelona will operate twice a week, every Monday and Friday, starting October 27.
Those looking to journey to Innsbruck to check out Austria's "renowned" Tyrolean ski resorts will be able to hop onto the once-a-week flight from December 7.
The airline will also increase its international offering from Aberdeen, with its new bi-weekly service to Paris Charles de Gaulle from October 27.
easyJet 'delighted' to announce new flights from Scotland this winter
Discussing the new flights from Scotland, Ali Gayward, easyJet's UK country manager, said that the airline is "delighted to be offering yet another fantastic range" of flights.
Jonny Macneal, head of aviation at Edinburgh Airport, added: "We're really looking forward to offering passengers even more choice this winter as easyJet adds Belfast City, Barcelona and Innsbruck to their existing schedule.
"Whether you are chasing winter sun, vibrant culture or an alpine adventure, these destinations tick all the boxes ... and we'd recommend doing all three!"
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Chris Tibbett, aero director at AGS Airports, said: "We're thrilled that easyJet will launch this long-awaited route between Aberdeen and Paris Charles de Gaulle.
"This is a connection the city and wider region have been calling for, and we're proud to have worked closely with easyJet to make it a reality.
"The new service will provide vital links for both business and leisure travellers, with timings perfect for that romantic weekend city break or Disneyland Paris adventure."
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The National
an hour ago
- The National
I went to Glenfinnan to see Harry Potter tourism chaos
The first is the population of the Lochaber hamlet. The second is the number of people that now visit every year to see the viaduct, made famous over the last quarter of a century by a combination of the Warner Bros Harry Potter films and the catalyst of social media. I recently visited Glenfinnan to see how the community struggles daily with this increasingly difficult equation, and what I witnessed was anything but magical. Cars were parked anywhere and everywhere. A hillside turning into a muddy monstrosity. National Trust staff forced to wear bodycams due to the behaviour of some tourists. This is a village at breaking point, and even just being there for one day left me feeling frazzled. The 11am crossing Glenfinnan is full of impossible equations, and here's another – how do you deal with so many tourists when most of them come at the same time of day? I arrived in the village in time for the madness of the 11am viaduct crossing of The Jacobite steam train. I began making my way up to the hillside viewpoint just after 10 to avoid being caught up in a hoard of stragglers that start running down the A830 trunk road when they realise they might miss the key moment. READ MORE: Scottish spot named one of Europe's best for stargazing What I saw as I approached was a sight to behold. There must have been around 1000 people up there, waiting to watch the moment they all remember fondly from the Harry Potter films, when the 'Hogwarts Express' crosses the 21-arched viaduct at the foot of Loch Shiel. (Image: Network Rail) West Coast Railways supplied the engine and carriages used for the filming, and it has subsequently created that rare moment where you can witness the scene from the film almost exactly as it happened – bar the flying Ford Anglia, of course. The problem is not so much that they come to see the train, but the fact that they all come for the same crossing. A lot of tourists who are trying to tick off the big bucket list of locations in Scotland will come to Glenfinnan in the morning for the first crossing and then move on to catch the ferry to Skye. It creates this pressure cooker moment every day for the village. (Image: NQ) Hege Hernes, who is the curator of the Glenfinnan Station Museum, said: 'Lots of people want to come to Glenfinnan, but they are all coming at the same time. There is not enough space. 'It's because that's the itinerary recommended online. For the 11am [crossing], then you can continue with your car to Skye, and you can do this and that in a day. 'If everyone comes by car or comes on the same train, there's not going to be room. If we spread it a bit, then things will get easier.' A new weekend bus service has been launched in recent weeks between Fort William and Glenfinnan to encourage more people to leave their cars behind and travel more sustainably. It will run four times a day and should go some way to helping break up crowds of tourists, easing the strain on the village roads, landscape and resources. Watching the train go over was truly an impressive sight, and, as a 32-year-old who grew up with the hype of Harry Potter, it was a magical sight I was glad I was able to see. But getting into a spot to see the train was hazardous. You could see the toll the footsteps of tourists had taken on the hillside, which was extremely muddy and slippery, even more so when there were so many people to manoeuvre around. (Image: NQ) People I spoke to on the hillside were shocked by the number of tourists they encountered when they got up there. Michelle and Annika were visiting from Germany after being in Edinburgh for the Oasis concert. Asked if she was surprised by the number of people gathering for the train, Michelle said: 'Yes. We were kind of naive. 'We were very surprised [by the number of people] and we were very late, so we had to run.' The pair of friends also had to be dropped off as there was nowhere to park, yet another tricky equation Glenfinnan faces. Glenfinnan's soundtrack – horns, alarms and traffic Driving to Glenfinnan by car is something I strongly suggest you do at your own risk. I arrived in my car at 9am and had made advance arrangements for a parking space, given I had been informed of the chaos I would face on arrival. At that time, I drove past the National Trust Visitor Centre car park which was nearly full. It was originally designed for people to visit the Glenfinnan Monument – which commemorates the Jacobite rising of 1745 that started in the village – but like everything else has fallen victim to the Harry Potter craze. That site, and a slightly larger community car park next door, are the only significant parking facilities in the village, with only a limited number of spaces available at the station. It means tourists – who more often than not choose to arrive in hire cars – get stuck looking for a space and abandon their cars in laybys and verges next to a 40mph trunk road. Some of the scenes I witnessed included a tourist blocking an access road, drivers turning around in the road at what locals like to call the 'magic roundabout' by the Glenfinnan House Hotel, drivers parking half in the road at already full laybys, and tourists wandering up the trunk road where there is no path after leaving their cars. (Image: NQ)And I was told I had come on a quieter day. Everywhere you look, the parking situation is having a huge impact on the community. READ MORE: See inside the 'forgotten' stunning 'fairytale' castle in Scotland Jennifer Northcote, visitor experience manager at the National Trust, told me staff are now having to wear bodycams because of being driven at when turning people away from the car park. Asked what the biggest problems staff face are, she said: 'It's not being able to accommodate everybody and having to say we can't get you in. '[Abuse] does happen. In the past we've had people being driven at. We've had verbal abuse. That's why we've got bodycams now. 'We also do public management training. It's been less chaotic this year than last year because we've had that management, but it's still been quite intense.' Ally Entwistle is a member of the community council and runs two accommodation sites in the village – one of which is at Glenfinnan station. She explained the strain the situation is placing on staff at the station and on her own life. 'People driving through the village are now heading to the station to try and park there,' she said. 'So Hege and the Glenfinnan station museum team have had to hire extra bodies to mind the car park at the bottom and direct people because it's become busier than it has been in previous years. They've had to pay for more folk to marshal that, otherwise the station would become gridlocked.' She went on: 'I have to get around between two sites, and it's very difficult. 'I really feel for people who have been here a long time and have had to see this huge change. People adjust their days from April to October when the train runs. They try not to be on the road.' Entwistle also told me of an incident recently where an ambulance making its way between Mallaig and Fort William with a casualty had to call for police assistance because of the hold up in Glenfinnan. Thankfully, no damage was done, but scenes like these are becoming all too common for villagers who feel as if they are living by the seat of their pants. The problem is too big Gradual improvements have been made to the village, such as double yellow lines and bollards being installed along the eastern entrance, but residents feel they are being left to solve a problem that is beyond them. The yellow lines at one end of the village may have stopped verge parking on the Fort William side, but this has simply displaced the issue, with people now parking unsafely at the Mallaig end. Residents are trying to put out fires, only to watch other ones pop up. The issue is not helped by inadequate public transport. One member of car park staff at the National Trust told me there are not enough ScotRail trains coming to Glenfinnan, while Entwistle explained the ones that do come do not have sufficient capacity – with Sunday trains only having two carriages. ScotRail has been approached for comment by The National on this. Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes, who represents the area as an MSP, hopes the new bus will be 'transformational', but it will only operate at weekends. I travelled to Glenfinnan on a Wednesday and left scratching my head as to how the community gets to the bottom of this. Where a pot of money or a helping hand comes from is of little relevance to Glenfinnan residents. It just has to come from somewhere, for it is no exaggeration to say this beautiful wee place is bursting at the seams. Mark Ilderton, ScotRail service delivery director, said: 'ScotRail is absolutely committed to supporting leisure travel across the country, and we recognise the West Highland Line as one of the most popular with customers. "Investment in recent years by ScotRail and Network Rail – in refurbished trains, dedicated cycle carriages, upgraded signalling equipment, and the provision of a footpath and viewing areas for the viaduct – shows our commitment to the route. 'And earlier this year, the introduction of longer trains on the route has provided additional space and comfort, particularly for those travelling with bikes and outdoor equipment. 'In the years to come, we'll continue to work to support tourism, sustainability, and bring wider economic benefits along Scotland's most scenic railways by replacing all our diesel trains with a low carbon alternative.'
The Herald Scotland
2 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Glen Rosa a reminder of challenges facing UK shipbuilding
The themes of these relevant and supporting strategies crossed my mind earlier this month as close to home, MV Glen Rosa passed a further significant step on its journey into service as it left dry dock for interior fit out back at the quayside of Ferguson Marine. I think most of us now are aware of the complexity of the design and the build difficulties that have resulted in late delivery. However, for me, the images of the now near finished ship in dry dock really illustrate the impressive scale of what has been achieved by the Ferguson team, and it's a fitting image that summarises the impressive complex engineering that the whole system of the ship contains. Recognising, and having pride in the engineering achievement is not intended to dismiss the cost to both public purse and loss of service to island communities that the long delays to delivery have brought. It's important to address the major errors by all stakeholders through this part of the yard's history, but equally 'we are where we are', and now it's time to look forward more than back. The £160m award earlier this year for seven small electric ferries to a Poland yard rightly raised questions about why no consideration for social value was included in the bidding process, despite the UK's current National Shipbuilding Strategy calling for public tenders to include for this. The call for this inclusion rightly seeks only that there is a level playing field to compensate for significantly higher levels of state investment, favourable tax incentives, or lower labour rates out with the UK. In this case the awarding body deemed the risk of legal challenge sufficient enough to not include it. Read more: It's a theme that's painfully present here in Scotland given that Alexander Dennis is currently fighting to keep their Scottish manufacturing operation open, after a deeply disappointing outcome from the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge (ScotZEB2) award last year. In that case over 80% of the £42m Scottish Government grant ended up funding the manufacture of those buses principally in China and also Egypt. Getting the balance right between risk and reward for public procurement funded by taxpayers is critical, and it's hard not to perceive that elsewhere the appetite to 'lean in' is higher. For Ferguson Marine, its recent contract award by BAE Systems for build of three sections for HMS Birmingham is more than welcome, but we should be clear that this alone will not sustain the business in the long term. If we lose the business, we also lose the social, economic and community benefits to the wider Inverclyde area, and indeed Scotland, that its high-quality employment and training continues to deliver. At this risk of stating the obvious, to sustain a shipyard, it needs to build whole ships from design to delivery. Module build will keep a key section of the engineering fabrication, welding and technical support occupied, but full ships and their complex design and development employ and grow a much wider skillset, and there needs to be a pipeline of demand that keeps those wider skills current and trains new additions for the future. This isn't a challenge just for Ferguson Marine either, it's a pattern that's replicated across the UK, where outside of naval shipbuilding, the number of commercial ships designed, built and commissioned from scratch is far too low for an island nation that has and will continue to depend on maritime connectivity to sustain ourselves. If we return to the Strategic Defence Review, its candid tone of being ready for a 'move to warfighting readiness' still makes me sit up straight, with the planning - and capacity - for that readiness a sharp reality check. A wider, stronger, UK shipbuilding enterprise that includes a step change in the number of commercial vessels is the answer, and build contracts procured with public funds should be our starting point. To go a step further, there is a valid argument that given the current precarious geopolitical climate, we should consider the potential dual use of publicly procured ships in terms of what role they could play in the event of the UK being pulled into conflict and so review their build in terms of sovereign capability. In the first instance however, the procurement process for the replacement for the MV Lord of the Isles, built by Fergusons thirty-five years ago, is the front and centre opportunity to make sure that the public investment to sustain and grow Ferguson Marine over the last decade has not been in vain. The yard's own call for a direct award under the relevant provisions of the Procurement Act 2023 has gathered wider support politically and regionally, and my understanding is that consideration is underway as part of the wider procurement planning. Let's hope the evaluation on that balance of risk is in favour of sustaining a business of significant importance to Scotland, and when we consider shipbuilding capacity, the UK too. Paul Sheerin is chief executive of Scottish Engineering
The Herald Scotland
2 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
The accountant who changed career to join the family bakery
Now commercial director, Aisling McGhee, tells how she came to move her focus to the bakery that has just seen its brand surge in popularity amid an expansion of the business, which is based in Glasgow. Aisling McGhee said: 'We are incredibly proud of our Scottish roots and the role we have played in helping to feed Scotland for four generations.' (Image: Story Shop) The baker was a new entrant to the "most chosen" category in the Worldpanel by Numerator's 2025 Scotland Brand Footprint rankings, second behind Irn Bru. The report reveals the ranking of shoppers' most chosen food and drink brands over the past year, with Graham's, Tunnock's, and Bells making up the top five Scottish brands. She said: "I stepped into a proper role – not something invented for me." Among her ambitions would be: "To leave a legacy for my children like the one I have the privilege to be a part of." Name: Aisling McGhee What is your business called? McGhee's Family Bakers Where is it based? Headquartered in Glasgow, with five sites across Scotland. What does it produce/do? We're a fourth-generation, family-owned bakery best-known for our morning rolls and potato scones. We also produce a wide range of confectionary products including empire biscuits, caramel shortcake, assorted tarts and other Scottish classics that have stood the test of time! To whom does it sell? We supply major supermarket chains and convenience stores across Scotland as well as wholesale and food-service customers. While our roots are firmly in Glasgow and the west, our reach is now truly national. What is its turnover? Our last filed accounts were £53.7 million – up £5.5m year-on-year. How many employees? 440 Why did you take the plunge? There were two parts to it. I was at KPMG and my time there was incredibly rewarding. It was a tremendous learning experience and I am grateful for the skills and perspective I gained in financial services, including having the opportunity to work overseas in the Toronto office for two years. However, over time I reached a natural decision point in my career where I wanted to broaden my experience and explore opportunities in other industries beyond the financial sector. Around that time, the Directors (my dad and two uncles) had decided to bring in external advisors to undertake a family governance project. They interviewed the next gen (me, my sister, my cousins) – none of us were formally in the business – and the senior generation. The conclusion was clear: if we wanted McGhee's to stay family-owned and family-run, someone from our generation had to step in. Legacy is important for Aisling McGhee. (Image: Story Shop) The timing was right. The management accountant was due to retire, so I stepped into a proper role – not something invented for me. Everything just lined up. I realised I'd never be as passionate working anywhere else. It was also a personal decision – being a twin, I've always had a competitive streak. I wanted to make the family business as good as it can be. The sense of ownership of having your name above the door makes you strive to be the best. READ MORE: What were you doing before? I was (and am) a chartered accountant. I spent seven years at KPMG, where I was an audit manager. What do you least enjoy? Working with my dad – but it's also one of the best parts. The father/daughter dynamic can be tricky: sometimes I'd do things differently, but there's still that instinct that your dad knows best. We don't always agree, but it works because we both care deeply about the business. What are your ambitions for the firm? To leave a legacy for my children like the one I have the privilege to be a part of. My two cousins and I have big shoes to fill, and we need to keep building on the growth achieved by previous generations. We're thinking about what's next beyond Scotland, and also about how to adapt to changing tastes – like the success of our sourdough rolls for health-conscious customers. What single thing would most help? More support for significant Scottish employers. There are constant demands and added costs, but little clarity or assistance – especially for businesses like ours that are on the cusp of being classed as "large" but don't typically qualify for funding. Traditional industries often get overlooked in favour of newer sectors. The government's changes to BPR tax relief has also made IHT planning for businesses like ours significantly more difficult. What is the most valuable lesson you have learned? Patience is a virtue. Working in a family business is a long-term thing. I want everything now – that's my nature – but this business is more like steering an oil tanker. I've learned that progress takes time. Looking at what's been achieved in 90 years is a good reminder of that. What was your best moment? Rolling out our new packaging over the past year has been very exciting and to be recognised in the Worldpanel by Numerator report as the second most chosen Scottish brand was hugely rewarding. It showed all the investment, planning and hard work paying off. And of course any time I see someone enjoy one of our products! What was your worst moment? I'm an optimistic person, so I tend to always take any 'bad' moment as a lesson. I haven't faced the kind of challenges my dad and my uncles have faced in their long tenures in the business. There were periods when the business wasn't as successful as it is today, so in comparison, my worst moments have been minor setbacks. But I've only been here for seven years… How do you relax? Spending time with my family – although with a three-year-old and a four-year-old it's not always relaxing! Running is my real switch-off; I try to get out three times a week, block everything out, and think.
