Single Fares From Under £40 On New Inverness-benbecula Service

17th August 2006

The new direct air link between Inverness and Benbecula will offer single fares from under £40, inclusive of tax, it was announced

Highland Airways will launch direct flights between the Highland capital and the Uists on Monday 4 September.

The Inverness-based airline has now placed its new fares on its website booking engine in advance of its enhanced range of services between Inverness and the Western Isles starting next month.

Prices on the new route start at £19.99 plus airport taxes, resulting in an opening price of £39.93 for a single fare between Inverness and Benbecula. This is substantially less than the current single cost of travelling between Inverness and Benbecula which involves a connecting flight at Stornoway. Even the highest fare is a few pounds less than the current Inverness to Benbecula fare.

The new price regime also operates on the extra seats offered by Highland Airways on its weekday and Sunday lunchtime flights between Inverness and Stornoway.

The airline's new timetable also permits passengers to travel seamlessly between any two destinations, via a third intermediary. From Inverness passengers will be able to fly to Benbecula direct or go via Stornoway. They can also fly to Stornoway direct or go there via Benbecula. Passengers will obtain the same fares for travelling such routings as for travelling direct, so the number of travel and timetable options has now greatly increased.

Highland Airways' commercial director Basil O'Fee commented: "With this new fare structure and timetable we are confident that the total market between the Western Isles and Inverness will grow. The Uists and Inverness will find it much more convenient to do business with each other while family and friends will be able to get together more often.

"The timetable with Stornoway is also enriched with great weekend deals for shoppers and short break seekers and better business options throughout the week. Until now our limited seat offering to the Western Isles has often been over-subscribed. We now can offer more passengers the chance to fly west with Highland Airways.

"The Scottish Executive Air Discount Scheme is applicable to direct flights between Inverness and Benbecula and this will reduce fares even further for island residents. Our route advertising has only started at the end of last week, and already the level of enquiries and bookings are encouraging," said Mr O'Fee.

See www.highlandairways.co.uk/