Regional carrier Flybe has announced plans to start six weekly flights between Inverness and Amsterdam, a route not currently served by any other airline.
The new route, due to launch on September 5, will allow travellers from the north of Scotland to connect with international flights from Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport, one of Europe’s largest hubs.
Flights will be operated, using a 78-seat Bombardier Q400 aircraft, every day of the week except Saturday.
From Inverness they will leave at 1.05pm, arriving into Amsterdam Schiphol at 4.05pm. From Amsterdam, flights will leave at 4.30pm, arriving into Inverness at 5.30pm.
Mike Rutter, Flybe’s Chief Commercial Officer, said he had every confidence the new route will prove “extremely successful” in opening up transport links for business travellers from the Highlands.
“Flybe understands the importance of air transport for Inverness and the Highlands. We have been keen to open up this route for many years and so are pleased that with the support of our regional partners this has now come to fruition.”
Inglis Lyon, managing director of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL), said: “Securing a link to Europe’s premier hub airport has been a long held aspiration of HIAL and the region and I’m delighted to announce this today.”
HIAL operates 11 Airports in Scotland: Barra, Benbecula, Campbeltown, Dundee, Islay, Inverness, Kirkwall, Stornoway, Sumburgh, Tiree and Wick.
The group’s airports provide key connections for the areas they serve, but are loss making so are supported by subsidies from the Scottish Government in accordance with Section 34 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982.
The launch of the route has been made possible with funding from a number of organizations in the north of Scotland: the Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the Highland Council, the Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership (HITRANS) and VisitScotland.