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- United Airlines has renewed its daily service from Newark to Glasgow, Scotland.
- Inaugural flights often include celebrations, special meals, and souvenirs for passengers.
- The company’s return to Glasgow was prompted by a recovery in market demand for travel to Scotland.
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Glasgow, Scotland – There’s always a new place to explore. Just ask Amanda van Dijk, whom I met on a United Airlines flight from Newark Liberty International Airport to Glasgow on May 8th.
This is Amanda’s eighth flight in the past two years, and while waiting to board a United Airlines flight to Glasgow for the first time since 2019, she told me that she’s officially hooked on following the airline to new places.
“It opens your eyes to places you never thought you would go,” she said as bagpipes blared in the background. (Yes, United had a bagpipe player at the Newark gate to see us off.)
Van Dijk, a project manager from Houston, stood with a group of United Airlines inauguration enthusiasts. They often run into each other while exploring new destinations on the airline, and all agreed it was a great way to decide on a destination and a fun way to collect souvenirs.
United had previously operated flights from Newark to Glasgow, but treated the return to service as an entirely new route, holding speeches and a celebration before the first flight departed.
We explain why travelers should consider following an airline to new places every chance they get, and how United Airlines decided it was time to fly to Glasgow again.
What are the characteristics of the first flight?
As an avgeek (aviation geek), an inauguration flight always feels a little special because of its uniqueness and just being able to say we did it.
It’s not a problem for airlines to usually lift suspensions to pick up passengers.
There will always be a gate celebration, additional food, memorabilia, and speeches to set the mood. Before United’s flight to Glasgow departed, there was a bagpipe performance, a ribbon cutting and speeches from executives and tourism officials. Airline representatives were also handing out keychains and pins.
Frankly, I’m sure other travelers in Terminal C weren’t as excited about the live bagpipe music, but it didn’t dampen the atmosphere at the gate.
At a time when air travel can often feel mundane, if not outright frustrating, inauguration flights can remind us of a time when every trip was a special event.
Van Dijk and his fellow travelers brought their own memorabilia to hand out, and said the inauguration felt like a bonding experience for everyone on the flight.
What was it like onboard United Airlines’ Glasgow inauguration ceremony?
United Airlines flies daily from Newark to Glasgow on its Boeing 737 Max, so in some ways it felt like intercontinental travel within the United States, timing aside.
There were no lie-flat seats for premium passengers, and the economy cabin had a standard narrow-body configuration with six seats across.
But the atmosphere on board was festive, with passengers talking to each other about the thrill of taking part in the new route. The flight attendants were also particularly friendly and a pleasure to board. So did the captain, who decided to give his wife a special welcome during the announcement.
Every seat in economy had a welcome message. In the premium cabin, each passenger was given an additional souvenir. Prizes included pajamas, a teddy bear wearing a Glasgow Airport shirt, a key chain, an aircraft trading card and several other welcome documents.
The menu is also Scottish-inspired, with regionally themed dishes such as smoked Scottish salmon appetizers and single malt Scotch reduction braised short ribs.
As a traveler, I always find overnight flights from the East Coast to Europe to be a little tough on my body clock, but this festival was worth it even with the sleep deprivation.
When we landed in Glasgow, we were greeted by a water cannon salute. As we approached the gate, two fire trucks sprayed the plane as a sign of welcome.
How United decided to offer their services to Glasgow again
Matt Stevens, United’s vice president of international network, told me that the airline’s return to Glasgow felt in some ways inevitable, even after the airline pulled its flights from the city in 2019.
“We have been serving Glasgow since before the pandemic and have been closely watching the market as demand recovers. Bringing Glasgow back into our network felt like a natural step to give our customers more choice and ways to experience Scotland,” Stephens said in an email. “We already offer more flights from the US to Scotland than any other US airline with flights to Edinburgh from our three hubs.”
Once United Airlines executives determined there was enough demand to restart the route, they needed to work with U.S. and British government representatives, tourism boards and airport operators to ensure the route’s success and attract passengers.
Stevens said United has been encouraged by booking trends since announcing the resumption of flights to Glasgow.
“Bookings for Glasgow are stable and in line with our expectations for the first season of service,” he said. “Many travelers are already taking open-jaw itineraries to and from Glasgow, then using the Edinburgh service at the end of their trip (or vice versa), as they are only an hour’s drive away, which allows United customers to see more of the country.”
In fact, demand is so strong that United has already expanded its slots on this route. Originally planned to be a daily seasonal service until September, the service will now operate daily until late October.
Mr Stevens said Glasgow was worth checking out, even if you missed the inaugural edition.
If Scotland isn’t your destination, take a look at other inaugurations that may inspire your own travels in the future. We don’t know where the airline’s updated route map will take us.
The reporter for this article received access from United Airlines. USA TODAY maintains editorial control of content.
Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY. He is based in New York and can be reached at zwichter@usatoday.com.
