Orcadian Column, 23/7/2026

Fair warning, this column is largely a Burnham-free zone. If you’ve come looking for speculation about what Manchesterism might mean for Orkney, you’ll get a taste of the tear-stained disappointment being felt right now by every Argentinian football fan.

Fear not, though, I confidently predict wall to wall coverage over the coming days and weeks as the new Prime Minister settles into a role he has craved for some time. I wish him well as the challenges he faces are formidable. 

Formidably challenging would also accurately describe the predicament facing ophthalmology and orthopaedic patients in Orkney attempting to get to appointments in Inverness now that Loganair has removed weekday flights on this route. Getting between Orkney and Shetland will also be more difficult with that route sacrificed as part of cuts announced by Loganair earlier this summer.

Reduced connectivity on our lifeline air routes is obviously deeply concerning. While the disruption and added costs to the delivery of crucial health service provision is most alarming, the impact will be felt in other public services, education and wider economic development in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles.

Worryingly, Loganair and Highlands & Islands Airport Ltd (HIAL) appear at an impasse in bridging the funding gap that Loganair says is needed to make the Inverness routes viable. Meantime, the Scottish Government, which owns HIAL, remains stubbornly ‘hands off’. This isn’t good enough and risks services on these routes being removed permanently. That cannot be allowed to happen and every effort must be made to ensure they are reinstated to the timetable at the earliest opportunity. 

This episode, though, underlines the fragility of the network across the Highlands & Islands, which has evolved through individual commercial decisions, supported by Public Service Obligations and the Air Discount Scheme.  As the regional transport partnership, HITRANS pointed out in evidence to parliament’s Transport Committee recently, “there remains no overarching strategy defining the level of air connectivity that island and remote communities should reasonably expect or the wider contribution that aviation should make to Scotland's economy and public services”.

HITRANS go on to point out that this has led to a lack of integration both across different air services and other modes of transport like ferries, buses and trains. Helpfully, the partnership also highlighted figures showing the marked rise in passenger numbers over the short period when Loganair faced competition from Flybe. While both airlines suffered unsustainable financial losses, it demonstrated that lower fares will encourage greater uptake, even during the quieter winter months.

So for the long-term resilience and sustainability of services, a more strategic approach is essential. That’s why, last month, I joined MSP colleagues from across the region in writing to the Transport Secretary, Stephen Flynn urging him to take the lead in developing a strategy for air services in the Highlands & Islands. This cross-party letter was also signed by representatives of the three island local authorities, HITRANS and ZETRANs.

In response, Mr Flynn ducked the request entirely. This is beyond disappointing and while developing a strategy must be a partnership effort, informed by the communities it will serve, to have any prospect of being implemented, the Scottish Government has to take the lead. This is a point I will reinforce when I meet the Transport Secretary next month. 

As recent events show, viewing air connectivity on the basis of the commercial performance of individual routes is dangerous. We need an integrated regional air network with stronger services supporting those that are socially necessary but less commercially viable. In that way, we can better deliver for communities, operators and the taxpayer.

Finally, in better news, let me welcome the UK Government climbdown over coastguard pay. These ridiculous proposals were finally ditched last week after a concerted campaign, led by coastguard officers and volunteers across the country, including those I met in my office on Friday, and a genuine cross-party effort. Special mention to my colleague, Alistair Carmichael, though, who secured debates at Westminster and tackled Sir Keir Starmer on the issue in the latter’s final PMQs. I’ll steal no more of Alistair’s thunder but rest assured he will have more to say on this and the effect of Manchesterism on Orkney in his column next week.