Today, 12th June 2007, Loganair, the British Airways franchise partner, is celebrating carrying their 3 millionth passenger.
One passenger, Mr Alasdair Martin from Barvas on the Isle of Lewis, travelling on the BA8954 service from Stornoway to Edinburgh service, was identified as being the lucky passenger. Prior to departing Stornoway, he was presented with a pair of return tickets and a bottle of champagne by Loganair Chairman, Scott Grier and Alex MacDonald, Convener, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles Council).
Ten years ago, Scott Grier led a management buyout from the British Midland Group of Companies. Although Loganair had been in existence since 1962, and at the time was far and away the Airline in the UK operating longest under its original name, he virtually had to start the company all over again.
Initial services concentrated on scheduled services to Barra, Campbeltown and Tiree, inter island services in Orkney and Shetland, and importantly, the air ambulance service. In the first year of operation, Loganair carried 48,000 passengers and 10 years on they are now celebrating having carried 3 million passengers and over half a million per year.
Scott Grier said, “We have come a long way in the past 10 years and I must pay tribute to the many dedicated Loganair staff who have made it all possible. What is particularly pleasing is that along the way, air travel in the Scottish Highlands and Islands has been improved beyond recognition.
Recent improvements include providing 13 flights per day from the Outer Hebrides, almost double the number available previously; 67 services from Shetland to Mainland destinations which is more that double the number of services Shetland had 3 years ago and daily direct flights from Orkney to Aberdeen, Inverness, Glasgow and Edinburgh.”
RSS feed available