• Aberdeen to Shetland (Sumburgh) from £99

• Glasgow to Shetland (Sumburgh) from £109

• Glasgow to Stornoway from £89

• Glasgow to Benbecula from £89

HIAL is committed to maintaining economic landing charges and encouraging new services at all of its facilities.

Bob Macleod, managing director of HIAL, says: "We welcome these new, cheaper fares from British Airways which carry none of the restrictions normally associated with low cost flights. We are committed to offering the best value we can to operators to and from our ten locations and these new fares will undoubtedly be of huge benefit to the communities in the Western Isles and Shetland.

"We continue to work closely with carriers to develop new routes and try to be as accommodating as possible – a fact reflected in the increase in passenger and freight traffic over the past year. Costs incurred through the requirements for increased airport security in the wake of September 11 which would usually have been recovered from the airlines, were instead borne by the company to keep landing charges low.

"I am sure that people served by these new low cost fares will take full advantage of them with the result that BA will see increased passenger numbers and the routes becoming more viable. In the meantime, Highlands and Islands Airports will continue to work hard with operators to provide the best service possible to the communities we operate within."