In this part of our Edinburgh Airport Car Parking site, we aim to bring you up to the minute news of developments at Edinburgh airport.

BAA was thought to be forced to sell  Edinburgh airport, but  a tribunal ruled in their favour on Thursday, allowing BAA to keep both Edinburgh Airport and Glasgow Airport.

The Competition Commission has said it will appeal the ruling

PASSENGERS and staff at Edinburgh Airport had to be evacuated into freezing night-time conditions after a bungling engineer tripped an alarm while carrying out repair work.At least several hundred people spent around an hour outside Edinburgh Airport as the temperature dipped to –8C on Sunday night.And one aircraft is believed to have had to circle the airport for 40 minutes while the fault was resolved on the ground below, with three others also experiencing delays because of the evacuation.

Crews from Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue arrived to find shop workers, airline staff and passengers stranded outside the terminal building, while those on the other side of the security check-ins were taken to the runway side of the building.

Emma Wetton, store manager at Boots, which is after located behind the security check-ins, said that their staff had to stand for an hour in –8C after the alarm went off.She said: “The alarm went off and they evacuated the whole of our compartment.“They walked everyone down to the evacuation area, there are two compartments, and they took ours outside of the terminal to the runway side.“It doesn’t happen very often, the store was closed for an hour, from 9.20pm to 10.15pm.“It was freezing outside, absolutely Baltic, I think it was something like –8C that night.”And Ewelina Siembor, who manages Café Nero by the front entrance, said that there were about 150 people evacuated to the outside coach bay alone.She said: “I was doing the stock take and the alarm went off at about 9.15pm or 9.30pm.

“We went to evacuation point two, which is at the coach bay.“There were maybe 150 people where I was, and there were others at different points around the airport, it’s depends where you are.“It doesn’t happen that often, I think the last one was in July.”

A spokesperson for BAA, who run Edinburgh Airport, confirmed that one plane had been delayed by 40 minutes, while another three suffered minor delays.

They said: “On Sunday evening a fire alarm was activated at Edinburgh Airport whilst engineering works were being conducted on the building’s fire alarm system.

“The incident was investigated immediately by airport staff during which time there was no threat to passengers.“Those passengers who had already been processed through security were gathered in a safe place inside the terminal, whilst others were assembled outside the terminal building.“As result, a small number of flights experienced delays. The incident was resolved within 30 minutes and normal operation resumed.”A spokeswoman for Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue confirmed that two engines had attended the false alarm, adding that the cause was a fault during maintenance work.

New full-body scanners are to be introduced within weeks at airports across Britain to thwart would-be suicide bombers. Prime Minister Gordon Brown has revealed that the machines are "already ordered".However concerns have been raised that scanners could significantly increase journey times as passengers queue to go through the detectors.That could lead to frequent flyers, particularly business travellers, deciding to opt for the train for domestic and shorthaul European flights, rail companies and business leaders said.Virgin Trains last night confirmed it was preparing for extra passengers on its Glasgow to London Euston service when the scanners are put in place."We are prepared for an increase in passenger numbers on the Glasgow to London Euston service when the scanners are introduced at airports," Virgin communications manager Jim Rowe said."We've already seen extra customers on the route since we introduced a new timetable in 2008, with a journey time of about four and a half hours and an almost hourly service between Glasgow and London. As domestic air travel becomes more inconvenient, we are expecting customer numbers to grow significantly. We are ready for it."Business leaders said the new security procedures at Edinburgh and Glasgow airports could persuade frequent business flyers to switch to train travel.It was also claimed that video-conferencing could become more popular, as air travel became more time-consuming.CBI Scotland director Iain McMillan said: "The recession has made video-conferencing more and more popular for meetings, as travel budgets have been severely reduced. "That could become entrenched if extra security at airports leads to increased journey times. We could see video conferences becoming the norm, rather than people flying to meet with colleagues. It would certainly be at the margins, but anything that increases journey times also increases costs, and businesses will take that into account."However one way passengers might avoid delays would be to use the Security Express system, now being given a trial run by BAA at Edinburgh Airport. The system allows frequent flyers – and a companion – to bypass queues at check-in by paying an annual fee.A BAA insider said: "Business customers still have to go through the same security checks as other passengers, but they can get to that point more quickly. The system is currently being piloted at Edinburgh Airport and we could see that expand at other airports if there is more demand."A BAA spokesman said the pilot Security Express system at Edinburgh was being evaluated and any decision to expand the service would be taken "at the appropriate time".Fears over the impact of scanners came as questions were raised about their effectiveness. Some claim that it is "unlikely" they could detect many of the explosive devices used by al-Qaeda.The scanners, costing £100,000 each, will initially operate alongside metal detectors, and the intention is to gradually introduce them for all flights.But Tory MP Ben Wallace, who was involved in the testing and development of the technology, warned it was not "the big silver bullet" to catch all terrorists.He said the "passive millimeter wave scanners" probably would not have picked up the failed Detroit airliner plot or the explosives used in the 2005 London bombings.Mr Wallace, a former MSP and Scots Guards officer, was employed by QinetiQ as their overseas director in the security and intelligence division. QinetiQ helped develop the passive millimeter wave technology that is used in some scanners.He said: "The advantage of the millimeter waves are that they can be used at longer range, they can be quicker and they are harmless to travellers. But there is a big but, and the but was that in all the testing we undertook, it was unlikely it would pick up the current explosive devices being used by al-Qaeda. It probably wouldn't have picked up the Detroit Delta Airlines bomb on Christmas Day, or the very large plot with the liquids in 2006 at Heathrow, or indeed the later July bombs that were used on the Tube."This is not necessarily the big silver bullet that is being portrayed by Downing Street."Yesterday Mr Brown accepted there was no way to be certain the devices would be 100 per cent effective. But he added: "We have found that there is a new form of explosive that is not being identified by ordinary machines. "We have got to go further. Our first duty is to the security of the people of this country."

More passengers travelling by train will have an obvious knock on effect on edinburgh airport parking. However, who want to pay the high railway fares and rotton service from public transport? Much cheaper and easier to drive to the airport and park.

Airport owners BAA yesterday won a partial victory against the Competition Commission's (CC) ruling forcing it to sell three airports.

The Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) concluded "with the greatest reluctance" that a claim by BAA of "apparent ever, BAA's appeal on the grounds that the CC had not allowed sufficient time for the sales failed.

BAA had challenged the legality of the CC decision to make it sell Gatwick and Stansted as well as one of either Glasgow or Edinburgh Airport

Following yesterday's decisions, the CAT has invited the CC and BAA to make further submissions relating to the bias claim with a view to holding a further hearing in the new year.

This means that there will be further delay in sorting out airport ownership following the CC's original ruling that BAA's ownership of seven UK airports was uncompetitive. BAA had put forward a case of "apparent bias" saying that Professor Peter Mozier, one of the CC airports inquiry panel, had "a powerful connection" to Manchester Airport Group, which had been interested in buying Gatwick.

ANGRY Flyglobespan staff have hit out at bosses of the failed city-based airline after learning about its collapse on the news.It comes as thousands of stranded holidaymakers and Flyglobespan staff struggle to make their way home from various destinations, after the airline went into administration on Wednesday.Hundreds of staff are to be made redundant, with around 500 of the firm's 600 total staff based in Edinburgh. All flights have Edinburgh Airport have been cancelled.

One member of the Flyglobespan cabin crew, who lives in Edinburgh and did not want to be named, said staff had not been contacted by the airline, with many finding out they had lost their jobs via the media.

The woman, who has worked for Flyglobespan for almost four years, said: "I was absolutely devastated when I heard the news. We got told that everything was going really good and that Globespan were hoping to expand next year, so it was really out of the blue.

"We have heard nothing from Globespan or the administrators. The only way we are getting information is on the news. We have just been left in the dark, it is a nightmare."

She added: "I do have sympathy for the passengers but they are only losing out on a holiday, we have got bills to pay. We have worked a full month and probably won't get paid.

"Two Flyglobespan flights to Faro and Alicante were meant to leave the Capital's airport yesterday morning.

Customers were greeted with a small Christmas tree at the Flyglobespan desk, but no staff. Instead notices were placed at the desk informing customers of the company's demise.

A member of staff on the tourist and airport information desk said: "Two young Spanish girls turned up at the airport for the Alicante flight, as well as a British couple who live in Spain.

"We actually expected a lot more people. Compared to things that have happened in the past, it has been very low-key."

Among the affected passengers are Lorna Fordyce and her fiancé Mark Thomson, who have seen their dream wedding plans turn into a nightmare.

The couple, both 38 and from Whitburn, were to be married in Cyprus next year, but the wedding looks to be ruined and thousands of pounds lost as the bride and groom, along with 30 guests, feel the effects of the firm's collapse.

Ms Fordyce, an NHS worker, said: "I phoned the helpline and they said that, because we paid on debit card, we can't get any money back. It's wrecked our plans."

Pauline Cuthbert, who lives in Granton, was due to fly to Faro on Christmas Eve to spend Christmas in Albufeira with a friend.

The 57-year-old said: "I was very upset when I found out on Wednesday night. I can't put into words how I felt. I was so looking forward to the break."

Unite – the biggest union in aviation – branded the treatment of Flyglobespan workers "shocking".

Unite's regional officer responsible for Flyglobespan, Fiona Farmer, said: "Many crew are stranded overseas, worried about how they will get home and how they will support their families without a wage at Christmas."

Scotland's biggest airline, Edinburgh-based Flyglobespan, has been placed in administration with all scheduled flights cancelled.

Administrators PricewaterhouseCoopers said Globespan was in contact with about 5,000 passengers booked with or travelling with the airline.

Last year the airline, which employs about 800 staff, carried more than 1.5m passengers and operated 12,000 flights.

The majority of the company's staff have been made redundant.

The move followed attempts to conclude a financing deal for the airline with Jersey-based Halcyon Investments which broke down earlier on Wednesday.

In a statement tonight, the administrators said the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) would be responsible for the repatriation of about 1,100 people who are on holidays booked as part of a Globespan package holiday.

However, a further 3,400 people are overseas and are not protected, who booked directly through flyglobespan.com.

Customers who booked Flyglobespan flights directly via the Flyglobespan website or the call centre would not get a refund on the cost of their flight but the Department of Transport said they may qualify for a reduced rate repatriation fare.

Transport minister Paul Clark said: "I spoke earlier this evening with a representative of the European Low Fares Airlines Association, who confirmed that several of their members will provide special fares.

"I urge all affected passengers to identify themselves as former Flyglobespan customers to alternative carriers in order to ensure they benefit from these special repatriation fares."

There are also 27,000 people who have future flights booked through the Atol insurance scheme, and around 90,000 people who have forward bookings but have no Atol protection.

They may be protected under their own personal travel insurance or through their credit card transaction.

Bruce Cartwright of PricewaterhouseCoopers said: "Unfortunately I am obliged to confirm that, the Group will not longer be able to operate flights.

It is understood the company also has a contract with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to transport troops to and from destinations such as the Falklands.

An MoD spokeswoman said: "We are aware that Flyglobespan has gone into administration and we are currently assessing the wider impact on MoD business."

A spokesman for Glasgow Airport said: "We are doing everything in our power to help passengers rearrange their travel plans, wherever possible, and to secure additional capacity from other airlines serving Glasgow.

The vast majority of destinations served by Flyglobespan are already served by other carriers, a number of whom have already stepped in to offer support to Flyglobespan's customers."

Flyglobespan was the sixth biggest operator out of Edinburgh airport.

Operating profit

Managing director, Gordon Dewar said: "This is a sad day for the Scottish aviation industry.

"However, our immediate attention must turn to the thousands of passengers who were due to fly with the airline over the coming months.

"We are already holding urgent discussions with a number of other airlines and are hopeful of replacing much of the capacity that has been lost from Flyglobespan going into administration."

A Scottish government spokesman said: "This is extremely disappointing news. The Scottish government is contacting the company as a matter of urgency to seek clarification on the situation.

"Customers booked with Globespan either returning from holidays or about to travel can seek further advice through the Civil Aviation Authority's website.

"We recognise that this will be an anxious time for employees and their families, particularly at this time of year."

The Secretary of State for Scotland Jim Murphy said: "The news that Flyglobespan has gone into administration is a real blow for Scotland and first and foremost for the hundreds of employees who now face redundancy a week before Christmas.

"Our other immediate priority must be to help the thousands of people who booked and flew with the airline and are now effectively stranded abroad.

"My officials and I have been in touch with the Department for Transport as this issue unfolded and will continue to work with them to see what can be done to help those caught in the middle of this unfortunate situation."

Earlier this year, Flyglobespan announced it had made an operating profit of £1.2m following a loss of £19m the previous year.

Travellers on scheduled flights were kept waiting for an average of ten minutes between July and September.

Punctuality was four minutes better that the previous year, the Civil Aviation Authority reported.

Average charter flight delays were reduced from 24 to 17 minutes.

The figures are the best for the last eight years.

A spokeswoman for Edinburgh Airport said: "Over recent years, we have worked hard to influence the punctuality of flights through working with airlines and handling agents, as well as improving our stand planning."

Edinburgh Airport passenger numbers rise                                        December 11 2009

The operator of three Scottish airports said growing consumer confidence had led to the first monthly increase in passenger numbers since March 2008.

Edinburgh was up 1.3% on last November with 647,200 passengers carried, up for the eighth consecutive month.

Glasgow's traffic was down 4.7% to 489,000 passengers and there were also falls at Aberdeen, down 4.2% to 230,500.

BAA said last month they handled a total of 9.9m passengers in the UK.

That is an improvement of 0.8% on the same month last year.

BAA chief executive Colin Matthews said: "Global market conditions remain challenging, but these figures are encouraging.

"There is evidence that consumer confidence is growing and Heathrow's strong network continues to perform well."

As airlines reduce capacity during the tough economic climate in order to cut the amount of empty seats, there was a group-wide fall in the total number of flights from BAA airports of 1.4%.

In March, following a long investigation, the Competition Commission ruled that BAA must sell Gatwick and Stansted Airports within two years, as well as either Glasgow or Edinburgh's airports.

Ryanair said its proposal would help to offset air passenger duty and comply with competition laws, unlike the former Scottish Executive's route development fund, which was axed.

Michael Cawley, the Irish airline's deputy chief executive, said the fund would increase Ryanair's passengers in Scotland by 1.5 million within three to four years, compared with the extra 400,000 that it already planned.

The expected growth is at Edinburgh airport, where Mr Cawley said Ryanair remained on course to base a fifth aircraft next spring, which would create "a few extra routes".

But he said the fund would see 15-20 new Ryanair routes at both Edinburgh and Prestwick, along with expansion at Aberdeen and Inverness.

Mr Cawley, who met finance secretary John Swinney in Edinburgh yesterday, said the fund would be eligible to all airlines in return for passenger growth.

The previous route development fund, ended when the SNP came to power in 2007, had restrictions, such as being open only to airlines launching new routes.

The first stages of a tram service linking Edinburgh to the city's airport will arrive next year, it has been reported.

Officials told the BBC that the tram will be tested on a one-mile stretch between Gogar and Edinburgh Airport.

The remaining 26 trams for Edinburgh will be delivered in batches from Spain as they are built, claims the news service.

Engineers hope that the trams will also be tried out on tracks in Surrey, ahead of the launch in Scotland.

A spokesman for the service's developer Tie told the BBC that testing each car in Croydon would mean they would be "the best tested trams yet".

Edinburgh Airport has started work on a major upgrade to its immigration hall that will take three months to complete.

The £2 million overhaul of the area has now begun and although it will result in delays for inward-bound travellers during the process, the airport's bosses is confident the results will be of huge benefit to the airport in the long-term.

"It is inevitable that a major three-month project of this kind will cause some disruption to the normal operation of the immigration hall and I would want to apologise in advance to any passengers who are affected," said Edinburgh airport managing director, Gordon Dewar.

However, he added that the organisation is working closely with the UK Border Agency, airlines and other stakeholders to ensure that delays are kept to a minimum while the upgrade work is carried out.

The airport has already taken a number of steps to boost efficiency in its immigration hall following the implementation of new checks in the wake of the 9/11 and 7/7 terrorist attacks.

Among these measures has been a 50 per cent increase in the number of available desks to improve the speed at which immigration checks can be carried out.

Passenger numbers at Edinburgh airport increased by 4.8% in August, one of the few airports which recorded growth.

Hundreds of visitors turned out at Edinburgh Airport  to see the world’s largest commercial airliner has made a visit to Scotland for the first time.

The 525-seat Airbus A380 performed a fly-through at Edinburgh Airport on a brief tour of the UK on Saturday.

Plane spotters gathered at the airport for a chance to see the airliner, which executed an "approach and go" manoeuvre.

Short of a run out to Germany (or a permanent move there) there aren’t many places you can go to wind your car up to its Vmax, especially if your pride and joy has a potential top speed that begins with a two.

Even then, the idea of a ratty Transit meandering into the fast lane at 80mph while you’re closing in at 180mph is going to give even the ballsiest driver something to think about.

Thanks to BAA, though, there is now a safer option. Edinburgh airport is holding a charity event called ‘Race the Runway’ in support of Edinburgh-based St Columba's Hospice. As the name implies, this is a chance to fling your car down a 2km stretch of the runway at Edinburgh airport, both in a straight line and on a slalom course. Cars will be timed on both runs and their maximum speeds clocked, with a prize awarded to the fastest time of the day.

Participants and guests will also get a tour of the air traffic control tower, and be fully kitted out in aviation firefighter breathing apparatus to be taken through a fire simulation exercise (though presumably not at the same time as the tour of the control tower).

If you want to have a go at ‘racing the runway’, there is a minimum charity donation of £250, with a minimum donation of £50 for guests.

The event will take place on the afternoon/evening of Thursday 24 September from 3.30pm, with the first cars hitting the runway at 4pm.

Places for both guests and drivers are limited, so if you want a go, and to find out more information, call Maggie Grieve on 0131 551 7731.

It is what every weary air passenger often longs for in vain – planes that take off and land on time, and baggage waiting for them when they reach the airport terminal.

But new technology being developed by Scottish researchers could make that hope a reality more often by helping to streamline airport operations.The academics believe it could help keep fares down and even see aircraft landing early.Computer experts at Strathclyde University in Glasgow have devised a system to work out the best order for aircraft to use runways to minimise delays and fuel use.They hope it could save time for passengers by cutting aircraft congestion both in the sky and on the ground. This would also be achieved by improving baggage handling efficiency.Airline punctuality has improved over the last year, partly because flights have been cut due to fewer people travelling during the recession.However, nearly one in three holiday flights and one in five other flights at Britain's busiest airports still arrive more than 15 minutes late.

Holidaymakers on charter flights at Edinburgh airport were delayed by an average of more than half an hour between January and March – the latest available figures. Only just over half such flights arrived on time.

Air travel growth is also expected to resume when the economy picks up, with Edinburgh airport forecast to nearly triple its passengers from 9 million to 26 million by 2030.

The Strathclyde University system automatically calculates the optimum order for aircraft to use runways and move around airports.It is based on factors such as the size of each aircraft, its fuel efficiency and the number of passengers and amount of baggage it is carrying.Aircraft with the poorest fuel efficiency may be allowed to land first to minimise carbon emissions.On the ground, arrivals would be arranged to avoid baggage handling backlogs.The system would build on current procedures to maximise efficiency during delays caused by disruption such as poor weather.These include smaller planes landing one after another rather than being interspersed with larger aircraft such as jumbo jets.

The minimum distance between the largest aircraft and other planes can be as much as six miles – twice as much as between smaller ones.

Dr Andrew Coles, a research fellow at Strathclyde's department of computer and information sciences, who is leading the project, said it took a holistic view of how an airport worked.

He said: "It's a piece of joined-up thinking, taking lots of different factors into account, then boiling them down to provide the most cost-effective operation."If we can bring down delays by ten minutes, that would be great.

"Aircraft rarely take off or land on time, and even when they do, they may to have to sit on the ground doing nothing while they wait for a parking stand to become available."For example, if a plane from America lands early, as a result of favourable Atlantic winds, it may not be immediately serviced if the airport is busy."Efficient scheduling is vital for the best use of airport capacity and keeping landings close to the times when ground support staff expect them."The next stage of the project is to feed in airline information to calculate how much time and cost savings can be made.Coles said: "If we can get costs down, that will keep airport charges under control, which is good from both a ticket price and environmental point of view."He admitted the system would require the co-operation of competing airlines, along with airports, air traffic control and baggage handling firms, to work.However, he said the cost of operating it could be reduced by details of each flight being fed in automatically.National Air Traffic Services, which runs air traffic control in the UK, said a similar system – known as airport collaborative decision-making (A-CDM) – was being trialled at Heathrow airport.A spokesman said: "A-CDM is something we know about and are considering carefully."However, before implementation it has to be a joint decision between all the parties involved."James Fremantle, a spokesman for the Air Transport Users Council, the official passenger watchdog, said: "We welcome attempts to reduce delays as long as it does not affect safety. Even small delays can cause significant inconvenience, particularly with connecting flights."

Well, we have one excellent way of reducing stress - book the Edinburgh Airport Lounge, and chill out.

The Airbus A380, the world's largest commercial airliner, will today make its first ever appearance in Scotland with a fly over Edinburgh Airport.

The aircraft will undertake an 'approach and go' manoeuvre at 13:40, coming down to a few hundred feet above the runway before departing for other airports across the UK.

Gordon Dewar, Managing Director of Edinburgh Airport, who will view the aircraft from the roof of the main terminal building with airport staff, said: "There has been a real air of excitement at the airport since we heard the news of the A380's flying visit. 

"We are all delighted that Edinburgh was chosen as the first airport in Scotland to see the world's largest commercial aircraft.

"There have been many proud moments in the 30-year history of Edinburgh Airport but I think today will stand out as one of the most memorable events, both for passengers, staff and visitors alike."

Scottish Enterprise and airport owner BAA found that 26 million passengers could be passing through the terminal each year by 2030.

The report finds the airport's masterplan, which was published in 2006, has the potential to provide a huge boost for the country's economy, and is "critical" in helpingthe Capital's financial services sector weather the recession.

BAA is currently appealing against a decision by the Competition Commission which calls on the company to sell off one of its airports in either Glasgow or Edinburgh.

The firm is undertaking a £200m investment programme at Edinburgh Airport, which includes a £40m extension to the departure lounge. Government forecasts suggest passenger numbers will continue to grow at the airport to between 18.8 million and 26 million passengers a year by 2030. The construction of a second runway has also been proposed as a way of keeping up with the level of demand.

Linda McPherson, regional director of Scottish Enterprise, said: "The future growth of Edinburgh Airport is undoubtedly of considerable importance in the context of Edinburgh's position in the global economy.

"BAA's planned investment associated with the airport's masterplan is directly linked, not only with the growth of Edinburgh's economy but with the future economic success of Scotland.

"Strong connectivity is a key driver of economic activity across a range of Scotland's key sectors and also often a deciding factor in many companies' location choice when considering investment."

Enterprise chiefs are currently drafting a plan for boosting investment in the west of the city, including increasing the number of events held at the Royal Highland Centre at Ingliston.

Commenting on the publication of today's report, Gordon Dewar, managing director of Edinburgh Airport, said: "This is the most comprehensive study that has ever been undertaken into the airport's current and potential future contribution to the Scottish economy.

"It confirms the airport's critical importance to Scotland and to the industries on which our success depends, such as tourism, financial services and bioscience.

"It is because of our confidence in that future that we have committed to a £200 million programme of investment in the airport over the next ten years."

THE REPORT'S KEY FINDINGS
The airport's masterplan will help the airport support up to 16,040 jobs in Scotland by 2030

• The masterplan has the potential to boost Edinburgh Airport's contribution to the economy of Scotland to £867 million a year

• Investment in the airport's infrastructure is "essential" if Scotland is to meet its ambitions as a major tourism destination "

The two exhibitions will take place at the Gyle tomorrow and at Waverley station later this month.

Ron McAulay, Network Rail's director in Scotland, said the first exhibition on 29 July had attracted over 300 members of the public.

He said: "Gogar interchange will form a key transport hub for the east of Scotland on its completion in 2011."

The project, funded by Transport Scotland, involves the creation of a new rail station on the Edinburgh to Fife railway line next to a new stop on the tram network so passengers can transfer to Edinburgh Airport.

A raised walkway will link the railway station and tram terminal while a subway will link the railway station with the Gyle Shopping Centre.

According to figures released by BAA, the owner of Edinburgh Airport, July 2009 saw record growth with a 5.6% increase in the numbers of passengers using the airport.

This is the fourth successive month of grwth for the airport, which continues to out perform its rivals.

Figures released by airport operator BAA Scotland show that 955,750 passengers used Edinburgh Airport in July.

In May, the city council reversed a decision by a Scottish Government public inquiry by deleting its designation of land at Freelands Road in Ratho as being suitable for housing.

The move prompted Cala Homes, which has a live planning application on the site to create 118 homes, a canal basin and a care home, to take legal action. It objected as it had not been invited to attend the meeting at which the decision was made, while it also believes a Scottish Government public inquiry decision cannot be overturned at a committee meeting.

Now, the city's planning committee has reversed its decision, meaning the land can be used for housing. Councillors voted 8-6.

Derek Lawson, land director at Cala, did not want to discuss the legal action before addressing the council's planning committee on the matter tomorrow, when councillors will make a final decision.

However, he said: "This project will provide a major boost to Ratho by providing a range of high-quality homes complemented by a stunning canal basin offering fantastic amenities."

But Paul Douglas, chairman of Ratho Community Council,

said: "The planning committee has determined that it has not been possible to produce a viable development on this site. The proposal is unsustainable, unviable and should be refused."

A PASSENGER flight en route to Edinburgh Airport has been struck by lightning shortly after take-off today.

The BMI flight from Manchester was hit in a thunderstorm and the captain decided to return to the airport as a precaution at about 7.30am.

No-one was injured and the 17 passengers on board later took the next available flight to the Scottish capital.

A BMI spokesman said: "Flight BD381 from Manchester to Edinburgh suffered a lightning strike shortly after take-off.

"As a precaution the captain decided to return to Manchester for aircraft checks. All passengers disembarked safely and were accommodated on the next flight to Edinburgh.

"The aircraft is currently with engineers."

FLIGHTS to and from Edinburgh Airport were disrupted yesterday after a light aircraft's wing struck the runway.

The wing-walker aircraft, which had taken part in the East Fortune Airshow on Saturday, was landing with two people on board when its wing "clipped" the runway, a spokeswoman for airport operator BAA said.

The runway was closed for 50 minutes after the incident, which happened at around 11.15am, and no flights were allowed to take off or land during that period.

Ryanair is reported to be cutting winter 2009 services from Edinburgh by up to one third. 11 routes will be scrapped altogether , and other are at risk.

The new railway station, which is expected to cost between £34 million and £37m, will be located to the east of the Gogar roundabout where the railway travels under the A8 Glasgow Road, and will be on the existing Edinburgh to Fife line.