Regional airline Eastern Airways has announced the launch of a new service between Inverness and Leeds Bradford from this spring.

The six days a week service, which will commence on Monday 24^th April, will be operated by a 29 seater Jetstream 41 aircraft with the one hour twenty minute flight departing Leeds Bradford at 10 15 and returning from Inverness at 12 05.

Eastern’s Director Scotland Graeme Ross commented. “Our service between Aberdeen and Leeds Bradford is well established and popular with both business and leisure travellers and we are confident that the Inverness departure will follow a similar pattern.

Leeds is one of the United Kingdom’s largest cities, a major financial centre with a range of management consultancies and law firms and from the leisure perspective, the airport is the gateway to the Yorkshire Dales and James Herriot country, the spa town of Harrogate and, of course Leeds, a fabulous shopping destination!

“For those travelling in the other direction, Inverness is becoming an increasingly popular destination and many blue chip organisations have bases in the north of . And for the tourist, aside from the chance to meet the Loch Ness Monster, the area boasts some of the most beautiful scenery to be found anywhere in the world.

“We firmly believe the new route will very much complement our existing direct services from Inverness to Birmingham and Manchester and will of course significantly increase connection opportunities to onward destinations from both Inverness and Leeds Bradford.”

Alex Johnson , commercial and marketing manager at Highland and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL) said: "We are delighted to have secured a new cross-border route at Inverness with support from the Scottish Executive's Rote Development Fund. Eastern Airways is a well established operator at Inverness and the introduction of a service to Leeds Bradford will increase the range of travel options for people both in the Highlands and in the English regions."

Online fares on the new service will start at £99 return (www.easternairways.com), including taxes and charges.

This first direct air service linking the capital of the Highlands to the north of is to be supported by funding from the Scottish Executive.

Transport Minister Tavish Scott today announced that the Executive's Route Development Fund (RDF) would support Eastern Airways in operating the service.

Mr Scott said: " visitor survey figures show that over 150,000 people from North Yorkshire and Humberside visit the Highlands every year. This new air service will provide further opportunities for people from the north of to visit the many tourist attractions in the north and far north.

"The route also reflects growing confidence in the Inverness business community to expand and develop links between the Highlands and the regions of northern .

"The Route Development Fund has made a real difference for business travellers and tourists by expanding our direct air services to the rest of the , Europe and the world."

The Route Development Fund is provided through the Scottish Budget with £14.4 million funding over the period 2005-06 to 2007-08. The criteria for investment in new air services serving the Highlands are different recognising the area's ability to sustain air services in the long-term. The level of frequency is flexibly applied and the Fund can be used to support intra-Scotland and seasonal services. The aim is that the Fund should be inclusive and embrace all of 's diverse communities.

The Route Development Fund supports new air links where airlines can demonstrate the services will have a direct economic benefit to . The flights must involve regularly scheduled services and must not undermine existing flights. The exact amount from the fund given to the airline cannot be disclosed due to reasons of commercial confidentiality.

Since it was introduced in 2002, the Route Development Fund has brought £87 million of economic benefit to the Scottish economy. Last year fund-supported routes carried 891,000 passengers.