News / Loganair MD to spell out post-Flybe future this week
LOGANAIR’S managing director Jonathan Hinkles will be in Shetland this week to present the airline’s “extensive plans” following the decision to terminate its franchise with Flybe from the end of August.
Among the matters he will be talking about will be the airline’s customer service ambitions, a new reservations system, codeshare agreements with other airlines, social media and its “broad strategy for operating as an independent carrier”.
This Thursday’s meeting of Shetland’s external transport forum at Islesburgh Community Centre, at 2.15pm, will also provide an opportunity for islanders to ask questions and raise matters linked to operations following 31 August.
Hinkles said: “Engaging with the local community is a key area of priority for the airline as we move forward at a rapid pace.
“As we enter into this next phase of our partnership agreement plan to set out a comprehensive vision of how we are undergoing our separation from Flybe and I’m pleased to include our key communities in the process.
“We are currently putting the finishing touches to our blueprint with a lot of exciting developments in the pipeline – with many new initiatives to unveil.
“This is a major opportunity for the airline and I really look forward to giving our customers an insight in some of the great things we will be rolling out in the future.
“Overall, our goal is to continue building a successful airline which is an important link for people living in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland – and these sessions underline that.”
Hinkles will also be attending meetings in Stornoway and Kirkwall this week.
Loganair has introduced a raft of changes in the past 18 months after a marked deterioration in the airline’s performance in 2015, which saw punctuality rates slump to around 75 per cent.
There has been a considerable improvement in the reliability of flights since then, and in November Loganair confirmed it was parting ways with budget airline Flybe following a somewhat uneasy partnership that had operated since late 2008, and from 1 September will be flying solo.
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