McArthur welcomes reinstatement of Inverness flights after pressing ministers to act
Liam McArthur, Orkney’s MSP, has today welcomed confirmation from the Scottish Government that flights between Inverness and the Northern and Western Isles will be reinstated at full-service levels from October.
Mr McArthur previously called on the First Minister to instruct government-owned Highlands and Islands Airport Ltd to find a resolution with Loganair that would ensure full service levels could be maintained in the long term.
Last week, Mr McArthur again urged the Transport Secretary to seek a resolution that would allow flights to be reinstated at the earliest opportunity, after the Orkney Visually Impaired People’s Group raised concerns about the impact on islanders travelling for ophthalmology appointments.
Commenting, Mr McArthur said:
"I’m pleased that the Transport Secretary has now responded to the serious concerns raised by islanders about the impact of service cuts on the Inverness route and taken the necessary steps to ensure flights can be reinstated from October.
“The reduction in services over the summer has been a source of considerable concern and stress for islanders, especially those who rely on these flights to access vital healthcare.
“This episode, however, has shown that Minsters have been asleep at the wheel ignoring warnings over recent years that these services have been at risk. That cannot continue to happen, with Ministers responding only when cuts to routes are threatened. Islanders need the Transport Secretary to take responsibility for building greater resilience across the network going forward.
“Welcome though this reinstatement of services is in the short term, Mr Flynn must now lead a strategic review of air services across the Highlands and Islands as a matter of urgency. I will reinforce this message when I meet the Cabinet Secretary next week and seek assurances that the government recognise the importance of avoiding a repeat of what we have seen on the Inverness route this summer".