Highland Airways has Gone into Administration

9 April, 2010 - 12:14 — admin

Highland Airways has Gone into Administration

Directors of Inverness-based Highland Airways called in administrators on Wednesday night. All flights have been cancelled with immediate effect. The company employs around 100 people but said it was too early to say how many redundancies there would be. Highland Airways Administrators will be working with contracted customers to ensure an orderly handover of services to new operators wherever feasible.
 
The news that Highland Airways which provide lifeline services to the Western Isles and other areas have gone into administration, has been described by Na h-Eileanan an Iar SNP MP Angus MacNeil, as a sad day for jobs and staff at the company. He stated that “Highland Airways have provided a reliable service over the years in the islands, and it is a sad day when the company’s demise has come about in this way. I have been in touch with people in the airline industry this morning. We are still awaiting news on whether the administrator or another company will be flying the service in the coming days and weeks. My sympathies go to those whose jobs are in a precarious position as well as travellers and NHS patients who need the service.”  
 
Already Uist and Barra are feeling the impact of the withdrawal of the Benbecula Stornoway flights with a number of patients from Barra being advised at the ferry terminal at Ardmhor on Thursday not to travel as the NHS consultant they were due to see in Benbecula had not been able to travel from Stornoway. The services to Uist and Barra delivered by NHS Western Isles and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar will be severely affected by the demise of Highland Airways with hospital admissions and appointments, representation at meetings and access to council officials all dependent on good transport links.