The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
How airline is coping with changes and rising to the challenges
Loganair CEO Jonathan Hinkles gives Jim Millar an insight into the aviation industry
How has air travel changed in the past 20 years?
The changes have been huge. Low-cost airlines flying larger aircraft between major airports have become an incredible force in the industry.
That said, there’s still space for regional airlines like Loganair to provide tremendous levels of connectivity between the UK regions and that’s very much our focus.
We’re also pleased to be putting some things back in time to where they were – the switch of Dundee’s essential air service to London to fly to and from London City Airport happened this week, after an absence of several years, and the reception from customers and local businesses to the London City link being restored has been tremendous.
What is the outlook for the aviation (cargo/passenger) industry?
In a word, uncertain. The huge job losses that we’re seeing throughout the aviation sector are testament to just how badly the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted our industry.
In Loganair, I’m heartened to say we haven’t had to embark on the mass redundancy programmes we’re now seeing almost daily from other airlines, ground-handling agents and airports.
Just before the pandemic broke, the UK’s (then) largest regional airline, Flybe, ceased trading and we’ve been able to adapt our operation to redeploy aircraft and crew members on to some of the routes left vacant by its collapse.
How has the Covid-19 pandemic impacted Loganair?
We’ve had to adapt quickly and I’m incredibly proud of the way that our team has responded to the many challenges with which we’ve had to deal – such as converting aircraft into air ambulances, dealing with record cargo payloads into the Scottish islands on our dedicated freighter flights, supporting team members on furlough and, above all, keeping the best level of communication running with all of our team that we possibly can.
As an industry, I think we all thought that we’d become pretty accustomed to handling major shocks like volcanic ash or Sars, then the events of the last four months proved how wrong we were.
How is Loganair preparing for the challenges ahead?
It would help if we knew what the challenges were. The uncertainty of timing and strength of the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic is significant, and when I hear other airlines talking about demand in 2023 and 2024, it does make me wonder – it’s nearly impossible to predict demand next month, let alone three years ahead.
The best preparation for the path ahead is to be flexible, nimble and able to react to changing circumstances just as quickly as we can: There’s really nothing else for it right now.
How is the aviation industry addressing environmental/noise concerns?
The airline industry still has a lot to do to improve its environmental performance – and it’s just the same across other transport industries, too, notably the maritime sector.
Loganair is actively involved in a number of future flight projects with the development of electrically-powered and hydrogen-powered aircraft, and we’re also looking at whether we can use some of our extensive ground-handling and engineering infrastructure through Scotland to support trials of unmanned
drones to deliver urgent supplies like pharmaceuticals or critical components for the oil and gas industry.
It’s a different world, but one into which we must not fear to tread.
Will increased airport security (including social distancing) influence passenger travel choices?
We’re seeing encouraging signs from those who are flying already that they’re adapting quickly to the healthy flying protocols now being rolled out across airports and airlines alike – Loganair was the first UK airline to introduce these measures in mid May, as – of course – we continued flying throughout the pandemic.
We completely understand that some customers will be reticent about returning to airports and airlines, but having flown a lot myself in recent weeks, I can honestly say it’s different but nothing to worry about, and I’ve felt safe and reassured on every flight – as has every other customer I’ve seen.
How can government assist the aviation industry?
The government’s decision to exclude the aviation industry from its Covid-19 economic recovery package is disappointing, to say the least. With more than 50,000 jobs now at risk across the aviation and airport sector, there can be no clearer case for an industry in need of help.
We’ve asked the government to take immediate steps to end the double taxation on domestic flights – you pay more in tax to fly from Dundee to Belfast and back than you would from Edinburgh to Athens and back – and this anomaly needs to be fixed.
As the UK’s largest regional airline, with a strong concentration on domestic routes, this is doubly important to Loganair.