Concerns have been raised by the Greens over plans to implement cheap flights between Wick and Aberdeen.
Last week Eastern Airways said it would be offering discounted flights in July.
Flights between the two places have been reduced to £49.99 per seat, with booking open from July 1 until August 31.
The move takes hours off a journey to the city, but it has not been universally welcomed.
Green councillor Ryan MacKintosh, has voiced his concerns over the choices made by Highland Council “and the Scottish Government” in promoting cheap flights from Caithness.
Concerns raised about Wick flights
The Inverness west councillor said: “It is even more disheartening to witness Highland Council allocating an additional £300,000 towards the initiative while simultaneously stripping £734,000 earmarked for climate action.”
Highland Council supports Eastern Airways flights between Wick John O’Groats airport and Aberdeen Airport under a public service obligation (PSO) of £300,000 a year. The PSO has been in place since April 2022.
He continued: “This administration’s actions highlight a lack of awareness and ideas for a cleaner, greener future.
“If more of the allocated funds had been dedicated to enhancing services for these communities over the years, there would be no need for Highland Council to trumpet these climate-compromising press releases as triumphs on internal investment.
“By investing in sustainable transportation options and allocating resources towards energy efficiency measures, we can work towards a more environmentally friendly and economically viable Highland.”
Highlands and Islands Greens’ co-convener Anne Thomas backed the councillor.
She said: “We in the Scottish Greens have always understood the need to balance the delicate needs of remote and rural communities alongside the fight against climate change.
“At a time when France is banning short haul flights in favour of train travel, this is a signal that Highland Council and Scottish Government are making the wrong choices by promoting cheap flights between Wick and Aberdeen.”
Train travel ‘actually’ cheaper
“A train ticket between Wick and Aberdeen is actually cheaper during the same period even than the subsided and promoted seats on these planes – but due to years of neglect to the infrastructure of our remote, rural locations like Caithness, it takes six times as long.”
A train ticket between Wick and Aberdeen costs £26.80 if booked in advance, and residents can apply for a railcard that reduces the fare. The fastest train takes six hours and 51 minutes, with one change in Inverness.
Eastern Airways operates two services between Wick and Aberdeen every weekday, and one on Sundays. Return flights run on the same frequency.
Journeys take roughly 40 minutes.
Last week, Highland Council leader Raymond Bremner said: “The council has been delighted to support the delivery of lifeline air services from the North Highlands for over a year now, providing almost 9,000 passengers a fast, affordable and reliable way to travel between Wick and Aberdeen.
He added: “It is vital to us that this service continues to grow and evolve in line with the needs of the communities it serves, and the wider piece of work that this promotion is supporting will help to generate really valuable data, enabling us to deliver an even better service to the North Highlands.”
