Edinburgh: New Route Development & Rumours

[Jerry]

Strange really with the dollar falling against the pound. Would be predicting contraction of US services at EDI.

Well I'd expect that the market that American would be looking at is more American tourists going to Scotland so that might make their decision making different.

 

[diamond geezer]

Always room for more new or returning routes. Could something else be announced soon, I wonder? 🤔

A destination to the east or to the west?

 

[Jetsco]

A destination to the east or to the west?

🤐 for now. EDI staff intranet, I’m reliably informed has a post suggesting that additional announcements hopefully to follow.

 

[Jerry]

NEW ROUTE

Austrian Airlines - Vienna to Edinburgh. Summer seasonal flights start 7 June 2025.

OS467 VIE 0630-0810 EDI (Thu)
OS467 VIE 0705-0845 EDI (Sat)
OS467 VIE 0820-1000 EDI (Tue)

OS468 EDI 0855-1230 VIE (Thu)
OS468 EDI 0930-1305 VIE (Sat)
OS468 EDI 1045-1420 VIE (Tue)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1851571488169611643

 

[Jetsco]

NEW ROUTE

Austrian Airlines - Vienna to Edinburgh. Summer seasonal flights start 7 June 2025.

OS467 VIE 0630-0810 EDI (Thu)
OS467 VIE 0705-0845 EDI (Sat)
OS467 VIE 0820-1000 EDI (Tue)

OS468 EDI 0855-1230 VIE (Thu)
OS468 EDI 0930-1305 VIE (Sat)
OS468 EDI 1045-1420 VIE (Tue)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1851571488169611643

A good start to the week for EDI. Will more good news follow soon? 🤔

 

[Aviador]

The transatlantic line-up at EDI this summer is looking absolutely massive, especially with the extra surge from the World Cup traffic across the pond. Having JetBlue, United, Delta, and now American Airlines heavily ramping up their New York presence alongside Air Canada’s boosted Montreal frequencies is impressive for a non London hub.

It really shows how EDI has cemented itself as Scotland's premier long-haul gateway. With Air Canada also slated to bring in their new A321XLRs, the efficiency on these thin transatlantic routes is completely changing the game. Are we hitting a point where EDI might start pulling even more premium traffic away from northern English hubs for US flights?

 

[gulftraveller]

I doubt much traffic, premium or otherwise, leaks from MAN to EDI. There are no MAN/EDI connectors. LBA has fewer options, but even there I would be surprised if many passengers go by car or rail to EDI, compared with the number crossing the Pennines to MAN.

 

[Jerry]

Are we hitting a point where EDI might start pulling even more premium traffic away from northern English hubs for US flights?

Probably not. This traffic is specific to Scotland.

 

[GeorgeNTravels]

EDI TATL capacity this summer is up, but growth isn't even across the board, with several carriers actually smaller than last summer.

With the US traffic, barring Virgin, its predominantly US heavy passengers, so passengers travelling to Scotland rather than Northern England.

As for Canada, the Toronto services I imagine are local UK traffic and Canadian inbound to Edinburgh, as its one of the TATL destinations also well served from Glasgow, YHZ and YYC will be different.

Not denying the growth has been impressive, but what has to be considered as well is the head of route development responsible for this North Atlantic growth into EDI now works for AGS who owns GLA, that could be a lion in amongst the cats.

AC	115,116	127,136	+21,392	+6%
AA	63,648	163,380	+99,732	+157%
DL	266,938	244,512	-22,426	-8%
B6	101,712	115,128	+13,416	+13%
UA	254,144	210,144	-44,000	-17%
VS	47,640	55,977	+8,337	+18%
WS	125,984	120,080	-5,904	-5%

 

[Tormod]

A new route to India; now that would be interesting.

 

[tartan201]

A new route to India; now that would be interesting.

It would indeed. Are you suggesting there will be one?

 

[gulftraveller]

But who would operate it with Indigo suspending long haul? MAN appears to have shown high demand for India but is still waiting for Air India to resurrect plans for BOM.

 

[Tormod]

It would indeed. Are you suggesting there will be one?

I know nothing, but it could be a game changer, and a great addition to the Beijing route. I'd be surprised if it wasn't being pursued by the airport.

 

[tartan201]

I know nothing, but it could be a game changer, and a great addition to the Beijing route. I'd be surprised if it wasn't being pursued by the airport.

This won't surprise you then:

On whether there were any talks ongoing with Indian airlines about flights to and from India from Edinburgh Airport, Mr Dewar said: “All the time. I mean, we've got a pipeline of development that - historically it's certainly true - you start some conversations and some of them take five years. Hainan was a five‑year development. So that's true. So you can imagine that means we're talking to just about any plausible route, whether we think it's something we can start next year or the year after or even two, three years out.”

Asked if he could put a probability on getting Indian flights this year, Mr Dewar replied: “I think it's unlikely this year. The schedules for the summer are kind of published. So I wouldn't rule it out for next year, but I wouldn't bet my house on it either.”
He added: “I think there's an awful lot of stuff that needs to happen around the fleet stuff for the Indian airlines. The Indian airlines have been relatively stable for quite a few years and they're just getting into this growth agenda now, which is an opportunity for so many airports across Europe. So we're in that pack trying to get ourselves to the top of that list.”

Source: https://archive.ph/qHSFd

 

[Tormod]

Correct, it doesn't 🙂 Thanks for the info.

 

[Aviador]

Where do you see EDI's network heading over the next couple of years, and what would be on your wishlist for new airline additions or route launches? Curious to hear everyone's thoughts!

 

[Tormod]

The sun rises in the East! I'd be expecting a couple of routes to Delhi and Mumbai. Perhaps something to LAX or SFO , and it's not beyond possibilities that a route or two to meso/south America?

 

[Aviador]

The sun rises in the East! I'd be expecting a couple of routes to Delhi and Mumbai. Perhaps something to LAX or SFO , and it's not beyond possibilities that a route or two to meso/south America?

With the Middle Eastern hubs already performing strongly out of EDI, direct links to India feel like the most natural next step for long haul growth. Delhi or Mumbai with Air India or Indigo would be absolute game changers for both business traffic and visiting friends and relatives, especially given the size of the catchment area across central Scotland.
Westbound is where things get really interesting, though. LAX or SFO would be fantastic prestige routes, but the sheer stage length and yield requirements make them a tough sell for airlines when East Coast hubs already capture so much connecting traffic. You never say never, but a carrier would need serious confidence in premium front of cabin demand to make a West Coast flight work year round.

Thinking about it, doesn't Air India already serve Edinburgh?

 

[gulftraveller]

Air India serves LHR and BHX. Indigo A321XLRs could not make the distance.

India is largely an outbound market. The Indian diaspora in Scotland is small in comparison with London, Birmingham, Manchester/Yorkshire or the South West of England. I doubt EDI is high on AI’s list of priorities, particularly when they have aircraft shortages.

What about Jeddah? Some inbound traffic and likely good demand outbound, particularly from Glasgow.

 

[GeorgeNTravels]

As of the last census 33,000 people in Scotlnd identified as Indian (source), with the largest dispora being in Glasgow, then Edinburgh then Aberdeen.

Another Chinese link isn't out of the question, although that could also be said for Glasgow.

Canada is pretty much covered, Vancouver the obvious missing Scottish link, but Air Canada mainly developing that as a Paciffic Hub rather than a Euro hub - probably happy sending traffic through Toronto for the time being.

American East Coast is very well covered - not sure what really would be next for EDI, there has been rumours for years of another US route - MSP, DEN, IAH, SFO, LAX, SEA all mentioned since at least 2023 - nothing materialised.

Europe is very well covered, there isn't really a glaringly obvious gap in the EDI European network

Egypt seems to be a very slow developing market compared to elsewhere in the UK, HRG is currently seasonal with easyJet, and SSH is only just returning to the network this year, with EZY 1x week, Jet2 has pushed its SSH launch back from February to October

The priority with the airlines just now seems to be larger aircraft - easyJet has based 2 A321's this year (20% of based fleet), Jet2 has 3 (42.86% of based fleet), and Ryanair has 8 MAX aircraft based (66.66% of based fleet)