An airline that serves the northern isles has announced it is going to introduce a compassionate fares discount scheme to help people under duress.
Loganair chief executive Stewart Adams said the company would extend its current concessionary scheme for hospital visitors to include visits for family funerals.
He made the commitment during a five-hour meeting with members of the online Islanders against Flybe and Loganair’s Excessive Prices social media group and Orkney and Shetland MP Alistair Carmichael.
The news was welcomed by lead campaigner Scott Preston, whose online group has more than 14,500 members, and the politician who said the talks were “the most productive and constructive” he had known.
Speaking after the meeting in Sumburgh, Shetland on Thursday, Mr Adams said: “We’ve given a commitment that we want to extend the current concessionary fare scheme for hospital visitors to include visits for family funerals.
“We have asked the group for its input in helping to design how this would work in practice.
“This should make a real difference to our passengers at times when they need our help and understanding.”
Mr Adams admitted that reliability of flights between the mainland and islands had “simply not been good enough in recent months” and must improve.
He said the company was expanding its team of technicians and engineers, had bought four new aircraft, with another one on the way next year, and invested heavily in a new spares facility in Glasgow to avoid waiting for parts to be shipped in from elsewhere.
Mr Adams said all 570 staff had been told that reliability was the top priority and moved to dispel misconceptions about ticket pricing.
He added that Loganair’s fares had increased by an average of 2% over the past eight years and the average profit on scheduled routes was £8 per passenger – margins that are lower than easyjet and Ryanair.
Mr Preston said he hoped the compassionate discount scheme would be introduced very soon.
Referring to concerns about reliability, the campaigner said: “It is clear that this is a matter of professional pride to Mr Adams that this issue be resolved.
Mr Preston said he hoped to discuss Highland and Islands Airports Ltd charges, which have a bearing on fare prices, with Transport Minister Derek Mackay on July 7.