Category Archives: Loganair

Pressure on councillors mounts as Outer Hebrides Commerce Group accuses them of failing in their duty

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The main transport campaign group in the Western Isles has come out and urged the islands council to do all it can to restore a five-day air link between Benbecula and Stornoway.

The Outer Hebrides Commerce Group CG insists there is not just a demand but a need for a five-day air service and it says some councillors have failed in their duty to ensure that the service was retained.

Speaking after a meeting with council leader Angus Campbell, OHCG co-ordinator Gail Robertson said: “We explained to Cllr Angus Campbell in clear and unambiguous terms the social and economic need for a five-day-a-week air service between Benbecula and Stornoway. We urge that the comhairle work and liaise with other public sector agencies to find a solution for the unacceptable situation that’s emerged.
“At a time of economic challenge the last thing our economy needs is a reduction in air transport links.”

Also attending the meeting was Norman MacAskill of Drimore Farm, South Uist. Mr MacAskill said they needed these services and they expect all councillors to work sensibly and to put posturing to one side and co-operate.

“We were dismayed to learn that if the islands’ six SNP councillors had participated in the budget priority system the comhairle uses, these services would never have been axed. For them not to have taken part in the scoring system was a dereliction of duty and they should now work with all to restore our air links.”

OHCG said communities need clarity and truthfulness, public posturing secures nothing.

“We now urge the comhairle to re-open discussion with Loganair and other agencies to see if these harmful cuts can be reversed.”

‘We broke into applause as pilot landed lightning-blasted Barra plane on Traigh Mhor’ – passenger

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The plane flying from Glasgow to Barra was struck by lightning during high winds on Monday, it has emerged.

Ten passengers and two crew escaped without injury in the incident involving the Twin Otter aircraft which later landed safely on the beach landing site, the Traigh Mhor at Northbay.

Andy paid tribute to the skill of the Loganair pilots

Passenger Andy Jarozh, a travel writer, paid tribute to the skill of the two Loganair pilots

Operator Loganair has confirmed that an inspection after it landed found a wing tip had been damaged, undoubtedly by a bolt of lightning.

Travel writer Andy Jarozh, from St Albans in Hertfordshire, was one of the 10 passengers on the flight and he was sitting in the front seats, just behind the cockpit.

He told this blog: “We were at about 8,000 feet when it happened. Looking through the cockpit, there was a flash and a very loud bang. The plane didn’t shudder at all but carried straight on. However, when I looked into the cockpit I could see the Global Positioning System (GPS) had been knocked out and was showing the message ‘no signal’.”

Andy said there was no great panic although a woman behind him did scream. The calm actions of the two pilots helped the passengers to keep their emotions under control.

“They got the instruments going again. I was anxious to get down but we were reassured by the crew. The co-pilot turned round and gave us the thumbs-up with a quizzical look to make sure we were all right.”

He described it as “a very rough day” and said the plane was shaking more on the ground when it came to a stop at the terminal building than when it was in the air.

In the last four years since Andy gave up his job as an optometrist to become a travel writer, he has visited many countries and flown countless times. He said: “This was the only time in my life when I joined in the applause for a pilot who had got us down safely.”

Phil Preston, Loganair’s chief operating officer, said an inspection was later completed by engineers in their hangar at Glasgow Airport, as was standard procedure.

He added: “There was evidence that a wing tip had been struck, but the Twin Otter was cleared to continue operations.
“Such incidents are not uncommon when flying in adverse weather and our pilots and aircraft are perfectly capable of dealing with these situations when they arise.”