Dundee to Heathrow Flights Continue

Direct flights between Dundee Airport and London Heathrow will continue for the next two years, it has been confirmed.

The route has been supported again by a Public Service Obligation (PSO), which protects routes that connect the UK, encourage economic growth and boost tourism

The new PSO is backed by UK Government, Scottish Government and Dundee City Council funding, as well as a contribution from the Tay Cities Region Deal.

Airline Loganair has been chosen by Dundee City Council to run the flights along the route.

The Department for Transport has allocated half of the PSO funding with the specific aim of enabling residents in Dundee to conveniently make round trips to London in a single day. Moreover, Heathrow Airport offers seamless connections to numerous international destinations, significantly enhancing Dundee's connectivity.

Dundee City Council Fair Work, Economic Growth and Infrastructure Convener Councillor Steven Rome said: “The move of flights from London City to Heathrow earlier this year has improved our city’s connectivity and we anticipate further growth in passenger numbers with the award of this latest PSO.

“We recognise the ongoing value that the airport provides for our city’s economy and for local businesses and people, and also by supporting local jobs. The link to and from Heathrow will also increase international passenger numbers by connecting to BA's global route network.

“The city council continues to work in partnership so that we can extend this arrangement at Dundee Airport for the benefit of the city and wider region.

Alison Henderson, CEO of Dundee & Angus Chamber of Commerce, said: “I am delighted at the continuation of this link between Dundee and London Heathrow which is very important for our city’s business, culture and tourism.    

New ATR42-600 planes add capacity to Loganair routes.

The UK’s largest regional carrier and Scotland's airline Loganair has introduced its first ATR aircraft to Glasgow Airport as part of a multi-million investment programme to upgrade and futureproof its fleet.

The ATR42-600 aircraft are larger, quieter, and more efficient than the Saab 340s planes they are replacing. They will operate on services linking Glasgow with Islay, Benbecula, Sumburgh and Donegal from July, followed by Kirkwall and Derry services from August.

The transition to new ATR aircraft on services at Glasgow heralds the ongoing replacement of the venerable Saab 340s. These have been the mainstay of Loganair’s island services since their introduction in 1999. Some Saab services will continue until the end of the summer before the airline formally bids farewell to the aircraft which have served its Scottish island services for more than 20 years.

Passengers will benefit from an improved cabin experience, including larger overhead luggage storage, four-abreast seating, and a quieter, more comfortable flight. Plus, hese bigger aircraft have Increased hold capacity which will all the carriage of pets and small cargo.

Jonathan Hinkles, CEO, Loganair, said: "This is a major milestone in Loganair’s investment plans to renew our fleet, and it futureproofs the essential air links to Scotland’s island communities which is Loganair’s privilege to serve. Investment in new equipment has been undertaken by Loganair on a purely commercial basis and without recourse to public subsidy."

It is expected that airline SAAB aircraft will operate scheduled flights for the carrier during late September or early October, although this may change depending on operational requirements.   

Loganair celebrates a month of London Heathrow operations

It is just a little over a month since Scotland's airline - which is actually one of the best UK regional carriers, launched its flights to and from London Heathrow,

The services from key regional airports, which are so often underserved by the airline industry are a significant upgrade in connectivity across the British Isles and can provide a lifeline for the business community as well as leisure passengers.

Since starting the services and the celebrations at Dundee Airport, Loganair has carried over 15,000 people from regional destinations to London's premier hub airport, many for the very first time.  This is a key ingredient in connecting the whole of the UK as well as enhancing Heathrow's attractiveness as a global hub. 

In recent times, there has also been a major enhancement to Heathrow's own connectivity to the city of London and beyond. The Elizabeth Line has made travel from west to east easier than ever, with a single train from Terminal 2 to Paddington, Oxford Street, Canary Wharf and right through to Shenfield in Essex. More than 150 million journeys have been taken across the Elizabeth line in its first year since opening on 24 May 2022, with around 600,000 journeys taking place on weekdays. Plus there is also the Heathrow Express, taking just  15 minutes to Paddington station.

Fly from the City of Derry, Isle of Man, Dundee, Sumburgh and Kirkwall to London Heathrow with Loganair. 

Flight Tickets to London | Loganair

Loganair shows off Pride plane.....

The UK's regional airline, Loganair has shown off its latest livery,  an Embraer 145 with a special Pride livery to show its support for the LGBT+ community.

Wrapped in the classic Pride colours, the jet will fly across Loganair’s route network visibly underscoring the airline’s commitment to creating an inclusive, safe and secure working environment for all its employees.

The 49-seat Embraer Regional Jet was kept under wraps in Loganair’s Glasgow hangar before its first flight in the new colours – sporting the airline’s iconic Tartan Tail alongside the rainbow flag.

Loganair says it is committed to creating a safe and secure working environment in which all staff, including those from minority backgrounds, can thrive and excel. In a recent company-wide survey in which over three-quarters of Loganair employees took part, a record 82% of respondents said that people from all backgrounds can succeed at Loganair.

The airline will also be sponsoring this year’s Northern Pride in Newcastle (22-23 July), where this year Loganair has based a second aircraft and expects to carry a record number of customers across its network of routes within the UK and to Norway from its home base in the North East.

Loganair Chief Executive Jonathan Hinkles said: “We’re firmly pinning our colours to the mast – or the fuselage in this case – as an airline that is not only open to all but as one that is a vocal advocate for equality.

Since we launched Flying’s for All, we’ve been blown away by the enthusiasm of our team to find ways to show support to each other. We’ve established that our teams already viewed Loganair as an inclusive place to work – and there’s a keen understanding of the need to imbed that in our services every day and at every level.’’

 

Loganair is Northern Pride’s official airline partner and is supporting their health and wellbeing zones with volunteer staff, which have become one of the festival’s main attractions. Thanks to Loganair’s sponsorship, these health and wellbeing zones will be spread across both days of the festival for the first time this year.

Loganair is connecting Dundee with the south and north of the UK like never before with the launch of its new London to Orkney route.

Photo by Zack Davidson on Unsplash

Loganair is connecting Dundee with the south and north of the UK like never before with the launch of its new London to Orkney route.

For the first time ever, passengers will be able to fly from Kirkwall to London City with a stop-off in Dundee thanks to a new, twice-weekly service that started earlier this month. 

The new same-flight service operates via the City of Discovery, giving passengers the option to split up their journeys in Dundee or stay on board for a seamless, unrivalled connection from either end of the country.

The three-and-a-half-hour service is ideal for those looking to explore the famous archipelago of Orkney off the north-east coast of Scotland or visit Dundee, famed for jute, jam and journalism. The tourism-boosting connection also offers business commuters a seamless route into the heart of the UK’s capital.

Fares start at £62 one way with ADS discount for Orkney-boarding passengers and are inclusive of 15kg luggage.

 

Loganair’s Chief Commercial Officer, Luke Lovegrove, said:  “Connecting Dundee with Kirkwall is a logical step for us after the success of the Sumburgh service, and we look forward to welcoming our customers on this new route from today.

After 60 years of operating from Dundee, we are still firmly committed to the city. The new route will extend on to London, providing additional opportunities for those wishing to fly from Kirkwall to London and vice versa.’’

Mark Flynn, convener of Dundee City Council’s city development committee, said:  “This announcement is a clear vote of confidence from Loganair, not only in Dundee Airport but in the city itself.

By expanding services to Kirkwall, it will be even easier for people who may not have considered coming to the city before to get here, and vice versa, opening up a previously untapped visitor base.”

Loganair and Scottish Ballet team up to bring Scotland’s national dance company to island communities with their 2023 spring tour.

Loganair and Scottish Ballet have once again teamed up, bringing Scotland’s national dance company to island communities with their 2023 spring tour.

The UK’s largest regional airline will be flying 60+ members of the touring company on scheduled flights this June as Scottish Ballet presents its acclaimed production of A Streetcar Named Desire in Kirkwall and Stornoway.

Loganair’s unique mainland-to-island routes will help balance both the business and environmental needs of Scottish Ballet’s island touring schedule with mandatory seat offsetting, allowing the company’s carbon footprint to be minimised on this extensive tour. 

Kirsten Cockburn, Director of Partnerships, Scottish Ballet, said:  “We are thrilled to be renewing our relationship with Loganair, a partnership that has been hugely beneficial to Scottish Ballet as a charity since we first worked together in 2018. The partnership enables us to share our live productions with remote communities, and  we are incredibly grateful for their support.”

 

Loganair’s GreenSkies programme was launched in July 2021 with the introduction of a mandatory carbon offsetting charge levied on all flights, while the airline also regularly invests in local, sustainable projects through our community grants scheme. 

Luke Lovegrove, Chief Commercial Officer for Loganair, said:  “Loganair’s support will allow Scottish Ballet to bring their wonderful production to audiences in some of the most remote regions of Scotland, making their tour viable and ballet more accessible.

Loganair operates from Belfast City Airport for 40 years........

Celebrations have taken place to mark the 40th anniversary of Loganair’s first flight from Belfast City Airport.

As the first airline to operate a scheduled commercial flight into Belfast City Airport in 1983, when it was known as Belfast Harbour Airport, Loganair passengers arriving on the Aberdeen flight on 30th March were welcomed with a celebratory water cannon display.

Katy Best, Commercial Director at Belfast City Airport commented:  “Loganair has had a longstanding presence at Belfast City Airport, dating back to our very first day of commercial operations in 1983, and coming together to mark this wonderful occasion has allowed us to reflect on our relationship through the years.

Throughout the past 40 years, our partnership with Loganair has gone from strength to strength and we are very pleased to offer unrivalled convenience to both business and leisure passengers wishing to travel to Aberdeen, Dundee, and Inverness.

We look forward to continuing to work with Loganair to deliver high quality service and choice for travellers long into the future.”

Luke Lovegrove, Loganair’s Chief Commercial Officer, said: “Belfast City Airport plays an important role in the history of our airline as we operated the first scheduled services into the Airport in 1983.

The aircraft operating into Belfast at that time was also built in Belfast. It’s a privilege to be part of the 40th anniversary celebrations today and we look forward to continuing our relationship with the Airport providing unrivalled domestic connectivity.”

Loganair to fly City of Derry - London route....

Government funding to enable up to 19 return flights between City of Derry Airport and London Stansted every week for another year.

A vital air route between City of Derry Airport and London Stansted has been secured until March 2024 thanks to support from the UK Department for Transport and the Department for the Economy.

The UK government has funded the air route since 2017, bolstering connections between Northern Ireland and England whilst supporting thousands of jobs and providing a significant boost to Northern Ireland’s economy.

The Aviation Minister Baroness Vere has today (31 March 2023) announced the Department for Transport will continue subsidising the route alongside the Department for the Economy in Northern Ireland, with both departments providing £1.1 million in 2023/24 to maintain the connection.

Today’s announcement will secure the future of the route for another year until 31 March 2024 and enable up to 19 return flights every week.

Aviation Minister Baroness Vere said:  "Thousands of people and businesses depend on this crucial travel link, which is why we remain committed to securing the route.

Our funding will maintain this vital connection between Derry/Londonderry and London, with 19 services operating every week for at least another year, supporting jobs, and providing a boost to Northern Ireland’s economy."

Funding has been secured using a Public Service Obligation (PSO), which allows government to protect vital air connectivity into London, with Loganair once again being selected to operate the route.

The funding of £1.1 million from the NI Department for the Economy is a ringfenced allocation from the Northern Ireland Office specifically for this City of Derry Airport PSO and which cannot be used in any other DfE policy area.

The UK government recognises the importance of maintaining a thriving and competitive aviation sector in the UK to deliver union connectivity, while supporting our levelling up agenda.

Regional airports serve our local communities, by supporting thousands of jobs in the regions and acting as a gateway to international opportunities, alongside maintaining social and family ties and strengthening the bonds across the UK.

Welcoming the announcement, Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District, Councillor Sandra Duffy, said:  "This is extremely positive news and I am pleased to see this further commitment to promoting regional connectivity which will be widely welcomed, particularly by the local business community.

Regular, reliable services to London are critical to the North West economy in terms of both business and leisure, and a key component of our strategic plans to make this region more appealing and accessible for international investors."

From 1 April 2023, a new domestic band will apply to flights between airports in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, cutting Air Passenger Duty by 50% to bolster UK connectivity and ensure passengers have access to more affordable flights.

Loganair job oppotunities....

UK Regional airline Loganair is looking for a number of staff in Scotland, at various locations including Sumburgh, Inverness, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Kirkwall. 

From cabin crew to customer service agent roles, there are many opportunities,  for more info visit Loganair's careers pages. 

Some of the jobs on offer.....

Ramp Agents & Customer Service Agents - Sumburgh Airport

Licensed Aircraft Engineers – Inverness and Edinburgh Airport

Storekeeper, Stores Department - Aberdeen Airport

Operations Control Centre (OCC) Assistant - Glasgow Head Office

Customer Service Agent - Kirkwall Airport (F/T)

Senior Purchasing Specialist – Glasgow Head Office

Aviation Auditor – Glasgow Head Office

Technical Services Engineer (Technical Representative) – Worldwide

Busy year ahead for Loganair at Aberdeen......

As part of its Summer 2023 programme, the UK's leading regional airline Loganair has added an extra flight on its services to Manchester and Esbjerg from Aberdeen, while it has increased capacity across its Dublin and Birmingham routes – ensuring additional connectivity from its Aberdeen base with a 30% increase in seat capacity.

Up from its current three return services per day to Manchester, the airline has expanded its offering on the route and has added a fourth daily service. The additional service will depart Aberdeen at 10:30 arriving in Manchester at 11:45 before returning to Scotland at 12:20 for a 13:30 arrival. 

For those in Aberdeen, the additional flight times will facilitate better connectivity via Manchester Airport to destinations around the world thanks to Loganair’s interline and codeshare partners; including United Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines.

For customers headed north from Manchester, the enhanced schedule is likely to be welcome news by those working in the energy sector; many of whom travel to Aberdeen to meet numerous helicopter flights that connect the North-east of Scotland to offshore platforms across the North Sea.  

The additional direct service between the two cities has a flight time of one hour and 15 minutes and is operated on an Embraer 145 jet, with fares starting from £76 one-way.   

Likewise, Loganair has added an additional service to Esbjerg from Aberdeen next summer following an increase in bookings in 2022. Up from five flights per week, Monday through Friday, the airline has added a Sunday service on the well performing international route, particularly popular among the oil and gas sector. The service will depart Aberdeen at 13.45, arriving in Esbjerg at 16:15, before the return flight takes off at 16:45 and landing back in Aberdeen at 17:15, giving customers more flexibility over weekend bookings. Fares start at £91 one-way.

Loganair ramps up Manchester – Aberdeen service

Loganair E145.  Photo Loganair

Loganair, the UK’s largest regional airline, has confirmed an expansion on its service between Manchester and Aberdeen as it responds to growing demand.

Up from its current three return services per day to Aberdeen, the airline has expanded its offering on the route and has added a fourth daily service. The additional service will depart Manchester at 12:20 arriving in Aberdeen at 13:30, with an earlier 10.30 departure from Aberdeen for those travelling from Scotland.

For customers headed north from Manchester, the enhanced schedule is likely to be welcome news by those working in the energy sector; many of whom travel to Aberdeen to meet numerous helicopter flights that connect the North-east of Scotland to offshore platforms across the North Sea.

For those in Aberdeen, the additional flight times will facilitate better connectivity via Manchester Airport to destinations around the world thanks to Loganair’s interline and codeshare partners; including United Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines.

The additional direct service between the two cities has a flight time of one hour and 15 minutes and is operated on an Embraer 145 jet, with fares starting from £76 one-way.

Luke Lovegrove, chief commercial officer at Loganair said: “We are thrilled to expand our offering across our service from Manchester to Aberdeen as we respond to growing demand.

Loganair widens its reach with a further £30,000 for local renewable energy projects....

The UK’s largest regional airline, Loganair, has announced that it will award a further £30,000 to organisations across the UK and Northern Ireland in support of local renewable energy projects as part of its Greenskies Community Fund.

Photo Loganair

As part of the airline's journey to net-zero by 2040, earlier this year, the airline distributed £5,000 grants to six companies across Scotland, supporting them to establish projects such as small-scale wind systems, solar panels, small-scale hydro power, and charging point stations for electric vehicles.

Building on the success of the first round of funding, the airline now hopes to support more projects with further grants. Applications for round two of the Community Fund scheme are now invited and the airline has extended the eligibility to organisations in other parts of the country as it builds on its commitment to serving regions across the UK and Northern Ireland.

Scottish organisations will see a further £10,000 of funding, surplus to the £30,000 already awarded earlier this year. Additionally, £20,000 is also being made available to support renewable energy projects in some of Loganair’s wider areas of operation including Southampton, Newcastle, Isle of Man and the City of Derry.

Luke Lovegrove, Chief Commercial Officer at Loganair, said:   “Following the distribution of the GreenSkies grants earlier this year, we have seen fantastic progress amongst the projects that received funding.

As we continue to drive forward our GreenSkies programme to offset carbon emissions and develop future flight technologies, we also want to encourage and support like-minded organisations in communities we serve, in our shared aim for a greener future

We are thrilled that we have been able to support the efforts of organisations across Scotland and can now take this a step further with additional money that helps those across other parts  of the country as they also tackle carbon emissions.”

Among previous successful applicants was Eday Community Enterprises, a community-owned shop on one of Orkney’s smaller islands, Eday. The Shop has used its Greenskies Community grant to purchase energy-efficient freezers.

UK’s largest regional airline, Loganair widens its reach with a further £30,000 for local renewable energy projects plus massive summer sale ends tonight

The UK’s largest regional airline, Loganair, has announced that it will award a further £30,000 to organisations across the UK and Northern Ireland in support of local renewable energy projects as part of its Greenskies Community Fund.

Photo Loganair

As part of the airline's journey to net-zero by 2040, earlier this year, the airline distributed £5,000 grants to six companies across Scotland, supporting them to establish projects such as small-scale wind systems, solar panels, small-scale hydro power, and charging point stations for electric vehicles.

Building on the success of the first round of funding, the airline now hopes to support more projects with further grants. Applications for round two of the Community Fund scheme are now invited and the airline has extended the eligibility to organisations in other parts of the country as it builds on its commitment to serving regions across the UK and Northern Ireland.

Scottish organisations will see a further £10,000 of funding, surplus to the £30,000 already awarded earlier this year. Additionally, £20,000 is also being made available to support renewable energy projects in some of Loganair’s wider areas of operation including Southampton, Newcastle, Isle of Man and the City of Derry.

Luke Lovegrove, Chief Commercial Officer at Loganair, said:   “Following the distribution of the GreenSkies grants earlier this year, we have seen fantastic progress amongst the projects that received funding.

As we continue to drive forward our GreenSkies programme to offset carbon emissions and develop future flight technologies, we also want to encourage and support like-minded organisations in communities we serve, in our shared aim for a greener future

We are thrilled that we have been able to support the efforts of organisations across Scotland and can now take this a step further with additional money that helps those across other parts  of the country as they also tackle carbon emissions.”

Among previous successful applicants was Eday Community Enterprises, a community-owned shop on one of Orkney’s smaller islands, Eday. The Shop has used its Greenskies Community grant to purchase energy-efficient freezers.

Loganair starts Aberdeen - Oslo route

UK regional airline, Loganair, is introducing six flights per week to Oslo Gardermoen Airport from Aberdeen.  The services will operate Sunday-Friday, on a 49-seat Embraer 145 Regional Jet aircraft.

The flights depart Aberdeen at 08:30, and arrive in Oslo at 11:05 local time and the return departs Oslo at 11:40 local time and landing back in Aberdeen at 12:20 during the week. Whilst the Sunday flights leave five hours later at 13:30, with the return departing Oslo at 16:40. 

Luke Lovegrove, Chief Commercial Officer, Beverley Law, Cabin Crew and Jordan Cameron, First Officer  Photo Loganair

Norway is also the ideal location for an autumn or winter city break. Oslo has countless places to explore from art to architecture to its gripping history. Scottish guests can get acquainted with the vibrant nightlife of Oslo, with five-star restaurants and nightclubs, or can choose to immerse themselves in culture by visiting The beautiful Oslo Opera House.

The route from Aberdeen to Oslo is Loganair’s latest international Norwegian connection this year, following the revival of flights from Edinburgh to Bergen and Stavanger in June following the pandemic. 

Luke Lovegrove, Chief Operating Officer at Loganair, said: “We're delighted to restore the important Aberdeen-Oslo route today. We know it's been hugely missed by the business community and are confident it will support growth and strengthen ties between the North-East of Scotland and Norway."

Mark Beveridge, operations director at Aberdeen International Airport, said: “We are delighted Loganair has launched this year-round Oslo route, and it was great to see the first aircraft take off from our airport.

“Loganair is a valued airline partner, and we warmly welcome this route giving our passengers a chance to visit the Norwegian Capital and allow visitors to see what our region has to offer.”

Loganair dropping Newquay routes

Loganair dropping routes from Cornwall Airport Newquay 

Loganair, one of the leading European and the UK’s largest regional airline has announced that it will suspend operations at Cornwall Airport Newquay this winter.

Daily services to Manchester and onwards to Aberdeen, together with non-stop flights to Edinburgh and Newcastle, will be completely suspended between November 2022 and March 2023.   In all, almost 300 flights scheduled to Newquay over the coming winter season have been withdrawn from the airline’s schedule.

In a further blow to Cornwall’s connectivity, summer routes linking Newquay with Teesside and onwards to Inverness will not return in 2023, and planned growth on other routes is to be redirected to other UK airports.

A spokesperson for Loganair said:  “It’s with a heavy heart that we’ve taken the decision to withdraw our entire winter Newquay programme and to curtail our Summer 2023 plans too. Despite all of the challenges that the pandemic has delivered, we’ve worked incredibly hard over the last two years to build up our presence at Cornwall Airport Newquay. We’re most disappointed that short-sighted and short-term decisions by the airport’s management to incentivise unsustainable operations by other airlines leave no prospect of winter flights remaining viable, particularly against a backdrop of high fuel prices and rising inflation.

In the meantime, we’ll be directing our efforts towards other UK regional airports such as Southampton, Exeter and Cardiff, where airport managements recognise and appreciate the enormous value that year-round, sustainable regional air services can bring to their communities and local economies.”

Cornwal airport has decided to incentivise a new air service which directly competes with a route that Cornwall Council, the airport's owners, currently subsidises another airline to operate under a Public Service Obligation scheme.  

A spokesperson for Cornwall Airport Newquay told us,  "We are disappointed that Loganair have made the decision to cancel their flights to Manchester and Edinburgh this winter but would like to reassure our passengers that a daily service to Manchester is still available with flybe and we look forward to welcoming Loganair back on both routes in the spring.

As an airport we are committed to serving the people and economy of Cornwall and this is what drives the commercial decisions we make as an airport. We are delighted that we now have more airlines operating from the airport than before the pandemic, offering destination and airline choice to suit every traveller.

London and Manchester have historically made up over 50% of the passenger volumes to and from Cornwall Airport Newquay and we are delighted to now be able to offer the choice of up to three flights a day to both Heathrow (flybe, commences 30 October and British Airways) and Gatwick (Eastern Airways), with three airlines operating services to Manchester (Loganair, flybe and easyJet), helping to build back not only the capacity needed on these routes but also offering choice and flexibility to our passengers."

Eastern Airways

• London Gatwick (up to three times daily, year-round)
• Humberside (twice weekly, summer seasonal)

 

Aer Lingus Regional (operated by Emerald Airlines)

• Dublin (four times weekly, year-round)

 

Ryanair

• Alicante (twice weekly, year-round)
• Faro (twice weekly, summer seasonal)

 

Flybe

• London Heathrow (twice daily, year-round)
• Manchester (daily, year-round)

 

Loganair

• Manchester (daily, summer seasonal)
• Edinburgh (up to five times weekly, summer seasonal)

 

easyJet

• Manchester (up to five times weekly, summer seasonal)
• Glasgow (twice weekly, summer seasonal)

 

Eurowings

• Dusseldorf (weekly, summer seasonal)

 

Edelweiss

• Zurich (weekly, summer seasonal)

 

British Airways

• London Heathrow (three times weekly, summer seasonal)

 

Skybus

• Isles of Scilly (three times weekly, summer seasonal)

 

Further new routes for next summer are likely to be announced in the coming months.

Loganair comes to the rescue - A real lifeline !

Photo Loganair

The regional airline Loganair is often considered a lifeline by some of its passengers,  especially those in somewhat isolated locations like Barra and other locations in the Scottish highlands and islands.  However,  as the airline's CEO, Jonathan Hinkles explains, last Friday one Loganair were literally just that,

"Taking off from Barra, our Twin Otter crew of flight LM452 to Glasgow were alerted to reports of a sea kayaker in distress. The kayaker had been blown far out to sea and was disorientated, but reported seeing the Twin Otter landing at Barra a short time earlier.

Our pilots thus "re-traced their steps" after take-off, flying the reciprocal bearings of the procedure they'd followed to land at Barra - and sure enough, soon spotted the kayaker waving vigorously. The location coordinates were passed on via the Barra Flight Information Service and our Twin Otter took up station flying orbits overhead to guide the Barra lifeboat and Coastguard to effect the kayaker's rescue, before then setting course as normal for Glasgow.

"Lifeline" can be a much-used term, but in this case, I think it's warranted. A big thank-you to our pilots and to all those involved for a great display of teamwork."

Well done to all the team at Loganair...

Other news:

Air101: Loganair - also a charter airline....

Air101: Loganair Edinburgh - Derry service takes to the skies

Air101: Loganair restarts services to Norway.....

Air101: New connections for Shetland.......

Air101: Loganair axing routes from Teesside as increasing fuel prices and high fees at Heathrow begin to bite....

Loganair Edinburgh - Derry service takes to the skies

There were ‘bonnie’ celebrations aplenty at City of Derry Airport yesterday,  Tuesday 17th May for the launch of Loganair’s inaugural service to Edinburgh! The new service will bring welcome connectivity for the North West for leisure breaks, visiting family and friends, and a business link with the Scottish capital.

The Airport welcomed the inaugural Edinburgh passengers with some special Scottish themed hospitality, giveaways, musical entertainment and decorations to mark the wonderful occasion.

Loganair also welcomed some key stakeholders and corporate partners from across the North West on board for the inaugural departure, outlining the fast, friendly and convenient airport and airline experience guaranteed for anyone travelling on the new service. Corporate guests included Londonderry Chamber of Commerce, Foyle Hospice, Derry City Football Club and Donegal Daily.

Steve Frazer, Managing Director at City of Derry Airport, commented: “A direct connection to Edinburgh has been greatly missed in recent months, particularly for those regularly commuting to study or work, or visit family and friends, and we are delighted that Loganair has taken to the skies to provide this much-needed service.

“The 55-minute direct connection to Edinburgh is now available three days per week on a Tuesday, Friday and Sunday, with increased frequency during the peak summer months when additional flights will be available on a Thursday and Saturday.

Mr Frazer added: “Edinburgh is an amazing destination and has something to offer for everyone on a leisure break – history and culture, family fun, unique food and drink experiences, nightlife – the options are endless! And of course, Edinburgh is a key UK business hub providing essential corporate connectivity for the North West region.”

 Kay Ryan, chief commercial officer at Loganair, said: “We are committed to providing the City of Derry Airport with UK wide connectivity and we are thrilled to bring this new route to Edinburgh, building on our already established services across our network from Northern Ireland.

“The route is likely to be popular for leisure passengers visiting the wide range of cultural and historic sites of the Scottish capital, in addition to the hospitality and retail offerings, while students and business travellers can benefit from the new quick connection three days per week. We look forward to welcoming passengers from the City of Derry Airport onboard this new service.”

Colin Gracey, Sales Manager with Loganair and Steve Frazer, Managing Director, City of Derry Airport pictured at the launch of the airlines new route to Edinburgh.

The all-inclusive fares start from £53.99pp one way with 15kg checked-in luggage and in-flight refreshments included as standard with Loganair.

There are additional perks to avail of when travelling with Loganair; families can enjoy 33% discount on Loganair fares for children aged 2-11 (under two’s fly for free), and those planning a group getaway can benefit from flexible fares on booking/itinerary changes and payment.

Corporate travellers can sign up to ‘Clan Loganair’, the airline’s rewards programme for regular passengers where you can build up points and redeem towards a free flight of choice. Those travelling for business can also make use of ‘FlyFlex’, where you can jump on an earlier flight available on the same date planned (provided seats are available) and ‘FlexProtect’ where refunds are guaranteed without change fees should government travel requirements change.

Aidan O’Kane, Londonderry Chamber President, added: “I was thrilled to fly to Edinburgh today as part of Loganair’s inaugural service to the Scottish capital. From tourism to trade, this new route will be a huge boost to the North West economy, strengthening our regional links across the Irish Sea. The City of Derry Airport continues to grow, and political leadership is required to ensure that we can keep adding these exciting links across the UK and Ireland. I look forward to seeing this new route take hold and would like to congratulate Loganair and the Airport for their excellent work launching it today.”

Hotel 101: Soho House Copenhagen set to open in July....

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Loganair - also a charter airline....

The UK's regional airline Loganair not only provides one of the UK's biggest regional route networks, but it also offers bespoke charter service.  The carrier has a fleet of high-quality aircraft available to charter as private aircraft with up to 50 seats, which are, ideally suited to regional flying within 4 hours flying time. 

A dedicated Air Charter Manager for the most personal service from enquiry to delivery will be assigned to charters and a nice variety of aircraft could be a great option for groups of friends and family or small groups travelling for special occasions. 

Photo Liverpool John Lennon Airport

Seen earlier today, three Loganair jets at Liverpool airport, providing charter flights. One transporting Warrington Wolves to France to play Catalans Dragons, the other two were taking Liverpool FC friends and family down to London for the FA Cup final.

The Loganair Fleet

Saab 340

  

Crew: 2 pilots 1 cabin crew

Capacity: 33/34

Seat pitch: 30in

Range: 919mi 1480km

Cruise speed: 299mph 481km/h

Twin Otter

  

Crew: 2 pilots 0 cabin crew

Capacity: 19

Seat pitch: 30in

Range:540mi 869km

Cruise speed: 172mph 278km/h

Britten Norman Islander

  

Crew: 1 pilot 0 cabin crew

Capacity: 8/9

Seat Pitch: 28in

Range: 869mi 1400km

Cruise speed: 159mph 257km/h

ATR 42-500

  

Crew: 2 pilots 1 cabin crew

Capacity: 48

Seat pitch: 30in

Range: 825mi 1326km

Cruise speed: 350mph 563km/h

ATR 72-600

Photo Loganair

  

Crew: 2 pilots 2 cabin crew

Capacity: 70

Seat pitch: 30in

Range: 950mi 1528km

Cruise speed: 340mph 547km/h

Embraer 135

  

Crew: 2 pilots 1/2 Cabin crew

Capacity: 37

Seat pitch: 31in

Range: 1750mi 2816km

Cruise speed: 520mph 836km/h

Photo Loganair

Embraer 145

  

Crew: 2 pilots 1/2 Cabin crew

Capacity: 49

Seat pitch: 31in

Range: 1439mi 2315.8km

Cruise speed: 520mph 836km/h

Loganair restarts services to Norway.....

Today marks the long-awaited return of direct flights from Edinburgh to Bergen and Stavanger, as Loganair revives the popular services, reconnecting Scots with Norway.

The two direct services from Edinburgh to Stavanger and Bergen have been relaunched for the first time since the pandemic, and they also mark the airline’s first international routes from Edinburgh Airport since 2019, and the first international route launches in the airline's 60th anniversary year.

The routes will see three flights per week reinstated to each destination. Flights to Stavanger take off Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Flights to Bergen take off Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Additional flights from Aberdeen to Oslo Gardermoen will also commence in September to further strengthen connectivity between the countries.

Customers in Scotland that wish to venture further and explore Northern Norway will have the opportunity to connect easily via Loganair’s codeshare partnership with Norwegian regional airline, Widerøe. Flights to these destinations can also be booked at Loganair.co.uk.

Upon visiting Stavanger and Bergen, you will find much more than just breath-taking Fjords, but an unforgettable experience. Bergen, Norway’s second-largest city, is an incredible hub for both culture and history, with a vibrant nightlife, juxtaposed with contemporary art museums, such as the KODE. Similarly, Stavanger is full of colourful homes on colourful streets, white sandy beaches, and is home to some of Norway’s top restaurants. Not unlike Edinburgh, Bergen and Stavanger’s dynamic central and urban culture makes the perfect getaway.