Loganair is reducing its Inverness - Stornoway route by one flight per week.
The airline said it will temporarily operate nine flights instead of ten from next month following an initial root and branch review of its operation under new chief executive, Luke Farajallah.
Meanwhile, the company is axing flights between Glasgow and Southampton.
Its services from Aberdeen to Newcastle and Teesside services are also being removed.
Minor reductions are also being made to a raft of other routes this summer.
The move sees the company “renewing its commitment” to its core markets and island communities with a reset of priorities
The new leadership team wants to address concerns that have been raised for a considerable time, especially from core markets in the Highlands and Islands.
The airline is announcing several route adjustments, most of which will be introduced in early May 2024. It is expected that these network changes, once embedded, will help reduce the amount of operational disruption that Loganair’s customers and crews have been experiencing for over 18 months.
The outcome of these changes will see the stabilisation of the daily flying programme, a reduction in the number of flights delayed and cancelled, and less disruption for the Loganair crews and customers who will be able to book and fly with confidence.
Luke Farajallah said: “Since my first day as CEO of Loganair last month, I have been
listening carefully to feedback from our loyal customers and hard-working crew, and
I want to personally apologise to everyone who has been impacted by the unacceptable
levels of disruption that have been experienced for over 18 months whilst the airline
has been undertaking a re-fleeting programme.
“We appreciate the changes we are announcing today may impact some customers whose bookings may need to change. While we apologise to customers affected, this decision is one that has been made for the greater good of the vast majority of customers who must be able to book and fly with confidence, especially from some of the most remote parts of the UK.”
He added: “Loganair is the UK’s largest regional airline, and we are getting back to the basic principles that have made us successful for over six decades.
“We are relentlessly focused on confidently serving our core markets and core customers, who must be able to book with certainty, and experience a stable and resilient flying programme. This is especially true for the Highlands and Islands communities who rely on Loganair for being so much more than an airline serving a leisure market.
“We have been falling short of the service levels expected of us by our loyal customers and amazing crew for over 18 months, and today we are making changes that once fully delivered throughout the summer will help restore the image and reputation we have fought so hard to generate over so many years as the trusted airline partner in our unique market.
“Our entire team and board of directors is behind us in making these decisions, and
we are all excited about the prospect of getting back to our core set of principles
in our heartlands - and we intend to defend and grow our presence in these markets
through the demonstration that we can and will deliver consistent operational stability
and excellence.”
Loganair takes steps to improve performance for island communities
24 April 2024
