Return of scheduled flights at Wick hailed as 'terrific news for Caithness and the whole Highlands'
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The return of scheduled flights at Wick has been hailed as "terrific news not just for Caithness but for the whole Highlands".
It was confirmed today that Eastern Airways has been awarded a contract to provide a year-round service between Wick John O’Groats Airport and Aberdeen.
The service – which will operate under a public service obligation – will provide a direct connection to Aberdeen for three years. It will be funded by £1 million from Transport Scotland and £300,000 a year from Highland Council.
The move will create around 20 new direct and indirect jobs.
Caithness was left without scheduled flights after the loss of the Wick/Edinburgh and Wick/Aberdeen routes in 2020 but the council and Transport Scotland have been working with local stakeholders to reinstate services.
Eastern Airways will have a phased introduction of flights starting on April 11, with full service starting on April 25.
Full service includes 24 flights a week from Sunday to Friday, including three Sunday flights – two leaving Aberdeen and one leaving Wick. The aircraft will be stationed overnight at Wick from Sunday to Tuesday to provide early-morning flights to Aberdeen leaving at 7.20am.
Highland Council leader Margaret Davidson says she is delighted that tickets for the new service are now available and that businesses, residents and visitors are set to benefit from enhanced connectivity.
She said: “This is terrific news not just for Caithness but for the whole Highlands.
"Caithness is very much at the fore of expanding the development of future opportunities in sectors such as renewable energy and space. With these new opportunities come not only supply chain benefits to the local economy but also inward migration and the creation of high-value jobs.
“I had a tour of the airport recently and was very impressed with what I saw. It is all about delivering best value. As a council we could not have afforded to cover the costs of the service ourselves, so we are very grateful and thank the Scottish Government for its help.”
The flight schedule has been designed to provide maximum opportunity for onward and incoming connections through Aberdeen both nationally and internationally including Heathrow, Birmingham, Belfast, Manchester, Newcastle, Bristol, Southampton, Amsterdam, Dublin, and Stavanger. There will also be links to holiday destinations such as Turkey, Spain, Greece and the Canaries.
Fares will start from £39.99, which will include 10kg carry-on luggage and 15Kg in the hold. Bookings can be made at www.easternairways.com
Scotland's transport minister Jenny Gilruth said: “I welcome the announcement of the award of this contract which will see the restoration of important connectivity for Caithness.
“This service will benefit business travellers and provide visitors with a direct route to experience all that Caithness can offer.
“The Scottish Government is committed to supporting the service both through our direct contribution to the cost of the flights and our ongoing subsidy of Wick John O’Groats Airport.”
Securing the PSO and the contract award involved close collaboration with a number of organisations including Caithness Chamber of Commerce, Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL), Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership (CNSRP), Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd (DSRL) and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.
Councillor Raymond Bremner, chairman of both Highland Council's Caithness Committee and Wick John O’Groats Airport Consultative Committee, said: “Since the announcement of the cessation of scheduled flights to and from Wick at the start of Covid, many have been working really hard to secure funding for a PSO to support their restart.
"Covid really didn’t help but the new schedule from Wick to Aberdeen is a welcome start and a great reward for the efforts of everyone who worked to get the PSO in place.
"The new flight schedule between Wick and Aberdeen reflects improvements on a number of issues that were seen to impact on the pre-Covid schedule, and I really hope that the route will now be supported by businesses and locals to ensure its continued future success.
"I am certain that having an aircraft based in Wick during part of the week will be a big benefit. On behalf of the Wick John O’Groat Airport Consultative Committee I would like to thank everyone for all their efforts, particularly Malcolm MacLeod and the Highland Council team, in getting this project over the line.”
The council will be recruiting a contract manager with support from key partners. HIAL and Eastern Airways are recruiting local airport staff.
Eastern Airways' managing director Adam Wheatley said: “Helping solve vital regional connectivity is what Eastern Airways have done for 25 years. Working in partnership with Highland Council, Transport Scotland and key regional stakeholders connecting again one of the most distant surface transport journeys in Scotland to the hub airport of Aberdeen, in a low-emission aircraft, fits our belief in how sustainable aviation can meet the need of the UK economy and extensive connectivity into the future.
“We welcome the approach taken by all stakeholders and partners to bring this Wick/Aberdeen air service back and at Eastern Airways we will support Caithness in wider accessibility, also adding around 20 new direct and indirect jobs in supporting the service.”
Caithness Chamber of Commerce, with funding from DSRL, developed the original business case for a PSO.
Chamber chief executive Trudy Morris said: “I am delighted by this announcement, which will be welcome news for the business community across the north Highlands.
"The return of this lifeline service will enable us to better work with customers and partners across Scotland, to seek out new opportunities, and will play a vital role in the economic revitalisation of the region post-Covid.
“Ensuring the return of air services to Wick has been a long-term priority for the chamber and we, along with a range of partners, have invested significant time and effort to develop and secure a PSO.
"The chamber, along with other key CNSRP partners, including Highland Council, worked to ensure the service procured is truly reflective of the needs not just of the local business community but of the whole region, and represents a fresh approach to the delivery of air services from Wick. This has been partnership working at its best.
“The world has changed significantly since we drafted the original business case – but the fundamental needs of the region to connect with other areas across Scotland, the rest of the UK, and globally has not. The PSO that has been secured will offer that vital connectivity, and will provide a strong base for further growth in years to come.
“Net-zero and sustainability were at the heart of the PSO business case and we are supportive of the Scottish Government’s commitment to the Highlands and Islands becoming a net-zero aviation region by 2040.
"The chamber will work with other CNSRP partners, the operator and HIAL to ensure that sustainability is considered as a key part of the development of the service.
“This service marks a new deal for air passengers across the north Highlands, with guaranteed service specifications, ticket prices capped at reasonable rates and a timetable built to suit the needs of the region first and foremost.
“Flights on the new service can be booked now and will offer not only the ability to do a day’s business in Aberdeen, but onward travel to a vast array of domestic and international destinations suitable for both business and leisure travel.
“It has been a long and hard road to get here and we are delighted to see the return of commercial air services to Wick. With the service offering such a flexible timetable and ideal onward connections, we are sure that everyone living and working in the north Highlands will take full advantage of the additional connectivity it has to offer.
“We look forward to continuing to work with Highland Council, the airline and local partners to ensure the continued success and growth of Wick John O’Groats Airport.”
Dounreay managing director Mark Rouse said: “We were pleased to be able to support the production of the business case for the PSO. The airport has always been a valuable asset for the community, especially for business users, and we welcome the news that flights will begin again.
"This is great news for local employment, for business and for community to have secured the three-year PSO. We will continue to work with our CNSRP partners to ensure that we can be supportive in ensuring its viability to continue beyond the initial three years.”
