A number of planes have been landing at Glasgow International Airport on short flights from Prestwick.
Over recent days, flight tracking apps have recorded a number of flights making just the 22 nautical mile journey from the Ayrshire coast to our city during the COP26 summit.
Earlier today, an aircraft believed to be Bolivia's presidential plane landed at Glasgow International at 1.05pm, having taken off from Prestwick at 12.43, just 22 minutes earlier.
According to flightradar24, in total there are five scheduled departures from Prestwick to Glasgow today, including flights operated by FirstAir (for the Bolivian Airforce), Mauritania Airways and Cyprus Airways.
The distance between both airports is just 22 nautical miles by air, while Google Maps calculates driving between the two airports should take around 45 minutes on a 32 mile journey.
Reports of the flights have understandably caused a stir on social media while world leaders and delegates meet in Glasgow in a bid to thrash out an agreed path forward for a global reduction in carbon emissions to avert a climate disaster.
One user said: "Dignitaries are arriving en masse in Glasgow by private jet for #cop26. Not only that, they are landing @ Glasgow then moving the planes to Prestwick after dropping off. The two airports are only 30 miles apart and the difference in road travel time to Glasgow City Centre is 22 mins."
Another added: "They are flying planes from Glasgow International Airport to Glasgow Prestwick Airport, a distance of 38 miles by car... What a farce."
A further comment read: "Let’s not pretend this world leaders care about climate change when they are flying from Prestwick to Glasgow."
The UK Government, responsible for COP26 air traffic scheduling, have been contacted for comment.
UPDATE: A COP26 spokesperson said: “All delegates have been encouraged to consider low-carbon travel options to attend COP26.
“The UK will be offsetting carbon emissions associated with running the event, including international travel.”
A Glasgow Prestwick Airport spokesperson said: “As one of the three airports in Scotland providing entry for COP26, Glasgow Prestwick Airport is playing a key role in supporting the transit of delegates.
"As a security precaution we are unable to share details about flights."
For all the latest on COP26 and how it's affecting Glasgow, follow our live blog here.
