Our Company Values & History

Mission Statement
"To provide and operate safe, secure and efficient airports which support the communities we serve."

Vision
To be recognised as an industry leader in the provision of airports through leadership, innovation and collaborative working to deliver positive outcomes for our customers.

Aims

• To provide airports that enable air transport to fulfil its essential role in Scotland's diverse regions.
• To work with stakeholders to develop sustainable air connectivity that supports socio-economic deveopment in Scotland.
• To advise Scottish Ministers on future developments and resource allocation through robust strategic planning and effective collaboration with airport users and stakeholders.

Values

• Openness / Honesty
• Innovation
• Ownership
• Respect
• Excellence

History

• 1947 - Inverness Airport opened for Civil operations
• 1970's - British Airways commenced flights to London Heathrow from Inverness
• 1980's - Dan-Air took over the Heathrow route and added London Gatwick and Manchester
• 1984 - The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) puts seven Scottish airports up for sale (Sumburgh, Inverness, Kirkwall, Benbecula, Wick, Islay and Tiree)
• HIAL was incorporated in Edinburgh on 4 March 1986 as a private limited company under the Companies Act 1985. On 1 April 1995, ownership of HIAL passed from the Civil Aviation Authority to the Secretary of State for Scotland, now the Scottish Ministers
• 1988 October 6th - the Official Opening of new facilities at Inverness Airport
• 1992 - Dan-Air purchased by British Airways and took over the routes
• 1996 - First easyJet route to London Luton launched
• 2003 - Other routes to Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, East Midlands, Leeds Bradford, Liverpool, Manchester, and Newcastle introduced
• 2004 - London Heathrow route taken over by bmi until 2008
• 2007 - December HIAL assumed the operation of Dundee Airport
• 2009 - Dusseldorf and more international routes introduced including Jersey, Dublin and charters to Italy, Croatia, Madeira, Malta and Gozo departing from Inverness
• 2010 - New weekly summer service to Majorca and Zurich introduced from Inverness
• HIAL receives subsidies from the Scottish Ministers in accordance with Section 34 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982
• Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL) is a company wholly owned by the Scottish Ministers and is sponsored by the Scottish Government Transport Directorate. The company's purpose is to maintain the safe operation of its airports, and to support economic and social development in the Highlands and Islands. HIAL currently operates 10 airports in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, located at Barra, Benbecula, Campbeltown, Islay, Inverness, Kirkwall, Stornoway, Sumburgh, Tiree and Wick. In December 2007, HIAL assumed responsibility for the operation of Dundee Airport and now operates it via a wholly owned subsidiary company, Dundee Airport Limited.