Latest news with #Osowska
Scotsman
07-07-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
You're welcome to Scotland's unwelcoming landing party
Scottish Funding Council chief executive Francesca Osowska Many years ago, when I worked for the Scottish Government, I was part of a team that developed a campaign to encourage people to live and work in as well as visit Scotland. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... One of the key elements was a series of billboard posters placed at key 'points of entry', in other words, airports. We wanted people to get a good impression of our beautiful country as soon as they arrived. Today, when a visitor from overseas lands at Edinburgh airport they are more likely to be faced with chaos, filthy chaos at that. Last week, Francesca Osowska, head of the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), was so fed up with the Capital's airport that she took to social media to express her frustration. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad On arriving home from Portugal she tweeted sarcastically, 'Another top class performance by @EDI_Airport. Arrivals hall is filthy, toilets dirty & despite the Porto flight arriving before the Dubai flight, guess which bags were delivered first? Another one hour + wait for bags.' She ended her rant with the question, 'Where Scotland meets the world. What must the world think?' Her outburst was met with a chorus of agreement. 'A national embarrassment' said one. 'Filthy, industrial, uninviting, soul-less, chaotic, impersonal,' said another. And a third summed up the problem when he said, 'We're so behind the rest of world when it comes to a 'welcome''. No doubt Ms Osowska is now embarrassed by the attention her social media post attracted, and Edinburgh Airport did not mince its words in its public response to her. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A spokesman said: '…as with any business or organisation — including ones in the public sector like the Scottish Funding Council — we know we won't always get it right…The complex nature and range of partners involved in airport operations are often misunderstood.' Around 16 million people are expected to pass through Edinburgh airport this year and during the peak summer months there will be 60,000 a day. Things are bound to go wrong occasionally, but Francesca Osowska is right to highlight the terminal's shortcomings. Compared to many European airports, Edinburgh is a bit of a mess. Despite a recent extension, it still seems far too small for the number of passengers. Visitors deserve a better welcome.
Scottish Sun
03-07-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Major Scots airport slammed for being ‘filthy' and damaging country's reputation
The boss of a Scottish Government agency slammed the state of the terminal RUN AWAY Major Scots airport slammed for being 'filthy' and damaging country's reputation Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SCOTLAND'S busiest airport is so 'filthy' it risks damaging the country's reputation overseas, a top quango boss claims. Scottish Funding Council chief Francesca Osowska blasted the state of the terminal and public loos and hit out at the time it took for her luggage to be unloaded from a flight from Portugal. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Edinburgh Airport is the country's busiest, supporting 30,000 jobs and contributing £1.4bn to the economy 2 More than 50,000 people pass through the terminal every day during the summer holidays Her agency divvies out public cash for educational institutions and has been heavily involved in bailing out stricken Dundee University — with a rescue package which could eventually top £62million. Ms Osowska also took aim at the jet hub's 'where Scotland meets the world' slogan in an online rant. She said: 'Another top class performance by Edinburgh Airport. 'Arrivals hall is filthy, toilets dirty and despite the Porto flight arriving before the Dubai flight, guess which bags were delivered first? 'Another one-hour-plus wait for bags. 'What must the world think?' Edinburgh Airport is used by more than 12 million passengers every year, with routes to 150 destinations served by 34 airlines. It helps bring in £1.4bn to the nation's economy and supports nearly 30,000 jobs. During peak times, including school holidays, more than 60,000 people move through the terminal every day. French firm Vinci — which operates London Gatwick — took over the airport last year in a £1.3bn deal and has vowed to increase connections, make it more green and improve the flying experience for customers. Drunk offshore worker causes carnage on Scotland-bound easyJet flight after partner dumps him Cambridge University economics graduate Ms Osowska landed the role of chief executive with the Scottish Funding Council in January, with job listings offering a salary of up to £148,000. An Edinburgh Airport spokesman said: 'Constructive feedback is important. 'We survey more than 50,000 of our passengers every month, and those scores are overwhelmingly positive. 'But, as with any business or organisation — including ones in the public sector like the Scottish Funding Council — we know we won't always get it right. 'The complex nature and range of partners involved in airport operations are often misunderstood. 'While it's easy to share personal frustrations in 240 characters, it's not as easy to explain those intricacies. 'We're happy to engage constructively and offer clarity wherever we can.' Ms Osowska, from Cumbria, has held a number of senior public sector roles, including leading environment agency Naturescot and serving as principle private secretary to late First Minister Alex Salmond between 2007 and 2009. Holidaymakers travelling through Edinburgh Airport were left searching for bags due to a string of issues three years ago. Hundreds of missing items were held in storage at the terminal, with some waiting weeks for their cases to be returned. Baggage handling and other ground services are handled by contractors who work directly with airlines.
