Loganair has revealed plans to extend services between the Scottish mainland and islands as restrictions on non-essential travel begin to ease.
The expanded schedules build on the Loganair services that have continued to operate to all of Scotland’s island communities throughout the pandemic.
From May 3, the airline’s combined Aberdeen-Kirkwall and Aberdeen-Sumburgh services will be de-linked to provide dedicated services.
Weekday evening services linking Glasgow with Campbeltown, Islay and Stornoway will also resume, while flights from Edinburgh to Kirkwall and Sumburgh resume for the first time in 2021, initially with services on five days each week (daily except Tue/Wed).
From May 24, Edinburgh services to Kirkwall and Sumburgh will increase to daily, while Glasgow services to Kirkwall and Sumburgh will resume, initially with limited service before building up to daily flights during June.
Dedicated Glasgow-Benbecula services which have been shared with Stornaway will resume at weekends, and Edinburgh-Stornoway flights will also resume, initially on Mondays and Fridays before building up to a daily service during June.
From June 1, Inverness-Stornoway services will move from one to two flights each weekday, restoring a day return capability in each direction. Inverness services to Orkney and Shetland will also resume.
In addition to the increased island routes, Loganair said it will progressively restart services in the coming weeks on more than 30 cross-border routes linking destinations in Scotland with Manchester, Birmingham, Southampton, Exeter, Newquay, Belfast City and other points.
Kay Ryan, chief commercial officer, said: “We know many of our customers have been waiting for our services to either resume or indeed start in some cases.
“As the UK’s largest regional airline our network provides much needed connections from the islands to mainland Scotland and beyond.
“We are delighted that travel for both leisure and business will be permitted from Monday April 26 and we look forward to our passengers returning to the skies.”