Renfrewshire Council will ask the owners of Glasgow Airport whether they would consider a name change, after councillors debated whether the airport should more clearly reflect its location in Renfrewshire.
The proposal arose at a full council meeting on Thursday 24th September 2026, during a motion marking the airport’s 60th anniversary. The original motion, brought by Councillor Janis McDonald and seconded by Councillor Graeme Clark, recognised the airport’s contribution to jobs, tourism and the local economy. It did not propose changing its name.
Independent councillor Andy Doig proposed adding a public consultation on renaming Glasgow International Airport. Under his proposal, if a majority supported a clear new name, the council would write to airport operator AGS Airports asking it to make the change.
Cllr Doig said the airport was a gateway to Renfrewshire and argued that the council should take a lead, with the public invited to put forward ideas.
“My personal choice would be the Gerry Rafferty International Airport,” he told councillors.
Council leader Iain Nicolson agreed that the idea could be examined, but proposed approaching the airport owners before considering any wider consultation.
“It is a valid issue to explore further,” he said. He warned that launching a public consultation without first speaking to the owners could damage the chances of a discussion with them. He also questioned who would be consulted, how the process would work and what it might cost.
Cllr Nicolson recalled an earlier suggestion to name the airport after William Wallace, illustrating how many different names might be put forward.
Other councillors raised the cost of consultation and rebranding. One warned that Glasgow Airport competes with airports in Manchester and Edinburgh, whose names tell international travellers where they are going. Councillors also used the anniversary debate to raise airport drop-off charges and transport links.
Summing up, Cllr McDonald said she had been wary of adding a name-change proposal to her motion because the airport was a major employer and the council needed to maintain a good relationship with it. She said any change would need a strong business case and accepted Cllr Nicolson’s approach.
Cllr Doig withdrew his public consultation proposal, saying Cllr Nicolson’s addition offered a clearer way forward. The council agreed to consult initially with the airport owners and bring the issue back to the relevant board for further discussion.
No new name was chosen, no public consultation was agreed and there was no recorded vote.