Boom predicted with new Inverness flights to Amsterdam
Delighted - the airport's Inglis Lyon
A NEW direct service between Inverness Airport and Amsterdam will take off later this year with expectations it will inject millions of pounds into the local economy.
The long-awaited link with Europe through Schiphol — one of the world’s busiest airports — was announced yesterday by Highlands and Islands Airports (HIA) and airline Flybe.
The move is being warmly welcomed by business leaders and politicians and heralded as an "enormous feather in the cap for the region" by delighted HIA managing director, Inglis Lyon.
Passengers will be able to use the major hub when the daily service begins in September and can book their tickets from this morning.
It comes 10 years after the route to Holland was first scrapped due to a struggling aviation industry and three years after another key direct service ended between Inverness and Heathrow Airport.
The service will pave the way for passengers to "interline" between Inverness and international destinations including New York, Marrakech, Moscow, Washington and Dubai.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) provided £340,000 in funding
for the route and chief executive Alex Paterson says connections with international markets are critical for the region.
Mr Lyon, describes Schiphol as Europe’s premier hub and says a huge amount of effort has been expended into persuading an airline the route is profitable.
"What this does, is delivers direct access to 310 destinations on a daily basis and residents of Inverness can go for business or pleasure and it also opens up the capital of the Highlands to the rest of the world," he said.
Extensive market research had been carried out and indicated the region’s economy could benefit by millions of pounds by the seven-days-a-week service, but he adds an exact figure has still to be calculated.
Mr Lyon admits there is a degree of risk with the route’s launch but says it could boost Inverness’s tourism market, help UHI in attracting international students and companies involved in renewable energy schemes in the area.
Public sector organisations including HIE, VisitScotland, Highland Council and HiTrans had all provided significant assistance in securing the link.
Mike Rutter, Flybe’s chief commercial officer says it has "every confidence" the Amsterdam route will be a success and open up the rest of the world for Inverness.
Alan Savage, chairman of Inverness based Orion Group pronounces it excellent news for Inverness businesses.
"A large chunk of Orion Group’s business is overseas and it will make an enormous difference, both financially and to travel time having Amsterdam as a hub for reaching our numerous worldwide office locations," he added.
"The Highland and Islands has some of Scotland’s most profitable and promising companies and the new air route will help make the area more accessible for global deals, putting us firmly on the map as one of the UK’s top business locations."
Highlands and Islands MSP David Stewart, who had long campaigned for the connection, says it is a massive boost for the area and could stimulate investment.
"This is a very important move and I congratulate the airport staff for their efforts," said Mr Stewart, a former member of the airport’s consultative committee.
"This means that Inverness Airport will continue to grow and develop."
Stewart Nicol, chief executive of Inverness Chamber of Commerce, commented that the loss of the Heathrow connection is now considerably reduced.
"We needed regular regional links to the south east of England but in one full stroke, the need to go through London has now been bypassed," he added.
Inverness and Nairn MSP Fergus Ewing MSP said: "The potential to attract new visitors to the Highlands is enormous."
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A service between Inverness and Schiphol was previously operated by KLM but was axed in 1998. It was revived three years later by ScotAirways but was pulled a few months later due to a downturn in the aviation industry.
Delighted - the airport's Inglis Lyon
