Scatsta contract goes to Eastern Airways

BRISTOW Helicopters has awarded the interim contract for the Integrated Aviation Consortium, which transports offshore workers from Aberdeen to Scatsta, to Eastern Airways.

The independent regional airline will run the contract from 7th February next year until June 2010, while the permanent contract is due to go out to tender at the end of this month.

A spokeswoman for Bristow Helicopters said: “We are looking forward to a successful partnership working with Eastern Airways on this important service.”

An Eastern Airways spokesman said: “We are very pleased to have been awarded this important contract for the Integrated Aviation Consortium.

“We are looking forward to working with Bristow Helicopters and the IAC as this further strengthens our position providing reliable services to support the needs of the North Sea oil and gas industry.”

Eastern Airways is expected to use Saab 2000 planes shuttling back and forth to complete four round-trips each day.

It is thought that Flybe was the other name on the shortlist for the shortened contract and there had been speculation that the budget airline was set to take over the route, prompted by the presence of a Flybe Q400 plane at Sumburgh and Scatsta last month on a familiarisation flight.