Glasgow-based Loganair has announced to start flying under its own name after 24 years of operation under franchise agreements with other airlines.
The airline, a franchise of Flybe since 2007, will commence its independent operations on September 1 from 2017. In one of its statements, they said the airlines is sure to bring “a new, definitively Scottish identity to the skies”. However, it’s yet to reveal what that Scottish identity will entail.
Loganair, which operates 300 flights to and from Glasgow every week, plans to provide more than 1,000 flights each week once independent, connecting its Scottish hubs with cities such as London, Norwich, Manchester, Dublin, and Bergen in Norway. Its codeshare agreement with British Airways will continue.
Connecting the likes of Inverness, Sumburgh, Kirkwall and Barra’s ‘beach’ airport with larger UK hubs – this is already the largest airline in the Highlands & Islands. The world’s shortest scheduled flight, from Westray and Papa Westray and the Orkney Islands (two minutes long) is also operated by them.
Peter Simpson, Chief Executive of Airline Investments Ltd, Loganair’s parent company said that the announcement is a major milestone in the 54-year history of Loganair.
Loganair has flown as a franchise carrier for larger airlines over the last 24 years; however there is still a huge level of recognition and affinity for the Loganair name throughout Scotland and beyond. With this new endeavour, it will help the airlines to create a bold new corporate identity.
Loganair undertakes contract services for Royal Mail and oil and gas companies apart from carrying the scheduled passenger services.