Aberdeen Airport waiting area talks

FUNDING proposals for a new waiting lounge at Aberdeen Airport for NHS patients are being discussed as efforts continue to give people a better departure experience before heading home to the Northern Isles.

A working group involving the NHS health boards, Red Cross and CLAN Cancer Support held talks on Friday over the waiting provision at Aberdeen for passengers travelling on Loganair flights to Shetland and Orkney.

The waiting area at the gates has been criticised as being no more than a “draughty corridor” and the matter has been raised on a number of occasions in recent months.

It was mentioned again at a meeting of transport partnership ZetTrans last week, with NHS Shetland chief executive Ralph Roberts saying it had been suggested that the health board should fund access to a lounge if it had concerns over the wellbeing of its patients.

Roberts said he thought the issue was one for Shetland passengers in general, rather than being NHS specific.

Loganair managing director Jonathan Hinkles said the parties involved are moving towards finding a resolution.

“The discussions took place as planned on Friday and I think all parties have agreed/accepted that the concept has genuine merit and should be progressed,” he said.

“The various stakeholders are now working on funding proposals to try to bring this to fruition.”