Clock ticking to agree Wick John O’Groats Airport ‘lifeline’ flights deal as Highland Council remains ‘committed’ but funding depends on Transport Scotland
The continuation of the public service obligation (PSO) flights between Wick and Aberdeen remain in doubt with the current contract due to expire in March.
The final decision to fund the flights into the spring and summer will rest with transport secretary Fiona Hyslop.
A PSO helps support lifeline services where they struggle to sustain themselves commercially, so each year the Wick-Aberdeen route gets £1 million from Transport Scotland and £300,000 from Highland Council through a contract with Eastern Airways.
The agreement started in April 2022 and is still operational but it is due to come to an end in March 2025, with discussions ongoing between the council and Transport Scotland seeking funding for a further 12 months.
A Highland Council spokeswoman said: “The council remains committed to the provision of lifeline services from Wick John O’Groats Airport and is actively working with partners to ensure their continuation.
“The process for agreeing continued funding for the PSO beyond March 2025 is ongoing, and evidence has been prepared for presentation to the cabinet secretary for transport in support of this”.
A long-term development plan for services beyond March 2026 is also in the works but it could be that time is running out on the UK’s most northerly mainland airport with extreme pressures on all Scottish Government budgets – particularly transport.
Last year, councillors backing the PSO highlighted how numbers continued to rise, with a 25 per cent increase at a time when Wick was outperforming other airports across the Highlands and Islands Airports Limited network.
According to the council, the objective of the PSO is to support the "lifeline" service from Wick to Aberdeen for the community in the north Highlands by ensuring they can better access healthcare, leisure and social opportunities.
The PSO is also designed to support the business community of the region, many of whom across Caithness and north Sutherland need access to Aberdeen airport and the onward connections to London, Manchester and the Midlands.
