Inverness Airport lands extra Dutch flights
A THIRD daily flight between Inverness and Amsterdam is to launch next summer, giving Inverness even more access to dream destinations worldwide.
The move by airline KLM has been welcomed by local business leaders as a major boost for the city.
The new flights will fly Monday to Saturday during the peak summer period of June and July thanks to the success of the current route including a rise in numbers wishing to use the Amsterdam hub for onward travel instead of Heathrow or Luton.
Last year KLM boosted Inverness-Amsterdam flights to two per day and then announced bigger planes would be used on the route, with the summer service using a Boeing 737.
The additional flights are earmarked to run from July 8 to August 28 initially, but could become a permanent feature if they prove popular. The additional flight will use a B737 aircraft, carrying 132 passengers.
Hial managing director Inglis Lyon said: “We have been delighted at the success of the Inverness-Amsterdam flights and for KLM to now offer three flights a day is tremendous, given the connection was launched little more than two years ago.
“The extra flight will make a huge difference to passengers. Travellers will have more options for onward connections.”
Inverness Airport general manager Graeme Bell said: "The route has always been very popular with European travellers. In addition the long-haul market is hugely important and connecting through Amsterdam opens up these international destinations, allowing people to travel to and from Inverness on one ticket. This is a real vote of confidence in Inverness Airport."
General manager for Air France-KLM UK, Benedicte Duval, said: "The enhanced schedule will provide the local Highland community with more choice and even better connection times during what is the key holiday season. The additional flight adds 45 per cent more seats when compared with the same period last year, making this beautiful region more accessible for international tourists."
Stewart Nicol, chief executive of Inverness Chamber of Commerce, called the announcement "fantastic" and added: "It is a real endorsement of what the route has been doing for KLM and an indication of how hard the guys at Inverness Airport have been working with the airlines to develop routes."
Regarding the possibility of the third flight becoming permanent he added: "The pattern in the past with a number of airlines is to test the market like this, and in the past it has led on to the development of actual routes that have been to the benefit of Inverness and the region."
Graeme Ambrose, chief executive of the VisitInvernessLochNess business improvement district said: "This is just another great bonus, more good news in terms of what Inverness Airport has been achieving over the past few months with other flights to the north. They are on a roll."
Inverness economist Tony Mackay said he hoped Brexit would not prove a stumbling block.
"There has been a big increase in European visitor numbers to Inverness and the Highlands because of the fall in the value of the pound after the Brexit vote," he said. "KLM have obviously benefited from that. I also believe that many business passengers to or from overseas prefer to fly via Amsterdam rather than Heathrow or Luton.
"One note of caution, however, is the possible adverse impact of Brexit once it takes effect. That could reduce passenger numbers in the future."
n People travelling between Inverness and London were faced with travel chaos yesterday after all flights to and from Gatwick Airport were suspended.
Services were cancelled and delayed due to drones being flown close to the site.
Among those affected were the 8.20am and 5.40pm flights from the capital to the Highlands.
A statement from Gatwick Airport said: "We apologise to all of our passengers who are impacted, but the safety of our passengers and all staff is our priority."
