New Zealand - British Expat Forum

I recently found out that new Zealand based Infratil owned the Airport at Prestwick in Ayrshire, SWScotland and was wondering about New Zealanders' points of view on some people wanting to change the name to The Robert Burns International Airport.

In April 2005, there was a £3 million refurbishment of the terminal building and a rebranding of the airport using the phrase "Pure Dead Brilliant".

In February 2006, the airport bar had a logo depicting a stupoured man in a kilt, with an empty bottle of whisky. There were objections that it promoted the wrong image of Scotland to foreign visitors and embarrassed locals.
Infratil insisted logo was "fun and visually stimulating".
South Ayrshire Licensing Board said the logo trivialised excessive drinking.

In March 3, 2006, the drunk Logo removed.

If you visited, what did you think, good or bad?

I haven't seen the logo, so I can't really comment on that (only ever used Glasgow International and Edinburgh airports when travelling to Scotland...) (though a bit out of date if it was removed nearly four years ago!?)

I don't really have a point of view on what an airport in another country is called, either - sorry! I presume that you are thinking about whether it would be confusing not to have the local area name of the airport - however, I would presume that if someone was travelling there who didn't know the area, they would at the very least look at the map to see where it was

Flights from NZ do go to Glasgow International, but not to Prestwick, so it isn't as though someone would end up there by mistake!

Hi Toonster,

When I visited Prestwick airport way back then, I thought at first that it had been a wee vandal with a permanent marker going around drawing drunks on doors and such. I didn't and still don't like the colour scheme of the terminal's outside and the uniform. I don't like the name 'Glasgow Prestwick' because I think it's misleading.

Maybe I'm trying to find out if it's just me I know I'm just a grumpy old so 'n' so, are there others?

I like the internal look of the place but that's about it.
Do all airports look like Prestwick?
Do all New Zealand airports look like Prestwick?
Do some or all have their own identities or do people sometimes have to ask where they are after dozing off?

Cheers, Aulyin

Well, again, as I've not been to Prestwick, I can't comment on that one, but having been to airports all over the world, I've not found two that are alike! Even the ones in the UK are all different (compare Glasgow to Edinburgh to Bristol to Heathrow...)

So, no, I don't imagine that any of the airports in NZ are the same as Prestwick. They aren't places that I would choose to stay in unless I was travelling anywhere, mind you

Hi Aulyin and welcome to the British Expat forum.

Your comments about airports are interesting but I think you're posting in the wrong place. This forum is for British people who have moved, or are moving, to New Zealand. The fact that a New Zealand company owns your local airport really has nothing to do with the subject matter or purpose of our New Zealand forum.

I suggest that if you want to make your opinions known on the matter, then our Opinions/Politics board would be the most appropriate place for it.

Here's a link for your convenience:

http://www.britishexpat.com/expatforum/general/viewforum.php?f=45

People can debate political issues to their heart's content on there, so you'll probably find more people willing to discuss the matter. Toonster has plenty of work to do helping the wannabe Kiwis, without having to wrangle with this political issue too.

Hi Kay,

I wanted to ask the questions but wasn't too sure which board to add it to. I didn't mean to give Toonster or anyone else more work. I'll try the board you suggested.

Keep up the good work.

Cheers, Aulyin