Second month of strong passenger numbers through Sumburgh for Loganair

Flybe franchise carrier Loganair announced today that it enjoyed a second month of strong passenger numbers at Sumburgh during July.

The airline carried a total of 13,575 passengers on scheduled flights to and from Sumburgh over the month, narrowly beating last year’s figure of 13,447. There was healthy growth of seven per cent on Edinburgh services and 14 per cent on the Inverness route.

The figures follow a strong performance during June, helped by the Hamefarin festival, where 13,727 passengers used Loganair services, an increase of 12 per cent on the same month in 2009.

Loganair commercial director Jonathan Hinkles said: “We’re delighted to be recording a second consecutive month of growth in passenger numbers at Sumburgh. Hamefarin set the summer season off to a flying start but it’s clear that demand from both leisure and business travellers is still strong through the month of July.

“It’s very encouraging to see positive trends like this, particularly after the incredibly difficult start to the year caused by harsh winter weather followed by the serious disruption caused by the volcanic ash eruption in Iceland. Our forward booking trends are showing strong indications that the recovery will continue through the rest of the summer and into autumn.”

Excluded from the July scheduled service passenger figures is a new weekly charter flight to Knock in western Ireland, which is being undertaken by Loganair to provide support to one of the contractors working on the new Total gas plant development at Sullom Voe.

The service, which began in June, provides a weekly direct link for personnel change-overs for Roadbridge, the company carrying out the site preparation works for construction.

Mr Hinkles said it was a welcome return to be supporting the oil industry, which was the lynchpin of Loganair’s development through the 1970s and early 1980s.