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Loganair has pledged dramatic improvements in its plane services will be seen within weeks.

 

The company previously conceded its reliability record on Western Isles and Northern Isles flights was “unacceptable.”

 

Loganair’s operations director Maurice Boyle stressed he was “very confident” the company would resolve a raft of issues and get planes running on time again.

 

Last minute cancelled flights, travel delays and broken planes has plagued the airline and passengers for well over the past year.

 

But 2016 “will be a better year” for Loganair, believes Mr Boyle.

 

More flights will be running to schedule by the end of March, with the company aiming to have fully implemented 82 initiatives which it calls “work lines” in structured programme of improvements.

 

In October, Loganair pilots slammed the lack of engineering cover for the planes which serve the Western Isles and other Scottish islands.

 

The British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa) expressed concerns over issues in its engineering department, saying insufficient personnel meant the remaining engineers struggling to cope with the workload.

 

It claimed planes suffered recurring faults or were returned from the hanger "unserviceable."

 

Loganair told the Comhairle it is working through its “Project Optima” programme of initiatives with the goal of improving punctuality.

 

This involves “a complete review of the company’s operation to ensure that all links in the chain are robust and fit for purpose.”

 

Each factor is being “scrutinised to ensure they are not adversely impacting punctuality.”

 

The pledge of visible improvements soon was given by Loganair’s operations director Maurice Boyle in Stornoway today.

 

It followed a face-to-face meeting with representatives of Western Isles Council.

 

Mr Boyle stressed he was “very confident” the company would resolve the issues.

 

He added: “Actually, I wouldn’t be here today if I didn’t think we would be confident in restoring the operational performance of the airline.”

 

Mr Boyle said:“We were invited up by the council to update them on Loganair’s performance last year and on plans on how we are going to improve our performance

 

“We have Project Optima in place which is to improve our technical reliability and our on-time performance.

 

“We are working very hard to put all those measures in place and hopefully we reassured the council that (this) will restore our on-time performance and hopefully restore our customer confidence.”

 

So far the company has undertaken 62 out of 82 initiatives or “work lines” aim at getting the planes running on time again, he added.

 

By the end of March, “we will start to see improvements in operational performance.

 

"We are seeing it in January,” with “general improvements” coming through despite the “difficult winter because of the weather,” Mr Boyle continued.

Western Isles Council said it had an “open and frank discussion of the challenges” with Mr Boyle.

 

He gave a “very clear and honest explanation” as to the reasons behind its bad reliability and punctuality.

 

The council’s transport chairman John Mackay said: “We do now have greater assurances after our meeting that the airline has a better appreciation of the concerns of the community and that they are taking the need for significant improvement as a key priority going forward.

 

“In addition to addressing issues associated with reliability and punctuality, we raised our concerns associated with the high cost of airfares and with the need for improving communications with customers when disruption occurs.”

 

“We are encouraged that the airline is seeking to re-establish what was previously a generally very positive and productive working relationship with the council and look forward to similar meetings on a more regular basis with the airline in the future.”

 

 

Loganair promises improvements within weeks  

 

8 February 2016