Amended Availability of Glasgow to Tiree Flights – Summer 2018 and Winter 2018/19
Following a meeting of the Tiree Transport Forum (TTF) on Thursday 08th February 2018 with Michael Bratcher (Head of Aviation, Transport Scotland) and Johnathan Hinckles (CEO, Loganair), it was clear from discussions that there was limited funding available from Transport Scotland to support any requests from the Tiree Community for additional flights on the Glasgow to Tiree route over the Summer 2018, including any additional flights (over and above standard flight scheduling) in support of key island events such as the Tiree Music Festival, Tiree 10k / Half Marathon and the Tiree Ultra.
Following agreement with the TTF and Loganair, Mr. Bratcher was however in a position to offer the introduction of a ‘Banked System’ of flights on the Glasgow to Tiree air-service to be trialled over the Summer 2018 Timetable and the Winter Timetable 2018/19 where there shall be an increase of 20 flights to the Summer 2018 Timetable, offset by a drop of 20 flights to the Winter 2018/19 Timetable, introducing a ‘cost neutral’ system to the current Public Service Obligation (PSO) to better support, in particular, the summertime air travel demands to/from Tiree.
This shall result in the following changes to the Summer 2018 Timetable:-
- An additional third flight from Glasgow to Tiree on Saturdays (late morning) using the Twin Otter aircraft from Saturday 30th June 2018 till Saturday 01st September 2018;
- Three additional Glasgow to Tiree Twin Otter flights over the Tiree 10k / Half Marathon Weekend – 05th May 2018 (as provided for last year’s event);
- Four additional Glasgow to Tiree Twin Otter flights over the Tiree Music Festival Weekend – 13th to 15th July 2018 (as provided for last year’s event);
- Three additional Glasgow to Tiree Twin Otter flights over the Tiree Ultra Marathon Weekend – 09th September 2018 (as provided for last year’s event).
**Note – These additional flights should be available on the Loganair Website from late February
2018.
The following changes shall then be applicable to the Winter 2018/19 Timetable:-
- Reduction of Winter Saturday Glasgow to Tiree flights from 02 to 01 commencing from Saturday 28th October 2018 to Saturday 16th December 2018 – Late morning flights expected but yet to be confirmed by Loganair;
- Reduction of Winter Saturday Glasgow flights from 02 to 01 commencing from Saturday 05th January 2019 to Saturday 23rd March 2019 – Late morning flights expected but yet to be confirmed by Loganair.
As previously stated, the above amended Glasgow to Tiree air-service timetables are a trial over the Summer 2018 and Winter 2018/19, if any air travellers are unhappy with the amended timetables please contact me directly on the following email address and your comments shall be reviewed as part of the air-service timetabling review next February.
John MacCaskill
Chair – Tiree Transport Forum