Loganair is all set to launch a new route connecting London City Airport to Orkney’s Kirkwall Airport via Dundee, Scotland. The new twice-weekly route will connect the Scottish Islands with not just London but also the Scottish mainland with a stop in Dundee.
Previously Loganair was considering suspending the route due to labour action, but now that labour peace has been reached, the airline is going ahead with its plans to resume normal operations.
“We are heartened and relieved to learn of the settlement of the pay dispute between Highlands & Islands Airports and unions representing many of its employees. With this news, we can all now focus on delivering a busy summer season ahead the first full year of open international travel since the pandemic without fear of rolling disruption to island flights from strikes and work-to-rule actions,” commented spokesperson from the airline.
“A pay increase of 7% for those earning £44,000 or less, a 5% uplift for those earning between £44,000 and £80,000, and for those with a salary over £80,000, an increase of 4% has been agreed upon,” confirmed Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL) in a statement.
“We are sorry that the industrial action and route suspensions have caused considerable disruption for passengers and our customers, particularly for those on our island communities who rely on our airports to support essential and lifeline services. … This positive result will provide our partner airlines with the certainty they require to plan air connectivity for their passengers," Inglis Lyon, Managing Director, HIAL said.
Quoting Mark Flynn, convener of Dundee City Council, Loganair released a statement: “This announcement is a clear vote of confidence from Loganair, not only in Dundee Airport but in the city itself. By expanding services to Kirkwall, it will be even easier for people who may not have considered coming to the city before to get here, and vice versa, opening up a previously untapped visitor base.”
Luke Lovegrove, Chief Commercial Officer, Loganair said: “Loganair has been flying from Orkney for more than 50 years, but this is the first time we’ve been able to launch a service that will unlock the Island to tourists from London and beyond. The new service will be a welcome boost to the economy in Kirkwall while also connecting customers to Dundee on our one-stop, same-plane service.”