Transport / Inter-island flights to move to Sumburgh in May for Tingwall runway resurfacing
FLIGHTS from the Shetland mainland to Fair Isle and Foula are set to temporarily move from Tingwall Airport to Sumburgh at the start of May.
This is to allow the runway at Tingwall Airport to be resurfaced, with that project costing £1.3 million.
The inter-island aircraft will be moved to Sumburgh Airport, at the southern end of the Shetland mainland, following the completion of flights on Friday 2 May.
Flights will commence from the HIAL-operated Sumburgh Airport – which hosts Loganair services in addition to oil and gas traffic – on Monday 5 May.
This will continue through to the end of May, with normal operations expected to resume from Tingwall on Monday 2 June.
The existing dial-a-ride service that links the Viking Bus Station in Lerwick to Tingwall Airport will be adjusted during this period to connect passengers to Sumburgh Airport, whilst maintaining a diversion to Tingwall to enable people to access vehicles.
Passengers will have to book this service on the existing dial-a-ride number (01595 745745) by 4pm on the day preceding travel.
Shetland Islands Council’s transport planning manager Michael Craigie said the resurfacing of Tingwall Airport “demonstrates an investment in terms of long-term reliable infrastructure”.
“By resurfacing the runway there’s a long term base for the operations in Tingwall,” he said.
Fair Isle resident Eileen Thomson said there has been “good dialogue” with the SIC and flight operator Airtask about the changes.
“From my, and a lot of others’ point of view, it is a great thing – we are pleased that there is significant investment in Tingwall Airport as it is so key for us all,” she said.
“While the resurfacing works are going on at Tingwall, there is a good replacement service scheduled for Sumburgh.”
The timetable for May’s flights can be found online.
An initial business justification case approved by councillors in early 2024 said the Tingwall runway surface has deteriorated and has required patching each year over the last ten years to maintain its integrity, while there has also been concern over the thickness of the bitumen layers.
The resurfacing work at Tingwall will be carried out by the council’s roads service, with some additional plant hired in for the work.
The project will place a heavy demand on the council-run Scord Quarry to supply the estimated 3,500 tonnes of asphalt that will be laid on the 805 metre-long main runway and apron.
During the month of May, the quarry will prioritise the supply of asphalt to the Tingwall Airport runway resurfacing project to complete the works on schedule.
Any contractors needing asphalt during this time are asked to contact the quarry to discuss availability, depending on the quantity they may need.
Tingwall Airport is owned by Shetland Islands Council, with inter-island air services specified by regional transport partnership ZetTrans, and flights operated by AirTask Group Ltd.
Moraig Lyall, chair of the SIC’s environment and transport committee and ZetTrans, said: “Resurfacing the runway at Tingwall Airport represents a major investment by the Council to support the communities in Foula and Fair Isle who rely on lifeline flights for many aspects of island life.
“Tingwall Airport, in the Central Mainland, is an important component of our resilience as an island group and this investment in the infrastructure will enable it to remain an important hub for inter-island flights.”
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