‘They didn’t do their homework’: Loss of Wick flights will serve as ‘a harsh lesson’
The loss of Eastern Airways’ subsidised flights between Wick and Aberdeen should serve as “a harsh lesson” for the Scottish Government and Highland Council, it has been claimed.
Joanna Coghill, vice-chairperson of the Royal Burgh of Wick Community Council, said it was important that any airline receiving public money should be “sustainable”.
She was speaking at the community council’s November meeting, a week after it emerged that Eastern Airways was facing administration.
The Wick/Aberdeen service has operated under a public service obligation (PSO) funded by the Scottish Government and Highland Council since April 2022.
The initial three-year subsidy was extended this year until April 2026. Highland Council puts £300,000 a year into the service, while the Scottish Government commits £1m.
There have been regular complaints from frustrated customers about delays, cancellations and changes to the timetable.
Mrs Coghill said: “Those that are still waiting for refunds from cancelled flights previously, where do they stand? People have been delving into the background, and they [Eastern Airways] have been posting losses over a couple of years yet they’re still getting money handed over to them.
“Shouldn’t the Scottish Government and Highland Council learn a harsh lesson from this? Hopefully a new flight company that comes in is sustainable.”
Mrs Coghill claimed it was “well known” that the airline would cancel a Wick flight in order to send an aircraft to Shetland instead.
Flight times “kept changing”, she said, and there were “fewer and fewer” options.
Mrs Coghill added: “It’s shabbiness on so many people’s shoulders – Eastern primarily, Highland Council and Scottish Government. They didn’t do their homework on it.”
Chairman Allan Bruce pointed out that the community council had backed the introduction of a PSO route.
“Your attention then does turn to the staff at the airport,” Mr Bruce said. “There are no scheduled flights going out of Wick now but they have all the other traffic that is thankfully keeping the airport operational.
“As a community council, we would back the reinstatement of flights as soon as possible. Obviously there are other carriers there, but I dare say these conversations will be had.”
Community councillor Wendy Campbell said: “The point is, we can’t rely on the airport.”
Highland Council has said it is in a position to issue an emergency procurement if a new operator steps forward.
The local authority said it pays for services on the Wick/Aberdeen PSO one month in advance, on receipt of an invoice from Eastern Airways. All payments made up to October 2025 have been for services delivered in line with the PSO contract.
The county had been left without scheduled flights after the loss of the Wick/Edinburgh and Wick/Aberdeen routes in 2020.