Loganair expands with launch of two international routes from Edinburgh
Scottish airline Loganair is to launch two new international services to Denmark and Germany as well as increasing its domestic services to the Outer Hebrides.
The international flights are being launched from Edinburgh to Hanover, the largest city in Lower Saxony, and to the city of Esbjerg in western Denmark.
Weekend flight schedules from Ebsjerg will be arranged to meet the demands of visitors heading to Scotland for short golfing breaks.
Jonathan Hinkles, chief executive of Loganair, said the new flights to Hanover and Esbjerg, as well as the extra flights planned from Glasgow to Benbecula, would boost Scotland’s tourism and business sectors.
Loganair said services to Benbecula will be upgraded to a year-round jet operation .
The first flights to Hanover will take off from Edinburgh on 17 April 2020, in time for the Hanover Messe, one of Europe’s largest trade fairs which attracts over 6,500 exhibitors and 250,000 visitors.
There will be up to five nonstop jet flights per week from Edinburgh, with core services on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays and an additional Saturday flight operating between June and September.
Hanover plays host to the second largest Oktoberfest in the world – after Munich – with nearly a million visitors each year.
Flights from Edinburgh to Esbjerg- already served by Loganair from Aberdeen – will start on 7 May 2020.
The city is an important centre for the oil, gas and renewable energies offshore industry.
A third 49-seat Embraer Regional Jet will be based at Glasgow from February 2020.
The number of seats available on the Benbecula route will increase by one third – creating new opportunities for tourism and island travel – while journey times will be reduced by five to ten minutes per flight. The airline has created extra jobs at Glasgow operation, including hiring several pilots formerly employed by Thomas Cook before it collapsed in September, to gear up for the expansion.
Mr Hinkles, detailing the new flights, said: “Today’s announcement represents a significant investment in our services at our home base airport in Glasgow.
“We’re delighted to be growing our operation at Edinburgh with the introduction of these two new international links.
“Hanover and Esbjerg will both be excellent additions for Edinburgh’s business community, for leisure travellers and to attract new incoming visitors taking advantage of all that Scotland has to offer.”
Passengers can buy tickets for the new flights to Benbecula, Hanover and Esbjerg from today.