Airport considers city centre check-in to get us on the bus
flying from Edinburgh Airport could be offered the option of a city-centre check-in point for their luggage as a way of encouraging them to get a bus or a tram to the airport instead of driving.
Airport bosses say they still need to work out whether such an initiative would be viable, but they believe it could remove a logistical problem for many large groups and families with young children.
Edinburgh already has 37 per cent of passengers using public transport to get to or from the airport – more than any other airport outside London – while 40 per cent travel by car. But the airport wants to increase the public transport share and predicts it will overtake the car within the next two years.
The city-centre luggage check-in point is one idea in the airport’s new Surface Access Strategy document, which highlights the need for a new link road to the airport but also explores how people can be persuaded to shift from car to public transport.
It says: “Where other options exist, transportation of luggage is often cited as the reason passengers choose to travel by car. This is particu larly an issue for large groups and families with young children. If passengers could check their luggage at an easily accessible centre, possibly in the city centre or at home, they would be free to travel to the airport unhindered by heavy baggage.
“Further work is needed to understand the infrastructure and security implications, but the airport is committed to doing its part to support such an initiative in order to facilitate increased public transport usage.”
The airport goes on to say it will start work “to understand the viability of check-in from remote locations, such as city centre or home” and collaborate with local hotels to develop airport check-in services for guests.
Airport chief executive Gordon Dewar said: “Although we are Edinburgh Airport, we are increasingly Scotland’s airport and we must ensure we are connected and accessible to people from Edinburgh, Elgin and Eigg.
“The existing road infrastructure in West Edinburgh is insufficient in busy periods today. Even with the significant mode share shift in favour of public transport, the absolute number of car movements will increase as the airport’s passenger base grows, meaning investment in infrastructure is essential.”