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British Airways to keep eye on demand for Inverness-Heathrow link


By Tom Ramage

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BA has suspended the region's only link with Heathrow.
BA has suspended the region's only link with Heathrow.

British Airways is to keep demand for its Inverness-Heathrow service under constant review while the route remains grounded.

The airline suspended the route at the start of the year after demand for the normally profitable service plummeted as a result of concerns about the transmission of the Omicron variant of Covid-19.

Flights on the service are currently only bookable from February 28 on, but BA says that this date could change, dependent on circumstances.

"Like all airlines we are operating a reduced and dynamic schedule," a spokesman said.

Cairngorms Business Partnership chief executive Mark Tate trusted the vital link will soon be reinstated.

He told the Strathy: "The Heathrow service is vitally important to businesses right across the Highlands providing connectivity to London and internationally.

"It is also an important link for our international visitors who we have missed for the past two years, their return is a critical part of our economic recovery and the lack of a link to one of the world's biggest transport hubs will hinder that recovery.

"We know that the airline industry has been devastated and understand the BA decision, however, we hope that this vital piece of Highland connectivity will return swiftly."

He was joined by other business leaders across the Highlands who described the suspension as 'extremely disappointing'.

Stewart Nicol, chief executive of Inverness Chamber of Commerce, said the region's business community had fought previously to restore the route.

But he continued: “People are choosing to work from home rather than going to an office or travelling to meet people, so it’s completely understandable why BA have done this.

“Not having the service will dent business and traffic to the city and the Highlands, but I am confident that going forward we will be in a much better place.

“It was known that it was BA’s best performing domestic route, so I am really hopeful that when trade and international tourism recover, we will see the route not only back, but performing really well as we grow our international business and connect globally because it is such a massively important and profitable route.”

Economist Tony Mackay shared Mr Nicol’s disappointment, commented: “The Inverness-Heathrow service is important for business people, well off tourists and politicians. A longer term cutback would certainly make the Highlands less attractive to inward investors.”

Inverness Airport general manager Graeme Bell, said: “While we are disappointed that the Inverness-Heathrow service has been temporarily suspended, we appreciate that the aviation sector as a whole is once more facing an extremely challenging period.

“This route provides a direct link between the Highland capital and one of the world’s leading aviation hubs. We hope that the recent easing of travel restrictions will allow people to plan their travel with more confidence and look forward to welcoming a full schedule of flights when the service is reintroduced.”

Inglis Lyon, chief executive of Inverness Airport parent company Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (Hial), described retaining the link between Inverness and Heathrow as its biggest current challenge when he spoke at a meeting of Westminster’s Scottish Affairs Committee this week.

“That is an essential piece of business for the Highlands to retain, especially as we were successful in attracting it,” he said.

“These things hang by a thread when the industry is under pressure in terms of aircraft availability, profitability and eye-watering losses over the last two years.”

A BA spokesman said: “Like other airlines, due to the continuing coronavirus pandemic we are operating a reduced and dynamic schedule.

"We apologise to customers whose travel plans are disrupted.

"Where a customer’s flight is cancelled, we always contact them to offer options including a full refund.

“Customers who are unable to travel, or choose not to, can also continue to change their flights or request a voucher for future use as part of our book with confidence policy, which has been available since the beginning of the pandemic.

“Full details of our policy can be found at www.ba.com/confidence."


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