Campaigners fighting for lower airfares for the Scottish islands will meet with the senior management of Loganair in Shetland next week.
It follows growing support for the Facebook campaign, ‘Islanders Against Flybe & Loganair’s Excessive Prices.’
Scott Preston, the Shetland resident who started the campaign, said: “We are delighted that Loganair are willing to sit down and hear what we have to say. The support that we have received from people across the globe has been phenomenal. We’re very grateful to everyone who has contacted and supported the campaign.
“Despite Loganair having originally dismissed the campaign as ‘not more than a handful of islanders’, I believe we have shown clearly that there is a strong and still growing support for what we are hoping to achieve.
“Loganair will be given every chance to put forward their side of this issue, but they must come into next week’s meeting knowing that talking to us is just the start. We will continue to press for the changes that the Isles desperately need for our lifeline air services.
“We will go into the meeting making the case for changes on the strongest possible terms.”
Mr Preston has also explained the reason for the private meeting:
“When we first spoke to Loganair we suggested a private meeting to give both sides a fair chance to get their point across without an audience.
“Our entire campaign has been good natured and we intend on continuing that as it has helped us to make a great deal of progress so far. Since reaching out to us, Loganair have been very fair and we want to reciprocate.
“We are also aware that Loganair may share some confidential commercial information at the meeting and having run a business in the past I am very sympathetic for the need for confidence.
The campaign group have also contacted the Minister for Transport and Islands, Derek Mackay MSP to arrange a meeting. Mr Preston is hopeful to hear back in the coming week:
“There are clear problems that go beyond Loganair’s responsibility on this matter. We want to sit down with Mr Mackay so help raise further awareness of this issue and to make the case for action at a governmental level.
“We set up a facility to allow our members to directly email Mr Mackay’s department to ensure that he is under no illusion about the level of feeling and have been pleased by the number of members who have sent out supportive emails.
“Ultimately, we want to see Mr Mackay call a summit and put fixing this issue at the forefront of this and the next Scottish government’s agenda.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
Loganair to meet campaigners over air fares row
16 June 2015