Hebrides  News                                       newsdesk@hebrides.biz

www. practical company secretary .com

For all corporate administration support and compliance

Less frills and higher fares for Loganair passengers     8/12/10

Loganair is scrapping complimentary alcohol and soft drinks for passengers on all flights.

In addition, travellers on the Inverness and Stornoway route flights will no longer be offered a cup of tea. Neither will coffee, water or orange juice - nor biscuits or cereal bars - be available as the airline is axing its in-flight service on the flight.

Loganair - which flies under the Flybe name - said it is increasingly difficult for crew members to deliver a full service to every passenger on peak flights within the very limited time available between their safety-related duties.

But if the flight was scheduled to be just five minutes longer like all the islands’  Glasgow runs then tea and coffee would be available. The changes come in on 10th January.

Air fares are also increasing by 2% from New Year’s Day. But passengers can beat the rise by booking flights at the current price up to and including Friday 31st December.

At this time, there will be no price rise on the subsidised Barra and Benbecula flights to Glasgow, nor on the inter-island flights within the Western Isles linking Benbecula, Stornoway and Barra.

Loganair’s Commercial Director Jonathan Hinkles said: We had to choose between continuing to provide free alcohol for a minority of our customers at a significant cost or cutting the service and keeping our fare increases below inflation for the benefit of all who choose to fly with us.

“We believe we have made the right decision, which offers the fairest outcome and will benefit the largest number of our passengers.”

He added: “The rise in costs for new bookings from 1st January has, unfortunately, been unavoidable.

“We have continued to experience inflation-based increases in costs, such as Highlands & Islands Airports’ landing and passenger charges, and 2011 will see a further 20% rise in the cost of air traffic control provision at major airports, including Aberdeen.

“However, we have done everything in our power to keep the increases below the rate of inflation to minimise increases and keep air travel with Loganair as affordable and convenient as ever.”

The airline is also altering its terms and conditions to make it easier and cheaper for passengers who arrive at airports ahead of time to take an earlier flight to their destination.

Provided that seats are available and the addition of an extra passenger will not delay the plane’s departure, fliers can choose to take the earlier service for a flat fee of £32.50 instead of paying a fee plus the difference in fare as at present. The difference can sometimes be substantial and can discourage passengers from choosing to take earlier flights.

These changes can only be made in person on arrival at the airport to avoid the possibility of passengers missing their earlier flight after rebooking. Passengers with Economy Plus tickets can still change their tickets on the day of departure without charge, provided that the change is made prior to their original intended time of departure.

Loganair check-ins will also closes promptly at 30 minutes before scheduled departure time to enable all passengers to pass through security procedures and for pre-flight fuelling and paperwork to be completed to assure an on-time departure.

Where passengers arrive at the airport after the 30 minute check-in deadline but before the aircraft physically departs, Loganair will also now offer customers the option to travel on the next available flight to their destination upon payment of the £32.50 change fee, rather than requiring them to buy a full replacement ticket as at present.

Hinkles added: “Our aim is to make it simpler and more affordable for people to hop on an earlier flight, which will be of great benefit to passengers on our busier routes, such as Aberdeen to Kirkwall and Sumburgh and from Glasgow and Inverness to Stornoway.

“The new policy will also help those passengers who miss flights by a narrow margin to rearrange their travel plans without incurring significant cost. We’re pleased that our passengers will be able to enjoy a marked improvement in the flexibility of our services.”