Family discount for Fair Isle and Foula flights to be considered in fares review

THE IDEA of discounted inter-island flights for family members of island residents will be considered in an upcoming fares policy review, a meeting of local transport partnership ZetTrans heard earlier this week.

ZetTrans chief officer Michael Craigie said the review should kick off in the coming weeks and could be concluded towards the end of the year.

The issue of family fares was raised by Shetland West councillor Liz Peterson, who said the matter was brought up in a previous meeting of the islands with small populations group.

She said there had been a question from Foula regarding whether there could be a concession for people visiting family on the islands.

Currently residents of Foula and Fair Isle pay about half that for non-residents when flying to and from Tingwall.

For example a return trip to Foula for a resident adult is £55.20 but for a visitor it is £106.38.

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Craigie said the idea of a family discounts set to be considered as part of a Shetland-wide fares policy review, and said it would have been “premature” to do something prior to this taking place.

He also said officials had been waiting on the publication of the Scottish Government’s fair fares review, which was released last week.

The idea of a ‘family and friends’ fare was previously raised in the council chamber in 2019 but it ultimately did not come to fruition.