A Brief History of the GACC
The Glasgow Airport Consultative Committee has a long and distinguished history. It was formed in 1975 following the sale of the airport by Glasgow City Council to British Airports Authority (BAA).
David Wardley was appointed as the GACC’s first chairman at this time. In 1979 Jack Richmond was named chairman and led the consultative committee until his well-earned retirement in January 2018 when David Flint then took over as Chairman.
The GACC leadership meets annually with the leadership of other consultative committees from airports across the UK to consider and discuss industry-wide issues.
About the GACC
The Glasgow Airport Consultative Committee provides a regular forum for the management of the airport to discuss matters related to its operation and explain future developments.
Every major commercial airport in the UK is required under civil aviation law to have a recognised means of consultation with the communities affected by their operations.
Our membership and interests have changed over the years and our agendas have become more complex and varied to reflect developments in the aviation industry and the continued growth of the airport.
While the consultative committee has no executive powers within the airport management structure, it works with the management of the airport in an advisory and consultative capacity, providing a forum for discussion on a wide range of issues and representation of the views of its stakeholders. This has resulted over the years in improvements being made in proposals from the management to the benefit of all users of the airport.
These range from the impact of noise arising from operations on the airfield to the role of the airport in the economic development of the region. Current issues include the proposed airspace review - on which the GACC has been consulted several times in relation to the process and reasoning - and passenger surface access to and from the airport. The GACC is always keen to hear from interested individuals and organisations in relation to other matters where the consultative committee could play a role.
The GACC meets four times each year usually in January, April, July and October. Membership includes representation from the local authorities that fall under the airport’s flightpath, Scottish travel trade associations, chambers of commerce and passenger interest groups.
Current GACC Leadership
Each UK consultative committee is led by an independent chair. The GACC’s current chair is Professor David Flint, Commercial Law Adviser at Scottish law firm Inksters, and a former Visiting Professor of Law at Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska.
The Vice Chair is currently Donald Grant. Donald is a Chartered engineer and former Director in Estates at the Houses of Parliament. He was also a Trustee and Deputy Chair of the Consumers’ Association Which?, and is currently Head of Estates at the Royal Academy of Arts.
List of Committee Members
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Alan Reid
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AOC Chairman
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Alexander Grant
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Passenger representative
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Brian McClean
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Corporate Affairs Director
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Bryan McLaren
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Police Scotland
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Calum Smith
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East Dunbartonshire Council
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Carol Davidson
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PA to the MD Glasgow Airport
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Cathy McEwan
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Renfrewshire Council
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Christopher Tibbett
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Group Head of Airline Relations and Marketing
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Clare Steel
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West Dunbartonshire Council
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Colin Houston
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GM NATS
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David Flint
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Chairman
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David Wilson
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Inverclyde Council
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Donald Grant
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Vice Chairman
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Gavin Newlands
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Head of Corporate affairs
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Gavin Williams
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Managing Director Operations
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Graeme Brooks
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Inverclyde
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Graham Archibald Hardie
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Argyll & Bute Council
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Ian Wilson
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Airside Safety and Standards Manager
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Jennifer Stewart
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Secretary
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Jim McNally
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SPT representative
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John Barr
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SPAA
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Julie Thomas
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Internal Communications Manager
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Kenny Welsh
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Head of Security
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Maurice Corry
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Passenger Representative
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Nicole Irvine
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Retail Account Manager
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Roddie MacPhee
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ABTA
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Stephen Dornan
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Chairman SPT and Glasgow City Council representative
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Tracey McCartney
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Terminal Manager
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William Goldie
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North Lanarkshire Council
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Meeting Dates for 2025
Monday 26 January 2026
Monday 27 April 2026
Monday 24 August 2026
Monday 26 October 2026
Meeting Minutes
184th Consultative Committee Meeting Minutes 19th April 2021
185th Consultative Committee Meeting Minutes 19th July 2021
186th Consultative Committee Meeting Minutes 18th October 2021
187th Consultative Committee Meeting Minutes 24th January 2022
188th Consultative Committee Meeting Minutes 25th April 2022
189th Consultative Committee Meeting Minutes 18th July 2022
190th Consultative Committee Meeting Minutes 24th October 2022
191st Consultative Committee Meeting Minutes 23rd January 2023
192nd Consultative Committee Meeting Minutes 24th April 2023
193rd Consultative Committee Meeting Minutes 24th July 2023
194th Consultative Committee Meeting Minutes 23rd October 2023
195th Consultative Committee Meeting Minutes 22nd January 2024
196th Consultative Committee Meeting Minutes 22nd January 2024
197th Consultative Committee Meeting Minutes 22nd January 2024
198th Consultative Committee Meeting Minutes 21st October 2024
199th Consultative Committee Meeting Minutes 27th January 2025
200th Consultative Committee Meeting Minutes 28th April 2025
201st Consultative Committee Meeting Minutes 25th August 2025