NATO war games force flights to Stornoway to route via Inverness

PASSENGER flights from Glasgow to Stornoway are being forced to fly via the Moray Firth to keep safe during the biggest NATO exercise of its kind ever held over the north of Scotland.

Operator Loganair confirmed the reason passengers were surprised to see Inverness below them yesterday (MON) was because the airline had been told to keep east to avoid fast low-flying military jets suddenly roaring out of glens and risking collisions.

The Royal Navy last night played down the effect on the Loganair flight claiming it was only rerouted to take a more direct route to Stornoway.

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How the Stornoway flight was diverted via north of Inverness   Courtesy: Flightaware.com

The US Navy has confirmed the UK-led Exercise Joint Warrior 151 currently being held is on the largest scale in the history of the twice-yearly NATO war games. Fifteen countries are taking part in the exercise which began on Saturday and runs until April 24.

More than 50 ships and 70 aircraft, some based at RAF Lossiemouth in Moray and Prestwick Airport in Ayrshire, along with 13,000 personnel are taking part.

It was only last week that Loganair introduced the new 50-seater Saab 2000 planes on the late-morning flight from Glasgow to Stornoway.

However, online monitoring of yesterday’s BE6822 flight caused alarm among people waiting for the passengers and cargo at Stornoway because it popped up on screens nearing Inverness.

One relative said: “I was scared witless because my daughter was on it. When I saw it was heading for the Moray Firth all sorts of fears of an emergency came into my head.”

The display from the website Flightaware.com showed the flight passed over the city before turning left for Stornoway.

The Royal Navy at Faslane played down the claims that the Loganair plane had been diverted to the Moray Firth by the war games, claiming it was only “initially” heading for Inverness.

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A Saab 2000 like the one on the Stornoway route

The navy spokesman claimed Loganair operations had told them they were not affected by Exercise Joint Warrior airborne operations. He went on: “One aircraft filed from Glasgow to Stornoway via a reporting point called ‘Clyde’, and once airborne was tactically rerouted via reporting point ‘Foyle’ (at Aberfoyle) which initially routes towards Inverness navigational beacon.
“This tactical rerouting, offering a more direct track to Stornoway, took into account known military activity and is standard ATC practice.”

However, a spokesman for operator Loganair later confirmed it had been “advised” to expect increased levels of fast jet activity. He said: “During the exercise, Glasgow to Stornoway flights will generally be taking a more easterly route to avoid the exercise activity. Flight plans and routings are all lodged with air traffic control service in advance.”

Although the aircraft left Glasgow late, the Loganair spokesman said it arrived in Stornoway a minute ahead of schedule which suggested that it was flying faster than usual to make up for the diversion to Inverness.

Loganair last night said that only flights to Stornoway would have a tour to the Moray Firth thrown in for free. Flights to Barra and Benbecula would continue on their usual route.

The Ministry of Defence at Whitehall referred enquiries about Exercise Joint Warrior 151’s effects on civilian flights to planners at NATO in Brussels who last night had still not responded to questions.

2 Comments

  1. Ken Linklater April 14, 2015
  2. Frank Burns April 23, 2015

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