Airline slashes flight schedule to tackle ‘levels of disruption’

Loganair is slashing its schedule, including flights from Aberdeen and Inverness, to protect its “core flying network”.

The airline announced yesterday it will be axing flights from the Granite City to Teesside and Newcastle, and between Glasgow and Southampton from May 10.

Several other services will see “minor adjustments” to frequency, in varying stages, until the end of the summer schedule on October 26.

Routes that will see “temporary” reductions include Inverness to Manchester, where flights are being cut from 11 to nine a week.

Loganair’s Inverness-Stornoway service is being cut from 10 to nine flights a week. Other cuts will hit Loganair’s Edinburgh-Southampton, Isle of Man-Birmingham and Newcastle-Southampton routes, as well as flights from Glasgow to Derry and Donegal.

The airline, which has suffered major disruption to its schedule from an aircraft replacement programme, said its “decisive action” was needed to improve operational performance.

New chief executive Luke Farajallah has been in the job only since March 4, when he took over the role from Jonathan Hinkles.

Mr 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.

“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 may impact some customers whose bookings may need to change.

“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.

“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.”

Mr Farajallah said Loganair’s team were “excited about the prospect of getting back to our core set of principles in our heartlands”.

Loganair says it is protecting its ’core flying network’.