Overview
- Loganair announced in mid-June that from July 19 it will reduce daily flights between Inverness and Stornoway, Orkney (Kirkwall) and Shetland (Sumburgh) to weekend-only services.
- The airline's chief executive said sharply higher fuel bills, escalating aircraft repair costs and increased airport fees and route charges made the low‑passenger routes uneconomic at current funding levels.
- Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (Hial), owned by the Scottish Government, has offered a conditional support package and Transport Scotland has been engaged in talks.
- Loganair says full daily schedules could resume in October if additional, affordable funding is secured, making restoration dependent on the outcome of negotiations.
- The cuts come during a wider 2026 trend of UK and European carriers scaling back services because of rising operating and maintenance costs, a shift that could reduce summer connectivity for island communities and businesses.