Campaigner looking forward to flight meeting

The man who set up the online campaign to highlight the issue of the price of flights to Orkney, Shetland and other Scottish islands, says he is delighted that he is to meet with the Scottish Government over the issue next week.

The group led by Scott Preston wrote to Minister for Transport and Islands, Derek Mackay, on Friday last week to request a meeting, after the online campaign hit over 14,000 followers on Facebook in little over a week.

Mr Preston, who founded the Facebook page ‘Islanders against Flybe and Loganair’s excessive prices’, is keen to meet with the Minister after meeting with Loganair, saying: “We’re delighted that the Minister is willing to meet with a delegation from our group. The support from people not just in Scotland but across the world, as well as from politicians across the political spectrum, has been fantastic. Our voice is simply too large to ignore.

“We will now contact the Minister to make arrangements. We are aiming to meet with him after we meet with Loganair next week. We have always said that Loganair does not bear full responsibility for the excessive cost of flying to and from the Isles and that Government plays a role.

“Next week’s meeting will ensure that we have a thorough understanding of what can be done at a Governmental level to help tackle the scourge of excessive air fares.”

• Meanwhile, the cost and reliability of lifeline air services to the Northern Isles were the subject of further exchanges in the parliament yesterday afternoon.

The Minister for Transport and Islands was asked by Orkney’s MSP, Liam McArthur to carry out a scoping study into options for improving the reliability of air services. Meantime, Shetland MSP, Tavish Scott, who says he was responsible for introducing the Air Discount Scheme back in 2005, reiterated calls for cuts made by the Scottish Government to ADS to be reversed.

Commenting on the exchanges, Mr McArthur said: “The campaign on the cost of our lifeline air services has gone from strength to strength. It highlights growing concern about the impact these costs are having on local people in our islands.

“At the same time, islanders are having to contend with a lack of reliability, which is also crucial in any lifeline provision. I know from the many, many constituents who have been in touch that delays and cancellations are causing not just inconvenience but serious problems, including the loss of business and job opportunities.

“The Minister has agreed to meet me and Tavish Scott next week. Ahead of that meeting, he has accepted the need to undertake a study on possible options for improving reliability. I look forward to discussing this with him next Tuesday, assuming my flight gets in on time!”

Mr Scott added: “The immediate step that the Scottish Government could take to reduce air fares for some would be to reverse the cuts they have made to ADS. That would be a big help to apprentices from the islands and others who have been excluded from a scheme they were previously entitled to use.

“I congratulate Scott Preston’s campaign and believe that Flybe have to pay attention to the groundswell of Support for lower air fares.”