HITRANS Welcome Announcement of New Flybe Inverness-Amsterdam Route

Press Release:
HITRANS welcome announcement of new Flybe Inverness to Amsterdam Route The Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership has welcomed the introduction by Flybe of a new service from Inverness Airport to Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam.

The new route will bolster Inverness as the Highland gateway for worldwide travel. This announcement is a direct result of discussions between Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL), and Flybe with collaborative support and key funding from Highlands & Islands Enterprise, the Highland Council, the Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership (HITRANS) and VisitScotland.

Inglis Lyon, Managing Director of HIAL comments:

“Securing a link to Europe’s premier hub airport has been a long held aspiration of HIAL and the region and I’m delighted to announce this today. The proposed multi-billion investments in renewables, University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) developments and the thriving tourism markets gives this route even greater strategic significance”

HITRANS Chair Cllr Duncan MacIntyre said:

“The delivery of a regular air link to a major European hub airport offering excellent worldwide connections has been a long-term aim of HITRANS. We are delighted that Flybe, and through them their codeshare partners, have identified the potential of this route and demonstrated their continuing and increasing commitment to the Highlands and Islands. We have been very happy to support some of the set up costs of the new link. The Amsterdam service will be enthusiastically received by the business community and will offer a great option for direct leisure travel both to and from the Highlands.”

HITRANS Vice Chair and Chair of Highland Council’s TEC Services Committee Councillor John Laing added:

“This is a hugely important new air link for Highland travellers and adds significantly to the growing stature of Inverness Airport as a transport hub.”

Mike Rutter, Flybe’s Chief Commercial Officer, says:

“Flybe understands the importance of air transport for Inverness and the Highlands. We have been keen to open up this route for many years and so are pleased that with the support of our regional partners this has now come to fruition. We have every confidence that this new route will prove extremely successful in opening up the rest of the world through this key European hub and to further encourage business and leisure connections between these two destinations to Scottish travellers.”

The Inverness to Schiphol service will provide seven flights per week during the summer months and six per week during the winter months. Services will depart Inverness Monday to Friday and Sunday from September 5th, 2011 – 23rd March 2012 at 13.05 hrs, arriving at Amsterdam at 16.05 hrs. Return flights from Amsterdam will depart at 16.30 hrs, arriving in Inverness at 17.30 hrs. The schedule for Summer ’12 will be released in September (2011).

Further info:

HITRANS is one of seven Regional Transport Partnerships in Scotland which were established through the 2005 Transport (Scotland) Act. The Act obliges the partnerships to produce a regional transport strategy and to monitor and, wherever possible, ensure its implementation.
The Partnership has a range of powers, including those to:

• Require funding from its member councils.
• Employ staff.
• Give grants and loans in order to implement the regional transport strategy.
• Borrow money for specific capital expenditure.
• Participate in Community Planning.

Regional transport partnerships were established to strengthen the planning and delivery of regional transport so that it better serves the needs of people and businesses. HITRANS brings together local authorities and other key stakeholders to take a strategic approach to transport in their area. HITRANS is, of course, only one of a number of organisations which determine transport provision in our area.