Loganair and Flybe launch routes and increase frequencies

Loganair has announced a major expansion of its operating network with the launch of three new routes and increased frequency on key routes within Scotland.

In a joint announcement with its franchise partner Flybe, Scotland’s airline has unveiled a new route from Aberdeen to Cardiff which will start on 19 April and new direct routes across the Irish Sea from 3 May from the Isle of Man to both Belfast and Blackpool.

Additional flights will also be added to existing routes, including Inverness to Stornoway, Edinburgh to Sumburgh, Glasgow to Benbecula and Glasgow to the Isle of Man.

David Harrison, chief executive of Loganair, commented, “We are delighted to announce a significant expansion in our operating network with new routes, additional services and improved departure times between some of our most popular Scottish destinations. We are hopeful that events such as Homecoming Scotland will lead to an increase in domestic travel, and we’ll be doing our best to encourage this by offering more low fare flights. The new schedule which we’re announcing today provides additional connections that can only be good news for Scottish leisure and business travellers alike

“At Loganair we are constantly seeking to improve our service and, with Flybe, today’s announcement is another step towards ensuring our passengers get the quality service they have come to expect from Scotland’s airline at a competitive price.”

Improved scheduling on the route linking Edinburgh and Inverness will make a business day return possible for the first time, while an enhanced Inverness to Stornoway timetable will now offer four return flights each weekday.

In addition, the Edinburgh to Sumburgh route will be expanded to three return daily flights on Monday, Wednesday and Friday over the summer months and the Glasgow to Benbecula service will increase to three return flights a day on Mondays and Fridays from June until September.

Commenting on the Cardiff to Aberdeen service, Steve Hodgetts, director of business development at Cardiff International Airport, said, “We welcome Loganair to Cardiff and look forward to the start of the Aberdeen service, which has proved to be a highly desired destination from Cardiff. We’d like to thank all those business travellers who completed our ‘You Would If You Could’ travel survey last year as the evidence showing Aberdeen as the most travelled-to destination not served from the [Welsh] capital helped convince Loganair to launch this new service.

“I would urge more business travellers to visit www.youwouldifyoucould.co.uk and complete the two minute survey, which could help substantially reduce journey time to other destinations in the future and also open the region to a number of new business opportunities.”