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Joe Curry · Guest

This from Google May 2002

ET- How low will they Go?

ET SAYS: Rivalry between Glasgow and Edinburgh airports has erupted
into an internet war of words.
The future of Glasgow airport has become a bone of contention on an
internet newsgroup dedicated to its biggest rival - Edinburgh.

CALLUM SAYS: As if the future of EDI isn't a bone of contention in the
pages of the Evening Times??

ET SAYS: Supporters of Glasgow and Edinburgh have been trading insults
over their respective hubs since the Evening Times launched a campaign
to stop Glasgow Airport being downgraded.

CALLUM ASKS: Based on what evidence?

ET SAYS: The airports are in competition for cash to fund
improvements, including vital rail links, and the Scottish Executive
will decide which project is the most worthy when it publishes its
aviation review this summer.

CALLUM SAYS: BAA will, of course, deny that the two airports are in
competition. To their credit, the ET acknowledges the real status of
Scotland's principal airports. Most folk in this ng have no problems
with GLA having a rail link, but only if funding is made available for
BOTH projects at the same time. If the Executive decides to make money
available for only one project, then naturally folk in this ng will
put forward their arguements for EDI to be prioritised. Do the ET
honestly expect any different? Just as we would expect the ET to
'speak up' for GLA. The reality is that they are opposed to ANY
development at EDI, on the misguided belief that GLA would suffer.

ET SAYS: Edinburgh's internet backers believe Glasgow should miss out
on the rail link cash - because Prestwick Airport already has a
railway station.

CALLUM SAYS: That is certainly ONE argument - not the only argument,
of course, but then you'd expect the views of folk in this ng to be
simplified by this tacky rag. The west coast already has one airport
rail link versus zero on the east coast? It seems the ET's biggest
problem is perhaps not Edinburgh Airport, but rather dealing with the
success of PIK. I imagine Ryanair, amongst others, will have a bone to
pick with the ET for treating PIK so dismissively.

ET SAYS: And supporters of Glasgow Airport are furious after being
banned from saying anything positive about the airport in the
newsgroup, alt.airports.uk.edinburgh.

CALLUM SAYS: The point is they can easily set up their own pro-GLA
group. They choose not to do so. They choose to troll an EDI newsgroup
instead, because it better suits their subversive agenda. Would the ET
expect the promotion of Celtic to be permitted in a football newsgroup
concerned with the promotion of Rangers - of course not!

ET SAYS: Host Joe Curry - a supporter of the campaign group, Friends
of Edinburgh Airport - claimed the site had been "invaded by west
coast trolls" in a series of bitter exchanges with Glasgow fans.

CALLUM SAYS: For the benefit of the ET readership, you'll note that
the author doesn't explain Usenet parlance. "Trolling" is a perfectly
accurate, and recognised, description of the GLA lobby's activities in
this ng.

ET SAYS: Mr Curry's chatroom rule book bans favourable comments about
Glasgow which is always referred to by its international code, GLA.
He wrote: "Anyone can mention GLA in this newsgroup but the guidelines
forbid its promotion for obvious reasons, as highlighted recently in
the Evening Times."

CALLUM SAYS: But that is Joe's prerogative as founder of this ng, to
set the rules in which topics should be debated. Would The Herald
accept an advertisement in its pages for a subscription service for
The Scotsman? Of course not! Why? - it would be promoting the
opposition!!! They really can't see it, can they?

ET SAYS: The newsgroup host believes BAA Scottish Airports, the firm
which owns both airports, is biased towards Glasgow.
In a series of recent internet rants he and his web friends dismissed
west coast claims that the opposite was true as "nothing more than
Glaswegian whining".

CALLUM SAYS: TX exclusively from GLA? 90% of Scotland's charter
flights from GLA? Plans for a rail link at GLA, while no plans at EDI?
Multi-storey car park in place at GLA, no similar facility at EDI? The
list is endless, the evidence overwhelming. BAA Scottish Airports
undoubtedly favours its Paisley operation.
And please - "internet rants" - highly insulting, and very
unimaginative. Look who's trading insults now??

ET SAYS: In his introduction to the newsgroup, Mr Curry claims
contributors include aviation professionals.

CALLUM SAYS: A pity the ET's newsroom does not include a few
professional journalists. Then perhaps the people of Glasgow could
have a local newspaper of genuine quality.

ET SAYS: A spokesman for BAA Scottish Airports said: "I think these
people are just sad. They obviously have nothing better to do with
their time. Anyone with any serious comments to make to us usually
make them to our face."

CALLUM SAYS: Yes, you musn't criticise BAA. What a cheek!!! Anyone who
dares to complain to their face usually receives short shrift. They
think they are completely above reproach!
I fancy their monopoly ownership days are drawing to a close. How else
do you explain BAA's alleged sudden and late interest in launching
scheduled TX routes from EDI? Blind panic??

Acknowledgements to Google archives and Callum.

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