Loganair urges UK and Scottish governments to fund island flights

Loganair has temporarily reduced flights from Inverness to the Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland, cutting daily services to weekends and scrapping the morning Inverness‑Stornoway flight. The airline cites rising fuel prices linked to the Middle‑East conflict and ongoing financial losses on routes that are not commercially viable. Loganair is calling on the UK and Scottish governments, alongside Highland and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL), to develop a robust island‑connectivity strategy and provide funding so the services can be restored, potentially by October.

The cuts affect about 1,100 medical appointments over the next three‑and‑a‑half months, with the morning flight described as “mission critical” by NHS Western Isles, which will invest around £100,000 to cover extra patient travel costs. Transport Scotland and the Department for Transport have urged Loganair and HIAL to work together to sustain the routes for island communities.