Stewart Wingate tells Scottish business leaders a 2nd Gatwick runway would be better for Scottish travellers

Gatwick airport is working hard on its PR to win support for its runway bid. It has recruited a number of agencies to help with this, and is reputed to be spending some £10 million on its public relations. It is lobbying London councils that oppose expansion at Heathrow, on the principle that “my enemy’s enemy is my friend.”  Now Stewart Wingate has told a meeting of business people in Scotland that expanding Gatwick could be better for the Scottish economy than expanding Heathrow. He is announcing a new study into airport expansion and Scottish connectivity, commissioned through Northpoint Aviation, that considers levels of access and demand today, and the impact of expanding Gatwick on Scotland. Gatwick plans to return to Scotland in due course, with more details and to lobby for support. Stuart Patrick, chief executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, said: “We are working hard to ensure that capacity constraints in the South-east don’t limit our future ability to access such vital national and international markets, and in the short-term this remains an issue.” Spending more on PR, Gatwick’s media relations manager, Heather Griffiths, said consumer perceptions were an “important strand” in the broader comms effort on their runway bid.  
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Gatwick boss flying the airport’s flag north of the border

27th January 2014 (This is Local  London)

Gatwick Airport’s chief executive is north of the border this week promoting greater connectivity between London and Scotland against the backdrop of the hotly-anticipated Scottish Independence Referendum.

Stewart Wingate is visiting Glasgow and Edinburgh this week with a message explaining how expanding Gatwick could be better for the Scottish economy.

Mr Wingate is due to announce a new study into airport expansion and Scottish connectivity to an audience of business leaders assembled at the Glasgow Chambers of Commerce. The study, commissioned through Inverness-based Northpoint Aviation, will consider levels of access and demand today, best practice around other European countries, and will assess the impact of a second runway at Gatwick on Scotland’s connectivity to London and the world. Gatwick Airport will return to Scotland to present the study’s findings and seek more views in due course.

He continued: “Scotland is very important to Gatwick and our planned expansion will protect competition and deliver cheaper travel to more destinations for the people of Scotland.”

Stuart Patrick, chief executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, said: “We are delighted that the chief executive of London Gatwick has come to Glasgow to listen to the views of our members. “Access to London is vital for the businesses we represent and for the success of the local and national economies, and Stewart has recognised that today.”

He said: “We are working hard to ensure that capacity constraints in the South-east don’t limit our future ability to access such vital national and international markets, and in the short-term this remains an issue.”

Gatwick Airport is the UK’s second largest airport and the busiest single-runway airport in the world. It serves more than 200 destinations in 90 countries for around 35 million passengers a year on short and long-haul point-to-point services. It is also a major economic driver for the South-east, generating around 23,000 on-airport jobs and a further 13,000 jobs through related activities. Gatwick is owned by a group of international investment funds, of which Global Infrastructure Partners is the largest shareholder.

http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/10966022.Gatwick_boss_flying_the_airport_s_flag_north_of_the_border/

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Second Gatwick runway better for Scots travellers says airport chief

by Helen McArdle  (Herald Scotland)

SCOTS travellers would be able to access more low-cost international routes if Gatwick Airport was given the go-ahead to build a second runway, its chief executive has said.

Stewart Wingate has made the case for expanding Gatwick over Heathrow to business leaders in Glasgow during a visit to the city.

Mr Wingate, previously customer services director for BAA at Glasgow Airport, said: “The debate over airport expansion in the South East is not just about what is good for London, it is about delivering economic benefits, more affordable travel and greater connectivity for passengers throughout the UK. Scotland is very important to Gatwick and our planned expansion will protect competition and deliver cheaper travel to more destinations for the people of Scotland.”

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/transport/second-gatwick-runway-better-for-scots-travellers-says-airport-chief.23284209

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Gatwick Airport prepares to review consumer and digital PR

23 January 2014

by John Owens (Campaign Live)

Gatwick Airport is in the early stages of drawing up a brief for its consumer and digital PR accounts, which are handled by The Red Consultancy and Rabbit respectively.

The way ahead: Gatwick Airport is trying to secure a new runway
The way ahead: Gatwick Airport is trying to secure a new runway
The review comes as the airport seeks to move on from winter chaos and show off its global credentials to consumers while the Government considers how best to grow Britain’s transport capacity.Gatwick media relations manager Heather Griffiths said that both agencies had been invited to repitch for the work, with the formal procurement process likely to begin next month.

Referencing Gatwick’s sale by Heathrow owner BAA to Global Infrastructure Partners, she said: “Gatwick has come a long way in four-and-a-half years of new ownership and has really transformed not just in terms of its facilities but how it is perceived.

“Traditionally it has been a leisure airport but there is a growing business element to it, and it now serves a lot more long-haul routes. It’s about changing the perception of it from a ‘bucket and spade’ holiday [carrier] to a world class facility.”

Gatwick has pledged to spend a further £1bn in the airport between this year and 2019 as it makes the case to be allowed a new runway in the South East amid fraught political considerations.

In a report released earlier this month, and ahead of a final recommendation expected in 2015, the Airport Commission shortlisted a third runway at Heathrow and a second runway at Gatwick as likely final contenders for airport expansion.

However, Gatwick’s image will not have been helped by travel delays over Christmas, which prompted an apology from CEO Stewart Wingate.

Consumer perceptions were an “important strand” in the broader comms effort around the Airport Commission’s deliberations, Griffiths claimed, adding:

“Passengers are at the heart of the aviation debate, and any activities we do in digital and consumer will need to show an awareness of what’s happening more widely. It is about getting people involved in the debate and ensuring their views are heard, with social media a really important part of that.”

http://m.campaignlive.co.uk/article/1228316/gatwick-airport-prepares-review-consumer-digital-pr

 


 

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Earlier

 

Gatwick Airport appoints MI6 HQ architect Sir Terry Farrell to promote its 2nd runway plans

July 9, 2013     Gatwick Airport has appointed a leading architect, Sir Terry Farrell, to help in its plans to build a 2nd runway. Sir Terry will help Gatwick in its proposals for a “constellation of 3 London airports” with 2 runways each – 2+2+2. Gatwick hopes competition between it, Heathrow and Stansted was “the best solution for London”. Sir Terry’s previous projects include the MI6 building and Home Office headquarters in London and Incheon Airport in South Korea. Sir Terry’s firm, Farrells, will look at the impact on London of having competing airports of equal size compared to a single “mega-hub” airport. He said: “The world city of London, with the largest aviation market in the world, is the hub and its airport infrastructure needs to evolve and grow around the city” and that “a single mega-hub airport is at significant odds with what London needs.”      Click here to view full story…

 

Gatwick airport employs PR agencies to help sway opinion in favour of 2nd runway

5.2.2013

Gatwick Airport has brought in Fishburn Hedges (a corporate PR agency) and the London Communications Agency on an integrated PR and public affairs brief, in order to try to drum up support for building a 2nd runway. Both agencies will work directly with the airport’s communications staff. They will be aiming to work at the local and regional level to “engage key stakeholders in London and West Sussex.” Gatwick is currently developing detailed expansion plans that could double the airport’s annual capacity to around 70 million passengers and will submit its case to the Airports Commission shortly.  Local campaigners have fought the threat of a second runway for years, as it would have seriously negative environmental and quality of life impacts for the area. Gatwick is legally prevented from starting a 2nd runway before 2019. https://www.airportwatch.org.uk/?p=610

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