After two-year Covid pandemic, Scots look set to enjoy holidays in the sun this summer – Susan Dalgety

I had to admit to a wry smile when I read of Edinburgh Airport’s warning of chaos over the summer months as we all jet off to sunnier climes.
Edinburgh Airport has warned staff may struggle to cope with the number of passengers this summer (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)Edinburgh Airport has warned staff may struggle to cope with the number of passengers this summer (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
Edinburgh Airport has warned staff may struggle to cope with the number of passengers this summer (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

This time last year, airport boss Gordon Dewar was full of doom and gloom for Scotland’s aviation industry. “There is no clear plan to recovery,” he complained, as passenger numbers tumbled in response to Covid.

Now he has had to warn that staff may struggle to cope with the number of people expected to use the airport as it returns to full service. The airport lost an astonishing 1,000 staff in the wake of the pandemic and is finding it hard to recruit new people.

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To add to Dewar’s challenges, there have been new flights added to Edinburgh’s roster, including a direct route to Orlando and the delights of Disneyland.

Ryanair, the airline we all love to hate, has added eight new destinations, and another budget airline, Jet2, has increased its weekly journeys to my own favourite holiday idyll, Greece.

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Edinburgh Airport asks for 'patience' as it returns to busy summer schedule afte...

It’s little wonder many of us will be jetting off this summer. For the last two years, we have been locked down at home. Those folk with deep pockets have been able to enjoy a summer break in the glorious Scottish countryside, but staycations are not cheap.

A self-catering holiday for four in the Highlands or islands will likely cost the same as an all-inclusive stay in a Greek resort. Scotland’s west coast is one of the most beautiful places in the world, but while the midges may be guaranteed to make a daily appearance, the sunshine is not.

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Two weeks in the Mediterranean sunshine or a city break in an historic European city is the perfect prescription to aid our recovery from Covid, and to help us face the rigours of the tough autumn and winter that lies ahead.

And if the cost-of-living crisis keeps escalating, this may the last summer for a long time that any of us will be able to afford to fly off to sunnier climes.

Just remember to be patient when you’re stuck in the security queue at Edinburgh airport. There’s cold beer and hot sun at the end of your journey. It will be well worth the wait.