Inverness-2

[CabinCrewe]

Renewed calls for lower Loganair fares | Shetland News (http://www.shetnews.co.uk/news/10612-renewed-calls-for-lower-loganair-fares)
Support grows for costly island flights campaign - The Scotsman (http://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/support-grows-for-costly-island-flights-campaign-1-3795597)
Islanders mount campaign against high flight prices - Stornoway Gazette (http://www.stornowaygazette.co.uk/news/islanders-mount-campaign-against-high-flight-prices-1-3795532)
The bizarre price war cutting the cost of flights to Britain's most remote islands (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/united-kingdom/scotland/articles/fare-war-over-flights-to-scottish-islands/?WT.mc_id=tmg_share_em)

[Albert Hall]

I won't bother posting all of your old stuff but you definitely seem to have a problem. And if you've nothing more recent than two years ago aside from the Telegraph piece last month - and I didn't think Flybe were flying to Barra so the standard of journalism there has to be questioned?!! Let me put it another way - your contributions invariably seem to have a bias in my reading of them. Fares on small turboprops are generally pretty high - just look at routes operated by airlines like Skybus (£105 one-way for a half-hour to the Isles of Scilly) or Eastern and none are what you could call low!

[fjencl]

https://www.thistleairways.com/

[Richard Taylor]

Inverness Airport experiencing record growth - BBC News (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-41147384)

INV going from strength to strength it appears.

[Richard Taylor]

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/business/north-of-scotland/1332641/new-flights-give-swiss-role-to-north-airport/

Weekly flight to ZUR for S18, a 9wk run from 3/7/18.

[cornishsimon]

BA to increase capacity on LHR-INV effective summer 18

up 7 to 10 flights per week

[SealinkBF]

Great to see a late night departure from Inverness on those extra rotations.

[BAladdy]

Wonder if BA will increase the frequency on the LHR service even further for S19. It would be good to see a 3 times daily with a aircraft nightstopping in INV

[DANbudgieman]

Gee wouldn't that be just swell. Inverness would only be getting back what it already had before BA swallowed up Dan Air. Nice to see that somebody might be starting to see the light after 25 years or so....

[Porrohman]

Tuesday's Flybe flight BE831 from Birmingham was on approach to Inverness when it encountered a "suspected technical fault". It diverted to Edinburgh and squawked 7700. The news report doesn't identify the nature of the issue but the aircraft landed safely with emergency services on standby.

Source; http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-43301389

[Breathe]

Will the reopening of the old Dalcross railway station have much of an impact on passenger numbers travelling to/from INV?

[CabinCrewe]

I would doubt it. People who want to /need to go to INV will be going whether Dalcross reopened or not. It perhaps may make some future journeys easier.

[Link Kilo]

New masterplan published. Includes an option to relocate the terminal to the south of the runway, adjacent to the proposed railway station.

https://www.invernessairport.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Inverness-Airport-Master-Plan-2020-Condensed-Consultation-Version.pdf

[topoverhaul]

Integrated Rail Air Terminal is required for all the Scottish Airports where the line runs adjacent to the airport, but the opposite side from the current Terminal, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness.

[bad bear]

Page 5 is interesting, the number of passengers for 2020 appears to incorrect by 90% and everyone in the industry agrees we won't be back to 2019 levels for many years, so, why publish a graph like this in feb 2021 when its clearly wrong and misleading?

[SKOJB]

Suggesting near on 2m pax with only 19000 ATM’s, don’t think so!

[ATIS31]

All pie in the sky considering where we are just now and will be years before we get back to 2019 passenger levels. At a time where major airports are cancelling expansion plans and yet HIAL is planning expansion !
I would fully expect them to forge ahead with the new terminal idea on the other side of the airport regardless of cost after all it is Inverness !

[Skipness One Foxtrot]

I would expect a strong domestic summer and autumn and a very strong return in 2022 as international freedoms are restored. Why so pessimistic?

[davidjohnson6]

How much of Inverness' traffic is based around business + inbound tourism from outside the UK.... and how much of it is locally originating leisure traffic ? Have local tourism organisations reported what leisure bookings have been like so far for the summer ? IWhile Cornwall is expecting a strong tourist summer season, I am reluctant to infer that Inverness is similiar)

[scr1]

ATC going on strike again

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-57833657

[Breathe]

Network Rail has announced that work on the new station at Inverness Airport has begun. Due to complete December 2022.

https://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/inverness-airport-station-build-is-underway

Work is now underway to create the new Inverness Airport station with the start of construction of the platforms at Dalcross.

The plans for the new £14m facility will see the construction of a two-platform station on the Aberdeen-Inverness line with step-free access, via a footbridge with lifts, on the site adjacent to Inverness airport.

The station will have 64 car parking spaces with 10 electric charging facilities, four disabled spaces and cycle parking. There will be a new access road to the station for motorists and access to both platforms for pedestrians and cyclists.

Hitrans has significantly upgraded the existing active travel path between the new station and the airport terminal and two buses an hour will initially link the station and the airport.

Work from now until the end of December will see the creation of embankments, and the start of construction work on the new platforms, including the concrete lift shafts and footbridge foundations.

The development also comes with the advantage of closing the level crossing at Petty which will improve the safety of the line and the operation of the new station, which is due for completion in December 2022.

Graeme Dey, Minister for Transport, said: “It is great to see work getting underway on what will be an exciting development both for Inverness Airport and for the surrounding communities.

“The start of work on-site is a significant step towards delivery of this sustainable travel interchange, which has been made possible by a £14 million Scottish Government investment as part of our commitment to a fairer, greener Scotland.

“By making Inverness Airport more accessible for passengers and staff alike, we can deliver improved travel links to the growing Inverness Airport Business Park and the new town of Tornagrain. This is particularly important as we continue to pursue a green recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Alex Hynes, managing director of Scotland’s Railway, said: “Scotland’s Railway has a great record of opening new stations and new lines, which help to drive further investment in communities and create new opportunities for local people.

“The construction of the new Inverness Airport station will help enhance the area by giving travellers another route to the airport and will open-up transport links and improve connectivity.

“We are committed to working alongside the Scottish Government to open up our railway to as many communities as possible across Scotland and look forward to welcoming this new station onto the network.

“This is an exciting project that has the potential to transform travel options to the airport - and getting on-site to start the build is a significant milestone in the progression of the project. We will work with our partners to deliver this new station as quickly as possible for our customers and the wider community.”

Councillor Trish Robertson, Highland Councils Strategic Chair, said: “The Council has provided over £100K towards the cost of this project, which will deliver significant benefits to the Inverness community, improving access to the airport and making the area more attractive for inward investment and housing growth, which will both support local communities and the economy.

“I look forward to seeing the works progress rapidly.”

[Asturias56]

About time too

[CabinCrewe]

Out of all Scottish airports needing a heavy rail link its a curious choice to invest but may be the cheapest given proximity of existing line.

[ELondonPax]

As well as the airport, the new station will also serve a new housing development which is being built near the station site (between Tornagrain and Croy)

[bad bear]

looking at the Inverness departures on FR24 the airfield seems even quieter than I remembered averaging less than 1 scheduled flight per hour in or out. Nothing arriving from the south till after 11 am, is Inverness normally this quiet? has covid changed people's commuting and business habits?

[SealinkBF]

Aurigny offering a one off service.
17 DEC INV GCI

20 DEC GCI INV

[KindaUnstuck]

I think they are operating a IOM - INV - IOM charter over that weekend as they have been advertising the GCI - IOM - GCI positioning flights for sale to Guernsey residents and the INV-GCI-INV flights to Scottish residents - priced £49 each way including baggage and seat selection.

I would have booked for a few nights and gone back down via London if I had leave for work available but judging by the Aurigny website they've already sold 41 of the 72 seats which is a good sign.

[ATIS31]

https://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/controversial-plans-for-a-single-highland-remote-air-traffic-262182/

They've only waisted £9m already. What is the point in relocating Inverness tower into the city centre just leave it where it is

[bad bear]

Does Inverness really have only 6 scheduled flights ( as opposed to charter or mail) for the whole of Tuesday?

[C_M_I]

Does Inverness really have only 6 scheduled flights ( as opposed to charter or mail) for the whole of Tuesday?

There are only 5 scheduled flights on Tuesday (Gatwick, Manchester, Kirkwall and 2 x Stornoway) and 3 scheduled flights on Wednesday (Gatwick and 2 x Stornoway). At the moment there are very few schedules on any day and none on a Saturday.

[CabinCrewe]

Does Inverness really have only 6 scheduled flights ( as opposed to charter or mail) for the whole of Tuesday?
Why is that a huge surprise in current circumstances in the depths of winter?

[compton3bravo]

I think you will find that easyJet reinstate flights to Gatwick and Luton on Saturdays from the end of next week.

[fjencl]

easyJet will commence flights from Monday 27th June on a Monday and Friday ONLY.

However from 25th July it will be operating 4 days a week namely on a Monday Thursday Friday & Sunday.

All available to book now..........

[VickersVicount]

BA LHR-INV being ‘butchered’ over the summer schedule. ‘low occupancy’ and ‘staffing’ being cited…
Will be interesting to see if the 0700 service returns
Could be another LBA

[ajamieson]

This seems ... eccentric

Inverness in line for flights to France under plans by new airline
https://www.heraldscotland.com/business_hq/23140862.inverness-line-flights-france-plans-new-airline/

[SWBKCB]

I wonder are they going to replace the fishing flights and sell the spare seats?

[SealinkBF]

This seems ... eccentric

Inverness in line for flights to France under plans by new airline
https://www.heraldscotland.com/business_hq/23140862.inverness-line-flights-france-plans-new-airline/

Bonkers.

[davidjohnson6]

Surprised nobody mentioned the opening of Inverness Airport railway station last month...

[Asturias56]

It was a fairly "soft" opening IIRC - and with various strikes it wasn't certain when the first train would actually stop there

[fjencl]

KLM is set to increase their daily flight to and from Inverness at the end of the month.

KLM have announced that from March 27 to October 28 they will be offering up to three daily flights between Inverness Airport and Amsterdam.

[CabinCrewe]

KLM is set to increase their daily flight to and from Inverness at the end of the month.

KLM have announced that from March 27 to October 28 they will be offering up to three daily flights between Inverness Airport and Amsterdam.
Wow thats great news for INV. Wonder what the mix of Inbound tourism vs Outbound connections is. Maybe an LH FRA next?

[SealinkBF]

BA going to one flight a day for winter timetable. No overnight stop for aircraft so day returns no longer possible.

[jaml]

BA going to one flight a day for winter timetable. No overnight stop for aircraft so day returns no longer possible.


Seems a strange one this - BA have carried a record number of passengers on INV-LHR during 2023 predominately on a double daily rotation using A320's. Indeed the latest load factors I can source (May 2023) show the total pax carried that month was circa 16,100. There were a number of cancellations during May but even taking an average over 31 days gives 139 pax per flight which is not too shabby a load factor. Looking back at last winter's pax figures they carried 12,500 pax in Nov 22 and 12,900 in Feb 23 which is about 416 pax a day in Nov and 460 pax per day in Feb. Reducing from the current 2 rotations/day to just one will reduce the number of seats to about 340 per day so a definite reduction in capacity to the detriment of the route. I recently flew with BA on INV - NAP and was surprised that the LHR - NAP sector was operated by Finnair. Are BA resources that thin that they now have to reduce the number of routes being operated ?

[Atlantic Explorer]

Seems a strange one this - BA have carried a record number of passengers on INV-LHR during 2023 predominately on a double daily rotation using A320's. Indeed the latest load factors I can source (May 2023) show the total pax carried that month was circa 16,100. There were a number of cancellations during May but even taking an average over 31 days gives 139 pax per flight which is not too shabby a load factor. Looking back at last winter's pax figures they carried 12,500 pax in Nov 22 and 12,900 in Feb 23 which is about 416 pax a day in Nov and 460 pax per day in Feb. Reducing from the current 2 rotations/day to just one will reduce the number of seats to about 340 per day so a definite reduction in capacity to the detriment of the route. I recently flew with BA on INV - NAP and was surprised that the LHR - NAP sector was operated by Finnair. Are BA resources that thin that they now have to reduce the number of routes being operated ?

Yes BA resources are thin. Finnair are operating a large number of sectors from LHR this summer.

[Asturias56]

and they're a much better airline

[LTNman]

So the airport to use for connections is Amsterdam via KLM leaving BA fighting it out with Easyjet for point to point London traffic.

[Asturias56]

BA going to one flight a day for winter timetable. No overnight stop for aircraft so day returns no longer possible.

How many people need a day return to/from Inverness (or London) - by the time you get to and from LHR half the day is gone anyway

[SealinkBF]

How many people need a day return to/from Inverness (or London) - by the time you get to and from LHR half the day is gone anyway

Not when there was a 0700hrs-ish departure.

[Asturias56]

Still can't see a vast demand for a day trip - maybe 5 or 6 people?

[fjencl]

There was a suggestion perhaps back last year early on that Loganair Inverness were going to be a ATR72-600 base only, is that happening still or nothing more said about it.

[scr1]

There was a suggestion perhaps back last year early on that Loganair Inverness were going to be a ATR72-600 base only, is that happening still or nothing more said about it.


Just one pax ATR now and the mail ones are going to GLA in June