Glasgow's second airport (Glasgow Prestwick International Airport (PIK))

Member Name: jamesontheroad

Product:	Glasgow Prestwick International Airport (PIK)
Date:	05/01/09 (148 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fast & frequent train to Glasgow makes up for poor location, half price train travel for Ryanair pax

Disadvantages: Very tired facilities, limited services, toilets usually filthy.

Prestwick (IATA code: PIK) is Glasgow's secondary airport. Those in the local aviation community may disagree or take that statement with some bitterness, but in terms of service and convenience to most of Glasgow it is outshone by Glasgow International (IATA code: GLA). Prestwick is a pretty solid 32 miles from Glasgow: driving or traveling by bus to the city takes the best part of an hour, although the extremely frequent train service from the airport's own railway station means you can be in Glasgow Central in about forty minutes. Ryanair passengers also benefit from half price rail travel between the airport and any Scottish railway station (just show your e-ticket or itinerary to receive 50% off an adult single fare). The discount is 100% for newly opened Ryanair routes.

The airport dates from the nineteen-thirties, and grew to prominence because of it's location as the last re-fuelling point on the UK-USA trans-Atantic route. Until jetliners were capable of crossing the pond without re-fuelling, it was an almost obligatory stop. Additionally (and still of relevance today) the local geography has blessed Prestwick: it is the only airport in the UK that can claim to be almost entirely free of fog, reducing flight disruption immensely. It's also widely believed to have been the only place in the British Isles to have welcomed Elvis, who stopped off during a re-fuelling stop in 1960.

Today, Prestwick is in the rather unenviable position of seeing almost all its scheduled flights operated by just one airline - Ryanair (who have a knack of being able to extract very aggressive terms from their airports, on pain of being abandoned for a local competitor). Most air travelers have mixed feelings about Ryanair, so whether or not you are happy to travel on the Irish low-cost will probably determine whether you ever use Prestwick (although a number of charter airlines and Aer Arann continue to serve the airport).

The facilities are limited and somewhat faded, although minor refurbishments are under way. The grand old steel and glass sixties passenger terminal has not aged at all well. It is drafty and bleak, but if you choose to use Ryanair's online checkin you shouldn't have to spend too much time in it. There are no "legacy" or alliance airlines at Prestwick. The airside facilities are limited and heavily focused on retail. Only the landside outlet of Glasgow's deli chain Peckham's can be recommended for fresh food and local produce (including alcohol). Once through security you are hemmed into a windowless departure lounge which you will not leave until your flight is called.

Summary: Cheap and only moderately cheerful.