Highland Airways today (Monday 3 November) started flying a range of new scheduled passenger services that will improve air connectivity between the Highlands and Islands and Scotland’s Central Belt.

With today’s new service Inverness continues to be linked with Glasgow with an early morning and late evening link. Fares start at £49 one way, inclusive of tax.

The flight leaves Inverness at 0700 and returns from Glasgow at 2005. The service will suit business travellers who wish to accomplish a full day’s work in the greater Glasgow area and also provides access to onward flight options from Glasgow Airport.

Highland Airways has also started a twice-daily flight between Glasgow and Benbecula. More travel options are opening up for visitors and residents with the opportunity to use day returns between the islands and Glasgow. It is anticipated that business, public sector and leisure travellers will all make use of the service, facilitating more efficient travel options to and from the islands.

The new services are operating Monday to Friday but Highland Airways is considering developing weekend flights depending on the strength of take-up on the weekday flights.

The airline is operating an 18-seat pressurised Jetstream 31 aircraft on the routes. This model is also used on their existing Inverness-Stornoway-Benbecula service.

Highland Airways’ commercial director Basil O’Fee said: "Our more broadly integrated route network linking Inverness, Glasgow and the Western Isles increases the connectively of these centres with each other. We anticipate that many users will be able to revisit their existing travel patterns and achieve itinerary improvements.

"We are hopeful that the take up on these services will be buoyant, and we are working hard to ensure that this is the case. Our bookings department has been busy with enquiries from prospective travellers seeking more information, and combined with advance bookings we trust this will translate into a sufficient level of usage to underwrite our investments in these new routes."

Alex Johnson, commercial and marketing manager at Highlands and Islands Airports Limited added: "We are pleased that Inverness will continue to have morning and evening flights to Glasgow and that Benbecula will benefit from daily returns to Glasgow. These are air links that both businesses and the wider community can use and we hope that they will offer significant benefits to them."

> Welcoming the introduction of the flights, Tom Matthew, Highlands and Islands Enterprise transport p> olicy manager said: "These services will allow day trips to be made in > both directions, with business travellers able to save both time and money

> by avoiding an overnight stay. Improved connectivity for the Uists will > make it more attractive as a visitor destination and a place to live and > work."

For further information see the www.highlandairways.co.uk website.

Ends (31.10.03)

Notes to Editors:

Highlands and Islands Airports Limited manages and operates 10 airports in the North and West of Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Executive. The airports range from the principal hubs at Inverness, Kirkwall, Stornoway and Sumburgh to those at Barra, Benbecula, Campbeltown, Islay, Tiree and Wick.

The company is responsible for providing airport infrastructure, facilitating lifeline air links, developing air traffic in the region and supporting economic sustainability and social inclusion in Scotland’s remoter communities.

In year ending 31 March 2003 the company’s 10 airports handled more than 864,000 passengers and over 76,000 aircraft movements.

Highland Airways operate a range of freight and passenger services in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. From its Inverness base the company provides scheduled passenger services to the Western and Northern Isles. The company also offers ad hoc and contract air charter solutions, most notably to the oil industry in Aberdeen. Currently Highland Airways operate three 18-seater Jetstream 31 aircraft and a nine-seater Cessna F406.

For further information see the www.highlandairways.co.uk website.