Loganair announces further flight reductions and issues booking advice

Loganair have today announced further reductions in its flight schedules over the coming weeks, consistent with the Government’s efforts to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

A skeleton schedule of essential air services will operate within Scotland.

All other Loganair routes and services are suspended from March 30 until at least April 20. Some will already have been closed for booking.

Services relating to Orkney will be maintained to a limited timetable on the following routes with a minimum of six weekly flights (daily except Saturday) planned:

· Aberdeen-Kirkwall

· Kirkwall-Sumburgh

· Orkney inter-isles air services

· Dedicated flights operated for Royal Mail and the oil and gas industry

At present, services are planned to resume on a selection of key routes from April 20 and on others from 31 May, but these dates will be subject to further review, depending on the prevailing national circumstances and consequent demand for travel.

The services provided in the meantime will be to facilitate travel only for those with an essential need, such as workers in designated critical professions and others covered by the latest Government advice.

Customers booked on routes which have been suspended or cancelled will be entitled to a refund of their ticket.

Customers who wish to defer their travel plans or are unable to travel will be able to change their bookings without the usual change fees for a future date, or put flights “on hold” for up to six months via the “Manage my Booking” tab at www.loganair.co.uk.

Loganair’s call centre is operating with reduced capacity due to social distancing requirements to safeguard staff, and customers are asked not to call unless to discuss immediate travel needs in the next 72 hours. Please either manage your booking through the Loganair website or email bookings@loganair.co.uk.

Customers on flights which have been cancelled or rescheduled will be notified via the contacts provided to Loganair at the time of booking. The airline is asking customers with future bookings to keep an eye open for booking changes, especially if important messages are caught in e-mail spam filters.

Loganair expects to ground approximately half of its 44 aircraft in the coming days and has advised its staff of the probability of furlough under the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

The airline is also working to keep abreast of impending closures of several airport terminal facilities and to ensure contingency plans are available to continue to deliver these services even if the usual airport terminals are not available to accommodate customers. Further information will be released once the need for such arrangements becomes clear.

Efforts are also in hand to protect essential carriage of pharmaceuticals, mail, newspapers and other consumer goods which are reliant on Loganair’s services in the Highlands and Islands as a matter of course.

Loganair’s Chief Executive Jonathan Hinkles said: “The challenges that we’re all facing in everyday life are evolving by the day, and we are having to work through a whole host of disparate issues to maintain services for those with a critical need to travel, or indeed the many island communities totally reliant on Loganair to deliver their daily essentials.

“I’m proud of the work that so many of our team are doing right now to keep vital air routes open, without which our communities would be in severe difficulty. The tremendous team spirit in evidence throughout Loganair is providing all of us with confidence to tackle the challenges that undoubtedly lay ahead.”

“Throughout all of this, safety will remain our absolute priority — whether that of our staff or our customers, or indeed the daily focus to assure that each and every Loganair flight is conducted safely.”