Scottish Government Offers 4 Year Funding To Bring Back Flights To Wick John OGroats Airport
5th February 2021
Chair of Chair, Economy and Infrastructure Committee comments on Scottish Government's funding for Wick John O'Groats Airport
Following representations made by The Highland Council, the Scottish Government has proposed that up to £4 million will be made available to the Council over the next four financial years to bring back scheduled services at Wick John O'Groats Airport.
The Scottish Government have suggested that the Council be the lead partner in setting the specification for the services to be provided in consultation with local communities and businesses.
Commenting on this news, Chair of the Council's Economy and Infrastructure Committee, Cllr Trish Robertson said: "We have been highlighting to the Scottish Government, the pressing need for an ambitious new approach to protecting vital regional aviation links, particularly in relation to Wick John O'Groats Airport, so this is a positive step forward. However, we really do need to fully understand the fiscal implications both for the Council and other partners before making a decision.
"We need to ensure that a sustainable funding model can be put together to deliver a long term future for Wick John O’Groats Airport. This will require continuing engagement with all of the local partners and the Scottish Government."
MSPs David Stewart and Rhoda Grant welcome Wick PSO announcement
Highlands and Islands Labour MSPs, David Stewart and Rhoda Grant, are delighted that the Scottish Government appear to have finally moved on placing a Public Service Obligation (PSO) on Wick Airport routes.
Today SNP MSP, Gail Ross, tweeted that she had met Transport Secretary, Michael Matheson, who had agreed a four-year PSO. The two Labour MSPs are yet to get the detail of the package but have both pushed for action on the Wick/Edinburgh and Wick/Aberdeen flights.
This week, in a local newspaper column (Caithness Courier) Mrs Grant urged Mr Matheson to act after the management of Wick Harbour wrote to both MSPs explaining the dire situation where a company had pulled out of using its facilities due to no flights at Wick.
The workers were being bussed to Aberdeen until the company pulled the plug and now Buckie is to be the base for those working on a windfarm.
Mrs Grant said: "This new development is good news indeed, and, as they say, better late than never!
"The writing was on the wall for Wick Airport’s vital air links as early as 2018 when my colleague, David Stewart, first raised the issue with the Scottish Government’s Transport Secretary. Then, it was a hotelier and other local businesses who said the Wick-Edinburgh route was under threat.
"A year later, it was obvious the Wick-Aberdeen route was of equal concern and again Mr Matheson, was contacted with support for a Public Service Obligation to be put on the routes as they were vulnerable and needed ring-fenced with Government aid to give them protection.
“Protection for these routes is vital for the Caithness economy and I await the full details of how it will operate."
Mr Stewart also welcomed the move as he’d joined the campaign started by Caithness Chamber of Commerce and local businesses in the very early days because the flights were vulnerable.
“The pandemic saw both Wick scheduled flights terminate and it was imperative that quick action was taken by the Scottish Government to bring back air connectivity which is crucial for development and expansion. It has taken some time but the Government has listened," he added.
“Previously Mr Matheson told me a PSO would likely take around nine to 12 months for services to start due to the regulatory and procurement processes required. I hope that this has been shortened."
Related Businesses
Related Articles
Wick Business Park has welcomed wind energy technology company ENERCON as the first occupant of one of four new units completed last year. ENERCON specialises in designing, producing, installing and servicing onshore wind turbines and has been operating in the Caithness area since 2013.
Additional empty homes officers are being recruited to bring more privately owned houses back into use. The new posts are being supported as part of a £2 million investment through the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership in 2025-26 which will see staff take a more proactive and targeted approach to tackling local housing issues.
The Highland Strategic Local Action Group (LAG) met in June 2025 and considered and agreed funding for 28 projects submitted to the Community-Led Local Development fund (CLLD), which makes up part of The Highland Council Community Regeneration Fund (CRF) programme. CRF is an umbrella term used to cover multiple external funding programmes administered by The Highland Council.
Highland Council has provided 12 ‘Talking Tub' resources for use in primary schools across the Highlands, in partnership with Union Technical who deliver community benefits as part of the Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Scheme programme. Chair of Highland Council's Education Committee, Councillor John Finlayson, said: "This is a fantastic initiative being rolled out across Highland primary schools which brings innovation and inspiration to early years children.
Visitors will find it easier to dispose of their litter at several popular spots across Highland after the rollout of additional bins. The rollout has been planned to support the tourism season as part of the Council's ongoing commitment to improve and support sustainable tourism in the area.
Members of the meeting of The Highland Council (26 June 2025) have considered and agreed the Accounts Commission's Best Value report, which was published in April 2025 and highlights organisational improvements across leadership, performance management and community engagement. In April’s report, the Accounts Commission recognised and welcomed significant progress within the organisation since the 2020 Best Value Assurance Report (BVAR) and commended the embedded culture of transformation.
A new generation of community facilities is being planned for the Highlands. At a meeting of The Highland Council (Thursday 26 June), elected members approved the work to date in progressing the Highland Investment Plan workstreams - masterplan for Thurso and agreed to nominate the current Thurso High School site as the preferred location for the new Thurso Community Point of Delivery (POD).
At a meeting of The Highland Council (Thursday 26 June 2025), Members received a progress report on the partnership approach and important successes since declaring a Highland Housing Challenge in November 2023. Since establishing the ambitious Highland Housing Challenge, important successes included: A call for sites delivered 250 sites, with a potential 25,000 housing units which will support delivery against the target of an additional 12,000 houses over the next 10 years.
The Highland Council will deliver a transformative programme of energy efficiency upgrades across Council housing supported by a £9.2 million Energy Company Obligation (ECO) funding proposal secured by Union Technical. The funding proposal will deliver approximately 1,000 individual energy efficiency measures to Council owned properties across the Highlands.
As part of the Highland Council's celebration of Refugee Week - 16 to 22 June - we are delighted to announce that a sharing of photographs, taken by separated young people seeking asylum living within the Highlands, is to be shown at Eden Court Arts Centre, Inverness. Look to See, which ties in with the theme for this year’s Refugee Week - Community as a Superpower - emerges out of a collaboration between multiple agencies working alongside separated young people seeking asylum, embodying the importance of community and connection, when looking to support all young people in the Highlands.