Loganair
Encyclopedia
Loganair is a Scottish airline
with its registered office on the grounds of Glasgow International Airport
and in Paisley
, Renfrewshire
, Scotland
. Loganair operates scheduled services under a Flybe
franchise in mainland Scotland and to Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles. In addition it operates a service to Belfast City - Northern Ireland
and to Birmingham
from its Dundee
base. Its tag line is "Scotland's Airline". It also provides services for the Scottish Air Ambulance Service and night mail services on behalf of Royal Mail
. In addition to its main base at Glasgow, the airline has hubs at Edinburgh Airport
, Inverness Airport
, Dundee Airport
and Aberdeen Airport
.
The company holds a United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority Type A Operating Licence. It is permitted to carry passengers, cargo and mail on aircraft with 20 or more seats. Loganair was founded in 1962 and despite the ownership of the company changing hands on several occasions it has always operated under the same name and callsign making it the United Kingdom's oldest operating airline.
On 8th July 2011, it was announced that Loganair had agreed to purchase Cambridge based ScotAirways
. The airline will continue to trade as a separate entity (using its original name of Suckling Airways) and holding its own licences and approvals.
service of the Logan Construction Company Ltd, operating a single Piper Aztec
from Edinburgh
to the city of Dundee
. Almost immediately, it was apparent that there was a demand for scheduled services in addition to the primary role as an air taxi, and as such Loganair's fleet grew. As the network expanded to take in more remote islands and communities, Loganair's scheduled network began to emerge.
In 1964 Loganair commenced an inter-island scheduled network in Orkney, and a similar network in Shetland began in 1970. In 1966, after Renfrew Airport
closed, the airline established its head office at Glasgow Airport
. The airline's strong association with these island communities continues today. Air ambulance
services were established in 1967 covering Coll
, Colonsay
, Oronsay
, Mull
and Oban
. Loganair continued to maintain its relationship with the Scottish Ambulance Service
and continued to provide air ambulance cover with dedicated Britten-Norman Islander
aircraft at Glasgow
, Kirkwall
and Lerwick
. However, this aspect of operations ceased on 31 March 2006 when a new contract was awarded to Gama Aviation
to provide the service using Beechcraft B200C King Air
aircraft and Eurocopter EC-135 helicopters.
Under the ownership of the Royal Bank of Scotland
between 1968 and 1983, the Loganair network, serving the Highlands and Islands
, was assuming its now familiar shape. The growth was spurred by the rationalisation program that British Airways
commenced in 1975 with the transfer of "thin" routes to Loganair. Loganair's scheduled network grew, and Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles were served comprehensively from Glasgow and Edinburgh, and mainland routes were now firmly established. In 1979, Loganair launched an air service between Glasgow and Derry
, with Northern Ireland becoming the focus of expansion, as the stage was now set for the next major step forward — a hub of business routes.
Firmly established as Scotland's Airline, new horizons were sought, and in 1980 Loganair took over the Belfast
to Edinburgh route from British Airways. In 1981, Loganair faced the might of the flag carrier
and competed on the Glasgow to Belfast route, stealthily managing to win market share
by transferring its operations to Belfast City Airport. Manchester
then became the focus of attention, as Loganair commenced daily services to Edinburgh, Belfast City and Glasgow.
With business traffic representing an ever-increasing proportion of Loganair's annual passenger carryings, Loganair acquired larger aircraft: the Shorts 360
and Fokker Friendship. In September 1983, the British Midland
Group took a controlling interest in Loganair, and riding a wave of success and optimism the time came for Loganair to enter the jet
market. The BAe 146-200
jet, known as the "Whisper Jet", was at the forefront of short-haul aircraft technology, providing a high level of passenger
comfort and load-carrying capacity, and two jets were brought into the fleet to expand the growing network to include services to the Channel Islands
and mainland Europe
. In December 1983 it became a subsidiary of the Airlines of Britain Group.
The fleet continued to grow with the acquisition of BAe Jetstream 31, Jetstream 41, and ATP aircraft, and in the late 1980s Loganair had a comprehensive schedule and charter network. Loganair became the second busiest airline at Manchester, the dominant carrier at Belfast City airport, and a significant player in the development of scheduled services at Southampton
. With aircraft utilisation being such a vital factor, Loganair also secured contracts with the Post Office
for the night movement of mail
and datapost.
However, the promising eighties gave way to the turbulent nineties, and a reorganisation of British Midland Group activities in 1994 saw the transfer of Loganair's cross-border services and associated aircraft to Manx Airlines
(Europe). This consolidation of services led to the formation of a new airline, British Regional Airline (BRA Ltd). July 1994 also saw the significant forging of a relationship between Loganair and British Airways in Scotland, as Loganair became British Airways' second franchise
operator, with the residual Scottish internal routes being flown in British Airways livery. Whilst still under the ownership of the British Midland Group, a further transfer of the main internal Scottish services took place in 1996.
The route network and operations that were left under the control of Loganair, with aircraft including one De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
and five Britten Norman Islanders,were subject to a management
buy-out in 1997.
In June 2005, Loganair was awarded a contract from the Irish Government
to operate a daily return service from Knock to Dublin. The public service obligation route operated for a period of 3 years as British Airways, with effect from 22 July 2005. The operation ceased in July 2008, lost to Aer Arann
.
The airline continues to expand, and in November 2003 it announced its intention to purchase a tranche of routes from British Airways' Citiexpress subsidiary with effect from March 2004. The seven routes acquired from British Airways Citiexpress
were Glasgow - Stornoway, Glasgow - Benbecula
, Glasgow - Belfast, Glasgow - Isle of Man
, Glasgow - Aberdeen
, Aberdeen - Shetland and Edinburgh - Belfast. Loganair continued to operate BA's BAe ATPs on these services until 28 May 2005, when further Saab 340 aircraft were purchased to replace them.
and Papa Westray Airport
.
, as the Twin Otter aircraft used on the route land on the beach
. The Twin Otters continue to be used by the company due their ability to land and depart on this unique 'runway' environment.
, Loganair's services were operated under British Airways flight
codes and flights were sold through British Airways and the airline participated in BA's Executive Club and BA Miles programme. Loganair was also an affiliate
member of Oneworld
.
The franchise service was removed from Loganair's inter-island operations carried out by their Islander fleet within the Orkney and Shetland Islands in 2004. Loganair now market these flights under their own brand name, and not the BA name.
From 26 October 2008 Loganair is a Flybe
franchise airline, operating in Flybe colours on all routes. Flights are now sold on flybe.com.
Much of the airline's Saab and Twin Otter maintenance is carried out at Loganair's Glasgow hangar. Usually, there will be 1 or 2 Saabs and 1 Twin Otter in the hangar. The Twin Otters require special attention after every day's flying to remove any salt accumulated during landings at Barra's beach airport.
The airline's Britten-Norman Islander maintenance is carried out at Kirkwall.
The Loganair fleet includes the following aircraft (at November 2010):
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
with its registered office on the grounds of Glasgow International Airport
Glasgow International Airport
Glasgow International Airport is an international airport in Scotland, located west of Glasgow city centre, near the towns of Paisley and Renfrew in Renfrewshire...
and in Paisley
Paisley
Paisley is the largest town in the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland and serves as the administrative centre for the Renfrewshire council area...
, Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire is one of 32 council areas used for local government in Scotland. Located in the west central Lowlands, it is one of three council areas contained within the boundaries of the historic county of Renfrewshire, the others being Inverclyde to the west and East Renfrewshire to the east...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Loganair operates scheduled services under a Flybe
Flybe
Flybe Group PLC is a British low-cost regional airline headquartered at the Jack Walker House at Exeter International Airport in Devon, England...
franchise in mainland Scotland and to Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles. In addition it operates a service to Belfast City - Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
and to Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
from its Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
base. Its tag line is "Scotland's Airline". It also provides services for the Scottish Air Ambulance Service and night mail services on behalf of Royal Mail
Royal Mail
Royal Mail is the government-owned postal service in the United Kingdom. Royal Mail Holdings plc owns Royal Mail Group Limited, which in turn operates the brands Royal Mail and Parcelforce Worldwide...
. In addition to its main base at Glasgow, the airline has hubs at Edinburgh Airport
Edinburgh Airport
Edinburgh Airport is located at Turnhouse in the City of Edinburgh, Scotland, and was the busiest airport in Scotland in 2010, handling just under 8.6 million passengers in that year. It was also the sixth busiest airport in the UK by passengers and the fifth busiest by aircraft movements...
, Inverness Airport
Inverness Airport
Inverness Airport is an international airport situated at Dalcross, north east of the city of Inverness in Highland, Scotland. The airport is the main gateway for travellers to the north of Scotland with a wide range of scheduled services throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland, and limited...
, Dundee Airport
Dundee Airport
-Road:The airport lies on the main A85 Riverside Drive, which links the city centre to the Kingsway and the A90, with the airport barely a couple of kilometers from the city centre itself. Taxis are available from outside the airport.-Bus:...
and Aberdeen Airport
Aberdeen Airport
Aberdeen Airport is an international airport, located at Dyce, a suburb of Aberdeen, Scotland, approximately northwest of Aberdeen city centre. 2.76 million passengers used Aberdeen Airport in 2010, a reduction of 7.4% compared with 2009, making it the 15th busiest airport in the UK...
.
The company holds a United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority Type A Operating Licence. It is permitted to carry passengers, cargo and mail on aircraft with 20 or more seats. Loganair was founded in 1962 and despite the ownership of the company changing hands on several occasions it has always operated under the same name and callsign making it the United Kingdom's oldest operating airline.
On 8th July 2011, it was announced that Loganair had agreed to purchase Cambridge based ScotAirways
ScotAirways
Suckling Airways is an airline that focuses on ACMI work and ad hoc corporate charters for business and sporting organisations...
. The airline will continue to trade as a separate entity (using its original name of Suckling Airways) and holding its own licences and approvals.
History
Loganair was established on 1 February 1962 as the air taxiAir taxi
An air taxi is an air charter passenger or cargo aircraft which operates on an on-demand basis.-Regulation:In the United States, air taxi and air charter operations are governed by Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations , unlike the larger scheduled air carriers which are governed by more...
service of the Logan Construction Company Ltd, operating a single Piper Aztec
Piper Aztec
-Accidents and incidents:*On 18 April 1974, Aztec G-AYDE was involved in a ground collision with BAC One-Eleven G-AXMJ at London Luton Airport after the pilot of the Aztec entered the active runway without clearance. He was killed and his passenger was injured...
from Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
to the city of Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
. Almost immediately, it was apparent that there was a demand for scheduled services in addition to the primary role as an air taxi, and as such Loganair's fleet grew. As the network expanded to take in more remote islands and communities, Loganair's scheduled network began to emerge.
In 1964 Loganair commenced an inter-island scheduled network in Orkney, and a similar network in Shetland began in 1970. In 1966, after Renfrew Airport
Renfrew Airport
Renfrew Airport was the former domestic airport serving the city of Glasgow until it was decommissioned in 1966.It was located in the Newmains area of Renfrew, approximately 2 kilometres east of Abbotsinch Airfield which would eventually replace it...
closed, the airline established its head office at Glasgow Airport
Glasgow Airport
Glasgow Airport may refer to:*Glasgow International Airport, in Renfrewshire, the primary airport serving Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom.*Glasgow Airport , also known as Wokal Field, in Glasgow, Montana, United States.It may also refer to:...
. The airline's strong association with these island communities continues today. Air ambulance
Air ambulance
An air ambulance is an aircraft used for emergency medical assistance in situations where either a traditional ambulance cannot reach the scene easily or quickly enough, or the patient needs to be transported over a distance or terrain that makes air transportation the most practical transport....
services were established in 1967 covering Coll
Coll
Coll is a small island, west of Mull in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. Coll is known for its sandy beaches, which rise to form large sand dunes, for its corncrakes, and for Breachacha Castle.-Geography and geology:...
, Colonsay
Colonsay
Colonsay is an island in the Scottish Inner Hebrides, located north of Islay and south of Mull and has an area of . It is the ancestral home of Clan Macfie and the Colonsay branch of Clan MacNeill. Aligned on a south-west to north-east axis, it measures in length and reaches at its widest...
, Oronsay
Oronsay
This is a list of islands called Oronsay , which provides an index for islands in Scotland with this and similar names. It is one of the more common names for Scottish islands. The names come from Örfirisey which translates from Old Norse as "tidal" or "ebb island"...
, Mull
Isle of Mull
The Isle of Mull or simply Mull is the second largest island of the Inner Hebrides, off the west coast of Scotland in the council area of Argyll and Bute....
and Oban
Oban
Oban Oban Oban ( is a resort town within the Argyll and Bute council area of Scotland. It has a total resident population of 8,120. Despite its small size, it is the largest town between Helensburgh and Fort William and during the tourist season the town can be crowded by up to 25,000 people. Oban...
. Loganair continued to maintain its relationship with the Scottish Ambulance Service
Scottish Ambulance Service
The Scottish Ambulance Service is part of NHS Scotland, and serves all of Scotland. It is a Special Health Board funded directly by the Scottish Government Health Department....
and continued to provide air ambulance cover with dedicated Britten-Norman Islander
Britten-Norman Islander
The Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander is a 1960s British light utility aircraft, regional airliner and cargo aircraft designed and originally manufactured by Britten-Norman of the United Kingdom. The Islander is one of the best-selling commercial aircraft types produced in Europe. Although designed in...
aircraft at Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Kirkwall
Kirkwall
Kirkwall is the biggest town and capital of Orkney, off the coast of northern mainland Scotland. The town is first mentioned in Orkneyinga saga in the year 1046 when it is recorded as the residence of Rögnvald Brusason the Earl of Orkney, who was killed by his uncle Thorfinn the Mighty...
and Lerwick
Lerwick
Lerwick is the capital and main port of the Shetland Islands, Scotland, located more than 100 miles off the north coast of mainland Scotland on the east coast of the Shetland Mainland...
. However, this aspect of operations ceased on 31 March 2006 when a new contract was awarded to Gama Aviation
Gama Aviation
Gama Aviation Limited is an executive airline based at Farnborough Airport in the United Kingdom. It operates business jet aircraft for charter, as well as offering aircraft management services worldwide....
to provide the service using Beechcraft B200C King Air
Beechcraft Super King Air
The Beechcraft Super King Air family is part of a line of twin-turboprop aircraft produced by the Beech Aircraft Corporation . The King Air line comprises a number of model series that fall into two families: the Model 90 series, Model 100 series , Model 200 series and Model 300 series...
aircraft and Eurocopter EC-135 helicopters.
Under the ownership of the Royal Bank of Scotland
Royal Bank of Scotland
The Royal Bank of Scotland Group is a British banking and insurance holding company in which the UK Government holds an 84% stake. This stake is held and managed through UK Financial Investments Limited, whose voting rights are limited to 75% in order for the bank to retain its listing on the...
between 1968 and 1983, the Loganair network, serving the Highlands and Islands
Highlands and Islands
The Highlands and Islands of Scotland are broadly the Scottish Highlands plus Orkney, Shetland and the Hebrides.The Highlands and Islands are sometimes defined as the area to which the Crofters' Act of 1886 applied...
, was assuming its now familiar shape. The growth was spurred by the rationalisation program that British Airways
British Airways
British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
commenced in 1975 with the transfer of "thin" routes to Loganair. Loganair's scheduled network grew, and Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles were served comprehensively from Glasgow and Edinburgh, and mainland routes were now firmly established. In 1979, Loganair launched an air service between Glasgow and Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
, with Northern Ireland becoming the focus of expansion, as the stage was now set for the next major step forward — a hub of business routes.
Firmly established as Scotland's Airline, new horizons were sought, and in 1980 Loganair took over the Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
to Edinburgh route from British Airways. In 1981, Loganair faced the might of the flag carrier
Flag carrier
A flag carrier is a transportation company, such as an airline or shipping company, that, being locally registered in a given country, enjoys preferential rights or privileges, accorded by the government, for international operations. It may be a state-run, state-owned or private but...
and competed on the Glasgow to Belfast route, stealthily managing to win market share
Market share
Market share is the percentage of a market accounted for by a specific entity. In a survey of nearly 200 senior marketing managers, 67 percent responded that they found the "dollar market share" metric very useful, while 61% found "unit market share" very useful.Marketers need to be able to...
by transferring its operations to Belfast City Airport. Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
then became the focus of attention, as Loganair commenced daily services to Edinburgh, Belfast City and Glasgow.
With business traffic representing an ever-increasing proportion of Loganair's annual passenger carryings, Loganair acquired larger aircraft: the Shorts 360
Shorts 360
The Short 360 is a commuter aircraft built by Short Brothers. The Short 360 seats up to 36-39 passengers and was introduced into service in 1981. It is a larger version of the Short 330.-Development:...
and Fokker Friendship. In September 1983, the British Midland
Bmi (airline)
British Midland Airways Limited , is an airline based at Donington Hall in Castle Donington in the United Kingdom, close to East Midlands Airport, and a fully owned subsidiary of Lufthansa...
Group took a controlling interest in Loganair, and riding a wave of success and optimism the time came for Loganair to enter the jet
Jet aircraft
A jet aircraft is an aircraft propelled by jet engines. Jet aircraft generally fly much faster than propeller-powered aircraft and at higher altitudes – as high as . At these altitudes, jet engines achieve maximum efficiency over long distances. The engines in propeller-powered aircraft...
market. The BAe 146-200
BAe 146
The British Aerospace 146 is a medium-sized commercial airliner formerly manufactured in the United Kingdom by British Aerospace, later part of BAE Systems. Production ran from 1983 until 2002. Manufacture of an improved version known as the Avro RJ began in 1992...
jet, known as the "Whisper Jet", was at the forefront of short-haul aircraft technology, providing a high level of passenger
Passenger
A passenger is a term broadly used to describe any person who travels in a vehicle, but bears little or no responsibility for the tasks required for that vehicle to arrive at its destination....
comfort and load-carrying capacity, and two jets were brought into the fleet to expand the growing network to include services to the Channel Islands
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...
and mainland Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. In December 1983 it became a subsidiary of the Airlines of Britain Group.
The fleet continued to grow with the acquisition of BAe Jetstream 31, Jetstream 41, and ATP aircraft, and in the late 1980s Loganair had a comprehensive schedule and charter network. Loganair became the second busiest airline at Manchester, the dominant carrier at Belfast City airport, and a significant player in the development of scheduled services at Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
. With aircraft utilisation being such a vital factor, Loganair also secured contracts with the Post Office
Royal Mail
Royal Mail is the government-owned postal service in the United Kingdom. Royal Mail Holdings plc owns Royal Mail Group Limited, which in turn operates the brands Royal Mail and Parcelforce Worldwide...
for the night movement of mail
Mail
Mail, or post, is a system for transporting letters and other tangible objects: written documents, typically enclosed in envelopes, and also small packages are delivered to destinations around the world. Anything sent through the postal system is called mail or post.In principle, a postal service...
and datapost.
However, the promising eighties gave way to the turbulent nineties, and a reorganisation of British Midland Group activities in 1994 saw the transfer of Loganair's cross-border services and associated aircraft to Manx Airlines
Manx Airlines
Manx Airlines was an Isle of Man based airline which existed between 1982 and 2002. Its head office was located on the grounds of Isle of Man Airport in Ballasalla, Malew. An airline of the same name had existed between 1947 and 1958.-History:...
(Europe). This consolidation of services led to the formation of a new airline, British Regional Airline (BRA Ltd). July 1994 also saw the significant forging of a relationship between Loganair and British Airways in Scotland, as Loganair became British Airways' second franchise
Franchising
Franchising is the practice of using another firm's successful business model. The word 'franchise' is of anglo-French derivation - from franc- meaning free, and is used both as a noun and as a verb....
operator, with the residual Scottish internal routes being flown in British Airways livery. Whilst still under the ownership of the British Midland Group, a further transfer of the main internal Scottish services took place in 1996.
De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
The DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian 19-passenger STOL utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada and currently produced by Viking Air. The aircraft's fixed tricycle undercarriage, STOL abilities and high rate of climb have made it a successful cargo, regional passenger airliner and MEDEVAC...
and five Britten Norman Islanders,were subject to a management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
buy-out in 1997.
In June 2005, Loganair was awarded a contract from the Irish Government
Irish Government
The Government of Ireland is the cabinet that exercises executive authority in Ireland.-Members of the Government:Membership of the Government is regulated fundamentally by the Constitution of Ireland. The Government is headed by a prime minister called the Taoiseach...
to operate a daily return service from Knock to Dublin. The public service obligation route operated for a period of 3 years as British Airways, with effect from 22 July 2005. The operation ceased in July 2008, lost to Aer Arann
Aer Arann
Aer Arann is a regional airline based in Dublin, Ireland. Aer Arann operates scheduled services from Ireland and the Isle of Man to destinations in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and France, with a fleet of 18 aircraft. Aer Arann has expanded from a single aircraft to Ireland's third largest airline...
.
The airline continues to expand, and in November 2003 it announced its intention to purchase a tranche of routes from British Airways' Citiexpress subsidiary with effect from March 2004. The seven routes acquired from British Airways Citiexpress
BA Connect
BA Connect was a fully owned subsidiary airline of British Airways. Headquartered in Didsbury, Manchester, England, it operated a network of domestic and European services from a number of airports in the United Kingdom on behalf of British Airways...
were Glasgow - Stornoway, Glasgow - Benbecula
Benbecula
Benbecula is an island of the Outer Hebrides in the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Scotland. In the 2001 census it had a usually resident population of 1,249, with a sizable percentage of Roman Catholics. It forms part of the area administered by Comhairle nan Eilean Siar or the Western...
, Glasgow - Belfast, Glasgow - Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
, Glasgow - Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, Aberdeen - Shetland and Edinburgh - Belfast. Loganair continued to operate BA's BAe ATPs on these services until 28 May 2005, when further Saab 340 aircraft were purchased to replace them.
World's shortest scheduled flight
Loganair operates the world's shortest scheduled flight, Loganair Flight 353, taking only 2 minutes to hop between Westray AirportWestray Airport
Westray Airport is an airport located at Aikerness, on Westray in the Orkney Islands, Scotland. It is best known for being one of the two airports joined by the shortest scheduled flight in the world, a leg of Loganair's inter-island service, to Papa Westray Airport...
and Papa Westray Airport
Papa Westray Airport
-External links:*...
.
Beach landing
Services to Barra are dependent on the tideTide
Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the moon and the sun and the rotation of the Earth....
, as the Twin Otter aircraft used on the route land on the beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
. The Twin Otters continue to be used by the company due their ability to land and depart on this unique 'runway' environment.
Franchise operation
Before October 2008 Loganair held a British Airways franchise. Under this agreementContract
A contract is an agreement entered into by two parties or more with the intention of creating a legal obligation, which may have elements in writing. Contracts can be made orally. The remedy for breach of contract can be "damages" or compensation of money. In equity, the remedy can be specific...
, Loganair's services were operated under British Airways flight
Flight
Flight is the process by which an object moves either through an atmosphere or beyond it by generating lift or propulsive thrust, or aerostatically using buoyancy, or by simple ballistic movement....
codes and flights were sold through British Airways and the airline participated in BA's Executive Club and BA Miles programme. Loganair was also an affiliate
Affiliate
An affiliate is a commercial entity with a relationship with a peer or a larger entity.- Corporate structure :A corporation may be referred to as an affiliate of another when it is related to it but not strictly controlled by it, as with a subsidiary relationship, or when it is desired to avoid...
member of Oneworld
Oneworld
Oneworld , branded as oneworld, is one of the world's three largest global airline alliances with its central management team, oneworld Management Company, based in New York City, New York, USA. Oneworld was founded in 1999 by American Airlines, British Airways, Canadian Airlines, Cathay Pacific...
.
The franchise service was removed from Loganair's inter-island operations carried out by their Islander fleet within the Orkney and Shetland Islands in 2004. Loganair now market these flights under their own brand name, and not the BA name.
From 26 October 2008 Loganair is a Flybe
Flybe
Flybe Group PLC is a British low-cost regional airline headquartered at the Jack Walker House at Exeter International Airport in Devon, England...
franchise airline, operating in Flybe colours on all routes. Flights are now sold on flybe.com.
Maintenance
Loganair's maintenance is carried out at Glasgow International Airport and at Kirkwall.Much of the airline's Saab and Twin Otter maintenance is carried out at Loganair's Glasgow hangar. Usually, there will be 1 or 2 Saabs and 1 Twin Otter in the hangar. The Twin Otters require special attention after every day's flying to remove any salt accumulated during landings at Barra's beach airport.
The airline's Britten-Norman Islander maintenance is carried out at Kirkwall.
Incidents and accidents
- In 1986, a Twin Otter 300 aircraft struck high ground on the island of IslayIslay-Prehistory:The earliest settlers on Islay were nomadic hunter-gatherers who arrived during the Mesolithic period after the retreat of the Pleistocene ice caps. In 1993 a flint arrowhead was found in a field near Bridgend dating from 10,800 BC, the earliest evidence of a human presence found so far...
in poor weather. The pilots had mistakenly identified the coastal village of LaphroaigLaphroaigLaphroaig , is an Islay single malt Scotch whisky distillery and brand name. It is named for the area of land at the head of Loch Laphroaig on the south coast of the Isle of Islay...
as the town of Port EllenPort EllenPort Ellen is a small town on the island of Islay, in Argyll, Scotland.Port Ellen is named after the wife of the founder, Frederick Campbell of Islay. Its previous name, Leòdamas, is derived from old Norse meaning "Leòd's Harbour"....
, near Islay's Glenegedale AirportIslay AirportIslay Airport is located north northwest of Port Ellen on the island of Islay in Argyll and Bute, off the west coast of Scotland. It is a small rural airport owned and maintained by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited.-History:The first airports appeared in Islay in the 1930s. However, these...
. There was one fatality. This was the UK's last major CFIT incident (See Loganair Flight 423)
- In 1996, a Britten-Norman Islander G-BEDZ was destroyed in Shetland. The accident occurred during a night time recovery to the aircraft's home base following a medical evacuation flight. The aircraft crashed short of the runway whilst attempting to land after a previous discontinued approach in strong gusting cross winds. The pilot has exercised his discretion to extend the period for which he was allowed to fly that day. The pilot's medical had expired nineteen days earlier thus invalidating his pilots licence. Loganair had not noticed that the pilot had been flying illegally for nearly three weeks. The pilot was killed in the crash. The doctor was seriously injured. A nurse seated at the rear of the aircraft sustained minor physical injuries. http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources.cfm?file=/dft_avsafety_pdf_501869.pdf
- In 2000, in two separate incidents within a few weeks, the same Loganair aircraft lost power to alternate engines due to faulty components.
- On 27 February 2001, a Shorts 360Shorts 360The Short 360 is a commuter aircraft built by Short Brothers. The Short 360 seats up to 36-39 passengers and was introduced into service in 1981. It is a larger version of the Short 330.-Development:...
(G-BNMT) operating a Royal MailRoyal MailRoyal Mail is the government-owned postal service in the United Kingdom. Royal Mail Holdings plc owns Royal Mail Group Limited, which in turn operates the brands Royal Mail and Parcelforce Worldwide...
flight to BelfastBelfastBelfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, crashed into the Firth of ForthFirth of ForthThe Firth of Forth is the estuary or firth of Scotland's River Forth, where it flows into the North Sea, between Fife to the north, and West Lothian, the City of Edinburgh and East Lothian to the south...
shortly after taking off from Edinburgh at 1730GMT. Both crew members were killed, but there were no passengers on board. A fatal accident inquiry later blamed a build up of slushSlushSlush can mean any of the following:* Slush — a slurry mixture of liquid and solid forms of water.* Slush — a pejorative and slang combination of the likewise derogatory terms slut and lush...
in the aircraft's engines for the crash. Protective covering had not been fitted to the engine intakes while the aircraft was parked for several hours in heavy snowSnowSnow is a form of precipitation within the Earth's atmosphere in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by...
at Edinburgh.
- 23 March 2001 the pilot of a Britten-Norman Islander aircraft was incapacitated in flight following his exposure to an improperly used hazardous chemical. The aircraft was landed safely when the single pilot on board recovered but he was left with long term health problems that required hospitalisation and left him disabled. Loganair did not submit an accident report to the AAIB as required, but did submit an account to the Civil Aviation Authority. Loganair acknowledged that their report "contains errors" and that a corrected report would be submitted. This was not done. Loganair were found to have been negligent in their primary duty of care to passengers and staff. The case features in the report of the Parliamentary Select Committee for Transport.
- On 15 March 2005 a Britten-Norman IslanderBritten-Norman IslanderThe Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander is a 1960s British light utility aircraft, regional airliner and cargo aircraft designed and originally manufactured by Britten-Norman of the United Kingdom. The Islander is one of the best-selling commercial aircraft types produced in Europe. Although designed in...
(G-BOMG) aircraft crashed into the sea while descending toward Campbeltown AirportCampbeltown AirportCampbeltown Airport is located at Machrihanish, west of Campbeltown, near the tip of the Kintyre peninsula in Argyll and Bute on the west coast of Scotland...
in western ScotlandScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The aircraft was operating on an air ambulanceAir ambulanceAn air ambulance is an aircraft used for emergency medical assistance in situations where either a traditional ambulance cannot reach the scene easily or quickly enough, or the patient needs to be transported over a distance or terrain that makes air transportation the most practical transport....
flight and was not on a scheduled journey. The one crew member and one passenger (a ParamedicParamedicA paramedic is a healthcare professional that works in emergency medical situations. Paramedics provide advanced levels of care for medical emergencies and trauma. The majority of paramedics are based in the field in ambulances, emergency response vehicles, or in specialist mobile units such as...
with the Scottish Ambulance ServiceScottish Ambulance ServiceThe Scottish Ambulance Service is part of NHS Scotland, and serves all of Scotland. It is a Special Health Board funded directly by the Scottish Government Health Department....
) both died in the crash.
- On 18th Dec 2010 a Britten-Norman Islander G-BPCA carried out a visual approach to land at Kirkwall Airport. During the final stages of the approach the pilot lost visual references as the aircraft was enveloped in a snow shower. Although he could not see the runway the pilot elected to continue the landing. The aircraft landed 20m away from the runway. http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources.cfm?file=/BN2B-26%20Islander,%20G-BPCA%2004-11.pdf
Fleet
| Aircraft | Total | Passengers |
|---|---|---|
| Saab 340B | 14 | 34 |
| Saab 340A | 2 | Freighter |
| De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter The DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian 19-passenger STOL utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada and currently produced by Viking Air. The aircraft's fixed tricycle undercarriage, STOL abilities and high rate of climb have made it a successful cargo, regional passenger airliner and MEDEVAC... |
2 | 19 |
| Britten-Norman Islander Britten-Norman Islander The Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander is a 1960s British light utility aircraft, regional airliner and cargo aircraft designed and originally manufactured by Britten-Norman of the United Kingdom. The Islander is one of the best-selling commercial aircraft types produced in Europe. Although designed in... |
2 | 8 |
| Total | 20 |