CLINTON OR TRUMP
We are approaching a very important date - 8th November is the day that the American public decide who is going to be the next President of the United States of America. You might think that it is none of your concern, but it would be crazy to think that you won't be affected in some way by the person who is in charge of the biggest and most powerful economy in the world. This can affect the direction of everything, from the strength of the currency to trade deals, and let's not forget - who has their finger on the little red button.
This has probably been the most contentious and bitterly fought election campaign in American history - with the focus more on personality defects than political policy. But despite all the allegations and the indications from the polls, I wouldn't rule out the possibility of a Trump victory. If recent history has taught us anything - it is that polls can be very wrong sometimes. Throw in the fact that Trump has got much of the Evangelical vote/endorsement into the mix - and I really feel that anything is possible. As they say, a week is a long time in politics!
I'm not going to go into those allegations or character assassinations (on both sides), I'm more interested in the short and long term effects that their appointment will have on the travel business and the economy in general.
In the short term it is agreed that a Clinton win will probably result in a strengthening of the US Dollar - something that won't exactly help our already beleaguered Pound Sterling. Conversely a Trump win would mean a weakening of the Dollar. Unfortunately, a Trump win would also probably result in a lot of uncertainty, because if he actually does half the things that he has said that he will do during his campaigning - the result could be absolute mayhem!
So in the short or long term, it's a bit of a Catch 22 for us here in Britain. The American public have a tough choice to make and it's important because it will affect much more than just the USA. After our Brexit shock and subsequent fallout, I'm going to come off the fence and wish for more stability and certainty - it's definitely what we need right now!
STOP PRESS
The UK Government has just announced that expansion of Heathrow has been approved.
Currently we are not sure what shape that expansion will take - a new 3rd runway or a runway extension, but the decision is well overdue and we welcome the news. This has been needed for a long time and has hampered the growth of the aviation business in the South East of England for many years. Connectivity to Britain's largest airport and the largest selection of onward flights is crucial for Scotland's economy.