Concerns over important air routes for NHS patients

The chief executive said passenger traffic around Aberdeen and Shetland was holding up well.

“We’ve seen some growth in that over the last 18 months,” he said. “We feel oil and gas has been going through a resurgence, and we haven’t seen any sign of that abating.

“Our strategy would be to provide as many services as required for that region. There’s a new phase when there’s a slowdown.

“There will be a decommissioning phase which will last years. Loganair is very prominent in Aberdeen and Shetland, and we intend to be for many years to come.”

Loganair has said it intends to have reached net zero in its operations by 2040, and has taken initiatives on battery-electric aircraft and development of hydrogen-powered flight.

“The solution to net zero is going to come from multiple sources and different angles and small incremental changes. We’re working with Cranfield University on a hydrogen cell engine for the islanders which operate the islands in the north of Scotland.”

Mr Farajallah said the best Loganair prospect for an early win was a venture with Heart Aerospace to build a battery-electric supply for a conventionally-designed aircraft.

“If you take any one of those initiatives, they’re not going to deliver the solution,” he added.

“But if you do those and more, eventually there will be a dial-changing element which will move us much closer to that aspiration to be net zero by 2040.”