Prestwick Airport 'get serious' warning as private ownership idea floated

dailyrecord.co.uk:

The Scottish Government has been urged to ‘get serious’ about returning Prestwick Airport to private ownership.The call comes from South Scotland Conservative List MSP, Brian Whittle, who’s voiced concerns about the amount of public money being pumped into supporting the air transport hub.His call comes in the wake of recent comments from Scotland’s Auditor General, Stephen Boyle, suggesting Prestwick Airport would continue to require millions in public funding while it remained in public ownership.Since the airport was bought by the Scottish Government in 2013, it has received more than £43 million in loans.And around £31 million of that has been written off, prompting concerns from fellow Tory- Scottish Conservative shadow transport minister, Graham Simpson- over the ‘colossal sums’ of public cash going into support the airport.The airport has begun to make a profit in recent years, but Mr Whittle reckons it’s impossible for Prestwick to flourish without more investment than the Scottish Government can offer.Speaking at Holyrood, the Scottish Conservative MSP said: “Preventing Prestwick’s closure in 2013 was the right decision by the Scottish Government, but it was never a credible long-term solution for the airport.The Ayrshire Live app is available to download now.Get all the local news in your area – plus features, football news and the latest on the coronavirus crisis – at your fingertips 24/7.The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories while you can customise your page with the sections that matter to you.The Ayrshire Live app is available to download now on iOS and Android.“Now, a decade later, it’s time for the Scottish Government to get serious about selling the airport and unlock