Highland Council Looks to Expand Air Services To Aberdeen And Edinburgh From Wick With New Contract

17th December 2025

The Highland Council has announced the publication of an Invitation to Tender for the next round of the Wick Public Service Obligation (PSO). This procurement seeks to secure an operator for lifeline air services from Wick John O'Groats Airport beyond 31 March 2026.

The contract specification seeks an operator to offer services from Wick to both Aberdeen and Edinburgh, on an initial two-year basis with an option to extend for a further two years, in line with PSO regulations.

It is expected that a contract will be awarded by 31st March 2026, subject to funding, and that the contract start date will be up to 6 months from the award date of the contract.

Parallel to this, Council officers continue to work on the emergency procurement for a replacement operator for the existing Wick-Aberdeen service, and work is ongoing on options to avoid a gap in service between contracts.

Leader of the Council, Councillor Raymond Bremner who is also Chair of the Wick John O' Groats Airport Consultative Committee and a local member for Wick and East Caithness, said:

"The publication of this Invitation to Tender represents a major step forward in our bid to secure the future of vital, lifeline air services from Wick. I have long made the case that not just continuation, but expansion of these services is needed to best serve people living and working in the North Highlands. I am also keenly aware of the local demand for restored air connectivity to Edinburgh. I am therefore delighted that as part of this process we will be seeking an operator to deliver services to both Aberdeen and Edinburgh, which will meet the needs of the local community and help to drive future economic growth across the North Highlands."