Air Fares

[Valerie Campbell]

Just saw on the BBC Scotland website that Caithness is to be included in a 40% discounted air fare scheme to be announced by the Scottish Executive. About time we were paying less. Flights from here to Edinburgh cost more than flying from Edinburgh to Paris. It's really good news for Caithness travellers.

[obiron]

should hope so. prices up this way are ridiculous. you can go abroad cheaper than it costs to go to inverness.

[Donnie]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4707136.stm


I'd use the Aberdeen to Wick service if it was cheaper.

[angela5]

Public Transport they tell us to use it more i was in Glasgow and priced a rail ticket to Inverness was told a single would cost me £34.90..i'd much rather just take the car than pay any ridiculous price...all air fares and buses, trains should be reasonable priced as more of us would it..

[angela5]

I payed £195 from Birmingham To Inverness disgrace really i could of went to Ibiza for a week for that.

[wickerinca]

I gree with all of the above posts and more...........on one occasion I was actually able to fly from Canada to London Heathrow for less that what it cost me to fly up to Wick from LHR......and the UK bit was on a through ticket with BA. Damn disgrace!! Now of course, they have changed those flight times just to annoy me and I can only get a connection to Inverness unless I want to spend most of the day in Aberdeen and then fly with Eastern Airways which hubby and I absolutely refuse to do!! One of the worst airlines in the World!!

[Rheghead]

Just saw on the BBC Scotland website that Caithness is to be included in a 40% discounted air fare scheme to be announced by the Scottish Executive.

The P&J mentioned this on the front page but it seemed to me that it only covers the islands, there was no mention of residents of Caithness being included.:confused:

[porshiepoo]

Rheghead, I saw this on the news too and it definately said Highlands and islands, so lets keep our fingers crossed eh!

I can't really grumble at the inverness to Luton cost cos it was 40pound return for me, that included all charges and wasn't really booked that far in advance.
However, my mum paid extortionate amounts last year to travel Luton to Wick so I've always avoided it. Hopefully, fingers crossed, this will mean that a few of us frequent fliers may be able to go directly from Wick. Brill!

[ice box]

it would be great to be able to fly and not have to pay the expensive prices.

[_Ju_]

Just saw on the BBC Scotland website that Caithness is to be included in a 40% discounted air fare scheme to be announced by the Scottish Executive. About time we were paying less. Flights from here to Edinburgh cost more than flying from Edinburgh to Paris. It's really good news for Caithness travellers.


Great, now instead of costing 1000 pounds to get home from here it wil cost a mere 600....yipeeee... sorry abou the sarcasm

[Alice in Blunderland]

Well at last something good for us locals I heard it on the news this morning and it definately mentioned Caithness.Last time I priced to fly to Manchester from Wick it was 350 pounds so I flew from Inverness ....it still cost me over 200 pound as I wasnt booking yearssssss ahead.This can only mean good news for the airport.

[Tugmistress]

Eligibility
Discounts will be available to people whose main residence is in one of the defined eligible geographical areas - Western Isles, Orkney, Shetland, Islay and Jura, Caithness.
Discounts will be available on any scheduled air service to and from any airport within the eligible geographic area to:

One of four main population centres within Scotland - Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Inverness; and to
Another airport within the eligible geographic area There will be no restriction on the number of trips per eligible person.
The discount will be available for both single and return journeys.
Exclusions

The Scheme is intended to link isolated populations to commercial centres rather than subsidise wider journeys beyond Scotland. An onward connection element to an airport outside the four population centres and the eligible geographic area will not qualify.
Current Public Service Obligation (PSO) routes, as European regulation does not allow multiple forms of aid on one route.
People whose main residence is not in the eligible geographic area.
National Health Service funded trips. The rest of it can be read on HERE (http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2006/02/13102741)

[badger]

Thanks for clarifying Tugmistress as I had the impression from TV that it was only for journeys in one direction. They definitely mentioned Wick. Now I can understand why the VisitScotland man was upset as it can't be used by visitors so no help for tourism or even friends and family, which is disappointing as I was just getting quite excited about that. It's a step in the right direction, what a pity they couldn't take one step further especially at the beginning of the holiday season.

[Valerie Campbell]

I agree Badger. It is good for us but what about people flying up here? Surely there could be some sort of concession for them and it might help our local economy with more folk visiting. There is always something to make a good thing not quite so good...

[cuddlepop]

We noticed a big difference in tourism numbers once they removed the tolls on the bridge in Skye.Only now they dont stay they tend to do a day trip.
The locals must be pleased though as it can be a heck of a long journey down to Glasgow even by car:roll:

[Fluff]

i am alittle confused. is it going to be cheaper to fly to wick from somewhere in scotland, or only cheaper if you live in the area and want to travel out (with return?)

[wi46]

if you read the snall print it is only the flight out of caithness that gets the discount? flying home will cost full whack.

[weeboyagee]

Thought we were trying to encourage people to COME to Caithness not GO???

[wickerinca]

I know what you mean wbg!! I was looking at the airfares from london up to wick and I think that you must be paying for a new wing for the plane or something........bloody ridiculous! Friends of ours were looking at going over for a holiday but it was costing more to travel north than to get over the Atlantic![disgust]

[badger]

Maybe one of these days they'll believe what they keep telling us - that tourism is one of our biggest (or is it the biggest?) industries and they'll actually do something sensible to encourage it. We need cheap flights in and out of all H&I airports for everyone, this new scheme is dotty. So what's new? What can you expect from people who close down a tourist office because it doesn't make a profit? Silly me - I thought these places were information centres, not shops [mad]

[DrSzin]

if you read the snall print it is only the flight out of caithness that gets the discount? flying home will cost full whack.What do you base your claims on? Tugmistress' quote contains the statement
The discount will be available for both single and return journeys.and this is taken directly from the article she linked to (http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2006/02/13102741).