Business and tourism will benefit from increased flights between Highlands and London
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THE introduction of a new air service paving the way for Ross-shire residents to from the Highlands to London and back on the same day has been welcomed as a boost to the area.
Highland Council leaders have welcomed the introduction of a new Inverness to London Heathrow service this week by British Airways.
Highland Council Leader Cllr Margaret Davidson welcomed the new flight schedule that will see a 30 per cent increase in capacity on the route and bring the number of flights up to three return services on Saturdays and Sundays, with a double daily service Monday to Friday.
From October, British Airways are to operate a twice daily service between the two cities seven days a week.
Cllr Davidson said: “Highland Council has long recognised the importance of having regular direct flights into Heathrow and improved air links is a key aim of our Inverness and Highland City-Region Deal.
"This is great news for the Highland economy which will go a long way to meeting the needs of the region’s business sector and provide a boost to our tourism industry.”
She added: “It’s been more than 20 years since an early-morning flight between Inverness and London Heathrow was provided and this new British Airways service will be warmly welcomed by the Highland business community as it allows people like myself to attend important meetings in London and return the same day without wasting precious time and resources.
"This also applies to southern businesses wanting to take advantage of the opportunities the region has to offer, which is good news indeed.”
Councillor Allan Henderson, chair of the council’s Development and Infrastructure Service and of HITRANS, also welcomed the new BA service to Heathrow.
He said: “The council and HITRANS have long supported the call for improved flight connectivity between Inverness and Heathrow enabling people to make daily return trips in either direction and also make better connections to and from international markets.
"British Airways are filling a gap that has been in the market for a long time and it’s up to us now in Highland to use the service to demonstrate our demand and desire for the service.”
Provost Helen Carmichael said: “This is great news for Inverness and the region which was celebrated in true Highland style as the Inverness Royal British Legion Pipe Band piped passengers on board the first early morning flight this week also marking both the band and British Airways centenary years.
“Tourism is a major contributor to the our economy and we look forward to welcoming an inflow of new visitors to Inverness and the Highlands such as Londoners on long weekends or international visitors using the new service as a direct interconnecting route via Heathrow.”
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