More than 15% of available seats on the Atlantic Airways’ service that is due to start in June have already been booked over recent weeks.

The Faroese airline announced the route in November and will operate a summer programme of twice weekly return flights from June, linking the Faroes with Sumburgh Airport and Sumburgh with London Stansted.

At more than 520 miles the Sumburgh-Stansted link will be the longest direct UK scheduled air service in terms of distance but will have a flight time of only 1 hour 40 minutes.

The new service will operate twice a week – Friday and Monday - between 23^rd June and 4^th September with a 90-seat BAe 146 jet aircraft.

The service has qualified for support from the Scottish Executive’s Air Route Development Fund and Highlands and Islands Airports Limited hopes that if bookings remain strong the summer 2006 programme may be lengthened.

Alex Johnson, HIAL’s commercial and marketing manager said: “Bookings are looking good for the service which will open up new travel opportunities for people in Shetland and also stimulate inbound tourism for the islands. We are also discussing with the airline the potential of extending the summer programme in 2006 and a successful season this year would lay good foundations for more growth on the route in 2007.

“This is the second service from Shetland to receive Route Development Fund support and demonstrates the effectiveness of the fund in supporting the commercial development of new air links for the Highlands and Islands.”

Sumburgh Airport manager Nigel Flaws added: “This is exactly the type of business development we want to achieve at Sumburgh, supported by the runway extension, the Scottish Executive and our stakeholders in the Sumburgh Airport Strategic Partnership.”

For flight information and booking visit the http://www.flyshetland.com website.