Let us put something straight for the overly sensative northern contingent on this site. Nobody is knocking the islands of Scotland or anybody else in thse posts.
The fact is, though, that if you are flying an aeroplane over a place that LOOKS as though there is b----r all down there you are not going to associate that place with sophisticated medical facilities or handling capabilities for a large aircraft. With local knowledge, pilots may know that there is a superb hospital with a five star hotel next door complete with tall blond scandinavian masseurs (hopefully female) but you cannot tell that from seven miles up.
This reinforces the point I am trying to make. If airlines want us to fly in situations which will require us to land at an airfield we do not normally use in an emergency situation then we should be provided with information to allow a sensible decision. By the way, I checked my company manual it says Stornaway has handling facilities for both 767 and 777 aircraft! I suppose the pax. handling facilities for the 777 are a ladder mounted on top of the fork-lift!
Calm down jocks. I bet you would be more upset if, because of the wonderful facilities in the islands you boast about, I started shipping in thousands of sightseers every week!
1. The happiest man in the World is a scotsman with a grievence.
2. Captain, my engines will take no more of this.