► Loganair promises improvements within weeks
One of Loganair’s top bosses received a first hand experience of his airline’s poor punctuality after being hit by a delayed flight last night.
Maurice Boyle (above), the company’s operations director, faced being stuck in Stornoway
airport immediately after pledging to Western Isles Council the troubled airline’s
year-
Loganair chief hit by flight delay
9 February 2016
His 6.35pm departure to Edinburgh was originally delayed for three hours after the plane suffered a technical problem. It landed at its mainland destination around 9.30pm.
For regular passengers it was just another day of frustrating travel disruptions.
The afternoon Inverness flight was cancelled in both directions. Then, passengers were told the next service to the Highland capital was delayed indefinitely. It eventually arrived hours late.
Often the blameless airport check-
Many delayed travellers waiting at Stornoway airport last night were keen to have a word with Mr Boyle but he apparently took off on the Glasgow flight instead.
Earlier, he pledged significant improvements are being made to resolve the airline's reliability and punctuality problems.
It includes undertaking a £15 million investment in introducing new planes, upgrading and refurbishing its fleet of Saab 340s, and opening spare parts hub at Glasgow Airport.
Engineering issues stemming from a lack of personnel resulted planes suffered recurring faults or returning from the hanger "unserviceable," according to pilots' union Balpa.
Loganair said a number of experienced employees left or retired at the same time.
The firm is making progress in training their replacements to work with the different and specialised aircraft which fly on Loganair routes.
The company previously conceded its record on Western Isles and Northern Isles flights was “unacceptable.”
► Loganair promises improvements within weeks
