new routes from Inverness

[jack-oh]

I have just read in the paper that HIAL are engaged in talks with airlines and are hopeful of announcing new routes from Inverness to mainland Europe and Scandinavia shortly. Can anyone shed any light?

[goatface]

Its hard to see where the revenue passengers would be to support such ventures without the ability to interline onward to worldwide destinations.
Its already to possible to interline from INV via LGW to many places in mainland Europe, and the big advantage of interlining is that, (if you get it right), the ticket price from INV - LGW would be relatively small. Additionally, I understand that BMI have reapplied for the INV - LHR route, and the interlining power of that would be greater than LGW.
Air UK/KLM tried an AMS service about 5 years ago, and the loads were ao poor that they pulled it after 6 months. If this is a route HIAL are looking at, the only operater who could operate it with onward interline facilities are KLM.
As for Scandinavia, possibly it may work as a summer route, but it would probably cost HIAL more in joint marketing agreements than the revenue it would earn.
HIAL should stick to encouraging UK mainland destinations, the large majority of which allow passengers to travel onward to a multitude of destinations for relatively good value.

[LGS6753]

Who's to say that Mr O'Leary isn't considering bringing millions of weekenders to the north of Scotland - from downtown Hahn, or the metropolis of Charleroi?

[Golf Charlie Charlie]

EasyJet have been flying to/from LTN/INV for several years, and I assume it has been successful, or they would have pulled it. Presumably there is some potential for interlining onto some of easyJet's other routes, provided you allow sufficient time. But, I find it hard to believe there'll be enough demand for Inverness to Europe flights to make them sustainable.

[WHBM]

I believe there are a handful of IT charters out of Inverness this season, which did not used to be the case. Air Malta operating a one-off next Monday, and Astraeus coming in a few times with odd flights to the Mediterranean.

[4321zip]

I had heard a rumour a few months back, shortly after an interview with Basil O'Fee from Highland Airways, that the airline was considering on operating an ERJ-135/ERJ-145 flights to mainland Europe with a similar structure to flybe.

[no, no, no]

I thought Basil O'Fee's lot just did some odd routes here and there, but mostly charter style things from the islands when people wanted them - seems strange that they would change completely and do this style op.

As we're talking of INV does anyone know why no one starts LHRINV. I know the old arguements about slots and getting more value elsewhere, but I would have thought that LHRINV would do miles better than LGWINV, even if easy are there - the high;and pax don't have a lot of options and the interline capability alone would be fantastic surely - will BA ever move back or will anyone else ever try it (I'm guessing bmi are the only other ones who could).

['PlaneHappy]

No, no, no - I seem to recall that BA operated LHR-INV in the mid-1990s.

[Golf Charlie Charlie]

Pretty sure Dan Air also had a go on the LHR/INV route in the 1980s with One-Elevens.

[no, no, no]

yes - both Dan Air and BA used to do, and the INV pax would love to see a LHR service again - anyone starting it now would win the majority of pa straight away surely.

[WHBM]

Just a little more history:

BA ran the Inverness - Heathrow route for many years, back into the days of Viscounts (that will get the nostalgia buffs posting!). In about 1984 it was one of the routes that the government took from BA (governments could do things like that in those days!) and offered to the independents. Dan-Air got the route, although I remember checking-in at Inverness one evening to come home, shortly before the announcement, and being confidently told that British Midland were the lead contender.

Just in case you should think this was a more customer-friendly era, INV closed at 2100 in those days and the evening flight arrived about 2050. If it was late, even by a few minutes, you got diverted to Aberdeen, BA had to find a couple of coaches, and you got to Inverness airport about 01.00!!

Dan-Air ran out of cash in the early 1990s and were taken over by BA, who thus got the route back and in more recent times transferred it from Heathrow to Gatwick, to get more slots at Heathrow for more lucrative routes.

So the only Heathrow slots were lost, no doubt to the 25th daily flight to JFK betwen many airlines. So it is unlikely to return to Heathrow. Any reasonable government policy would have safeguarded domestic flights at our premier connecting hub. But we haven't had a reasonable government policy towards aviation for a long, long time.

[justforfun]

No INV-LHR routes due to BA takeover (£1 I believe!!!) of Dan-Air... please remember that DA were the second largest airline in the UK after BA, but the only flight into LHR was from INV for DA - BA release the INV route, and all of a sudden they have another 3 inbound/3 outbound slots at LHR!!!!

DA got the routes INV-LHR (as opposed to LHR-INV... all aircraft were INV based) from BA, as BA were not interested/not making money on them... result were successful/profitable routes for DA until DA's problems and the "recovery" by a Mr James... a recovery that many ex Dans staff will remember well!

Anyway, new routes out of INV can only be a good thing, BUT with the tour operators etc, they need to market it well - the Highlands is a huge area with a sparse population... people need to know its there - example - I have a son in Inverness, and was living in RTM - when UK where operating the flights to AMS, my ex-wife and family had heard "something" about flights, but that was it!
An LHR link is much needed and would do well - DA's flights ex INV were almost ALWAYS full... and as was said, the business community would welcome such a link with open arms!

It started my career, so I'll always keep an eye for INV - great people all round - most of them are still there, and I'd work with any of them in a second!... but HIAL need to spend the £££ and get carriers in and offer them deals - thay make enough from the Government anyway!!!! - example, PIK's initial deal with RYR, was something like £1 per passenger - look at PIK now, it aint GLA, but its a helluva lot better than it was!

Rant over - INV fondly remembered!!!!!

JFF

:ok:

[jack-oh]

Thanks for all the replies to my first post but it seems no one knows for sure who will provide or where these new scheduled routes will go. I have however found out that Thomsons travel company and their associated airline will run charter flights from INV next year. This will boost the already increasing charter market to the airport in the summer. We have seen a dramatic increase in aircraft movements over the last couple of months. I believe Ryan Air also approached HIAL with the £1 a passenger landing fee offer but unfortunately because the new terminal at INS was acquired under a private finance initiative that means HIAL has to pay £3 for every passenger that uses it, they had to turn them down. I believe they are trying to get out of this arrangement but have come under some criticism from the local SMP for not attracting enough new business despite the offer of government money; hence the statement about new routes.

[Buster the Bear]

£3 per arr and dep passenger is true. Under a deal signed a few years back the financier of the terminal is repaid via this levy, a bit like the Luton airport concession charge paid to the local council.

Inverness-Birmingham route is to be announced shortly, no idea which airline though.

[ecj]

Eastern in a 41, or Highland in a Barbie which was mentioned a few months ago?

[Ian Farquharson]

Highlands to get Midlands link


It is hoped the route will bring economic benefits
An air route is being opened between the Highlands of Scotland and Birmingham.
Scotland's transport minister, Nicol Stephen, will reveal plans for the link during the launch of the 9th World Route Development Forum in Edinburgh on Sunday night.

Eastern Airways will begin a twice-daily service between Birmingham and Inverness on 26 October, following negotiations between the airline and Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL).

The Inverness-Birmingham service is the 12th route to be supported by the route development fund and will be principally aimed at business travellers.

Good air links for business are vital in remote regions like the Highlands and I am certain this new service to Birmingham will also receive strong support

Bob Macleod,
HIAL
The link is also being backed by Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Inverness and Nairn Enterprise.

Mr Stephen said: "Direct links between Inverness and Birmingham will provide better business opportunities for the north of Scotland as well as offering a boost to the Highlands' tourism industry.

"Support for this service demonstrates the executive's commitment to extending the benefits of the route development fund to the whole of Scotland."

Bob Macleod, managing director of Highlands and Islands Airports added: "We worked closely with Eastern Airways last year on the launch of their Inverness to Manchester service and this proved to be a huge success.

New routes

"Good air links for business are vital in remote regions like the Highlands and I am certain this new service to Birmingham will also receive strong support from travellers in the region as well as bringing inward business from the Midlands."

The route development fund is a Scottish Executive initiative managed by Scottish Enterprise.

It was set up last November with a budget of £6.8m over three years and has already attracted 11 routes.

Delegates from more than 250 airports and 200 airlines are expected to attend to the Route Development Forum.



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[brabazon]

Highland Airways have just put out the following press release:

Highland Airways enhances internal Scottish air routes - 24 September 2003

Highland Airways are pleased to announce a new set of routes that link Inverness Glasgow and the Western Isles commencing November 3rd.

The company will be using one of its three 18-seat Jetstream 31 aircraft, which are fast, comfortable and pressurised turbo-prop regional aircraft, and are popular with passengers.The aircraft will undertake a busy day's work enhancing airlinks between Inverness, Glasgow and the Outer Hebrides.

Inverness City will be relieved by this news which in effect will retain its early morning link to Glasgow and its onward destinations, and the late evening return permitting travellers to complete their day's work, and still get back to the Highland capital. The recent announcement of the withdrawal of a comparable service by BA was met with dismay by the many travellers who use the route, and by business interests keen to retain the maximum number of travel options for commerce. Indeed it was this recent retraction that prompted Highland Airways' announcement today.

An early 0700 start allows passengers to arrive in Glasgow at 0745 ready for a day's work, or in time to catch the range of onward flights to the rest of UK and Europe from Glasgow. The late return in the evening helps complete a useful itinerary option for the range of business and leisure travellers trying to make it back to Inverness before close of play.

Highland Airways' Commercial Director Basil O'Fee comments, 'Our 18 seat Jetstream aircraft are well-suited to the anticipated usage between Inverness and Glasgow at these times. We are confident that this important service will continue to be viable with such a well-matched aircraft. Glasgow also continues to play a useful interlining role for Highland travellers.

"Highland Airways are also announcing a twice daily link between Glasgow and Benbecula. It will now be possible, for the first time, to accomplish business and still return home, in the evening of the same day, from either destination. The schedule also links in well with Highland Airways further links between Stornoway and Benbecula. The Jetstream will arrive in the Uists just after 0900 and be back in Glasgow by 1020. The evening rotation involves a 1600 depart from Glasgow and with an arrival in Benbecula just before 1700. Passengers leaving the islands can catch the 1715 flight from Benbecula to Glasgow.

"The Uists have desired a more regular and convenient air link with Glasgow for a long time. Our new timetable will offer travellers a range of travel options that will increase the connectivity of the Outer Hebrides with the Scottish mainland. With this new initiative we now are offering links between the Western Isles and both Glasgow and Inverness. Indeed Benbecula will become something of a mini-hub for ourselves with northbound and southbound timetables interacting well with each other.

"Highland Airways will continue to seek ways that we can offer services that help improve the linkages of the total air network within Scotland. It is now well appreciated that a sturdy air network underpins so much of the economic and social fabric of a region. We see ourselves as partners in a concerted effort, by many interested partners, to improve the Highlands and Islands' ability to link effectively with itself and the rest of the world. Our air network now incorporates a timetable serving Inverness, Glasgow, Benbecula, Stornoway and Sumburgh.

"We offer a range of competitive prices on our routes to suit both the business and personal traveller. Travellers can view www.highlandairways.co.uk for details, or book via our ticket hotline on 0845 4502245, or through their local Travel Agent."