Transport / ‘Big developments’ in pipeline at Loganair as airline eyes future technologies
LOGANAIR’s chief executive says the airline could be at the forefront of electric, hydrogen and hybrid-electric flights in the years to come.
The company has been working with Heart Aerospace to develop a hybrid-electric aircraft which can carry up to 30 passengers, with hopes it could be in the air by the end of the decade.
The Shetland external transport forum heard in March it could even be used to fly passengers from Sumburgh to Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Asked for an update at the forum’s latest meeting on Tuesday, Loganair chief Luke Farajallah said the company was exploring other technologies too.
“Before the end of the year I think there will be a couple of other big developments,” he said.
Loganair said in February it was aiming to deliver the world’s first commercial hydrogen fuel aircraft route within the next five years.
It has been conducting tests at Kirkwall Airport, with hopes to deliver regional flights in Orkney before being rolled out across Scotland.
Referring to new and hybrid technologies, Farajallah said that “all of this is on the table” for Loganair.
The Loganair chief executive also told the meeting that the airline’s on-time performance had greatly improved recently.
He said the 15-minute punctuality was up by 12 per cent for the 2024/25 financial year on the year before.
And he added there had been 77 less cancelled flights in April and May 2025 than there had been in the same months last year.
Farajallah also said Loganair could look to start a children’s club by the end of the year following the success of a “fare free” flights offer.
Loganair offered the chance for parents to book children aged 11 and under for free onto flights booked for 1 June onwards, although taxes and surcharges still applied.
He said that scheme had proved an overwhelming success, with families snapping up the offer as soon as they could.
That has led Loganair to consider starting a “kids club” as a way of encouraging young folk with an interest in aviation.
Farajallah said he himself could remember being an avid member of a similar British Airways club when he was younger.
Councillor Stephen Leask said he applauded the idea, but asked if it “comes at a cost” for passengers who want the “best price we can get”.
“There’s so many things we can do for children that don’t come at a cost,” Farajallah responded.
“If that was the trade-off, we probably choose not to do it.”
The Loganair chief said they often saw when children got the chance to go up to the flight deck “how inspirational that can be”.
He said the club would really be there to “give them a sense that they are special” and to encourage an interest in aviation which might be carried into later years.
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