Loganair has reported its highest number of passengers on its flights to and from Shetland since the Covid pandemic.
The Tall Ships – held in Lerwick last week – have helped boost the airline’s total passenger numbers this month to around 16,400.
That’s around 10% higher than they were in July 2022, which was the previous busiest month since the pandemic.
Passengers numbers have also been boosted by the airline’s development of tourism business to the Scottish islands from US visitors.
This has been further helped by a record number of non-stop flights from the USA to Edinburgh this year.
Dedicated Loganair team
Jonathan Hinkles, chief executive of Loganair, said: “Loganair is delighted to be supporting Shetland’s efforts to host the Tall Ships Race, with extra flights and more seats laid on, together with logistical support for key functions in the performing arts and ships’ crew change sectors which form part of the hosting.
“Major events such as these underpin our year-round commitment to Shetland’s air services and our local employment at Sumburgh Airport, where Loganair employs a team of 36 to look after both our scheduled flights and regular flights delivering Shetland’s mail and servicing the offshore energy industry.”
Across the last three months, the airline has operated 1,107 of its scheduled 1,119 flights to and from Shetland – achieving a reliability record, excluding weather events, of 99% on Shetland flights.
Increase in passengers
A number of Loganair routes have recorded a growth in numbers, including the key link to Aberdeen served by the 72-seat ATR72 aircraft.
On this route, passenger numbers are up 20% compared to last July.
The largest growth has been recorded on the Shetland-Dundee-London route, based at Heathrow’s Terminal Two, with a 56% increase.