‘This move is a powerful vote of confidence’

airport operator BAA’s decision to sell its Edinburgh rather than its Glasgow base has taken many people by surprise.

After all, the Capital airport is the bigger, busier and faster growing of the two, with the best prospects for future expansion.

And it is proving more resilient to the current economic downturn thanks to the large numbers of business passengers who continue to jet in and out of the city.

It looks at first sight as though BAA’s Spanish owner Ferrovial has decided to sell the goose that lays the golden eggs.

But in reality there is no real puzzle behind its choice to off-load Edinburgh rather than Glasgow.

It had to sell one of them to meet the demands of the Competition Commission.

And selling the Capital airport is expected to raise up to £600 million, around 50 per cent more than putting Glasgow on the market.

The owners have gone for the quick bucks, as they have every right to do.

But make no mistake, this move is a powerful vote of confidence in the future of Edinburgh Airport.

It is being sold because more buyers are interested and will pay more for the crown jewel rather than the problem child.

It is certainly a worrying time for the airport’s staff, who face months of uncertainty and fears about the future of their pensions.

But they can take at least some reassurance from managing director Jim O’Sullivan’s confidence that their jobs remain safe and the future of the airport remains bright.

And passengers can look forward to Edinburgh branching out and perhaps seeing some more of the longhaul services that have for so long been Glasgow’s preserve here in the Capital.

Failing justice

The terrible wanton damage which lifelong yob Lee Peattie wreaked on St Giles’ Cathedral is shocking.

But what most people will find hard to understand is why, after a criminal career spanning 20 years and countless offences, he was free to go on this rampage in the first place.

This is yet another example of how our justice system is so ineffective when it comes to changing the ways of such repeat offenders.

At least on this occasion the three-and-a-half-year jail sentence handed down by the courts sends a strong message that such behaviour will not be tolerated in our society.