Happy Birthday at Oban

Today (June 16) sees the first birthday for the Argyll Air Service, based at Oban Airport (North Connell) which operates flights to some of the most remote island communities in Britain.

Now the regular scheduled service links the communities of Coll, Colonsay and Tiree with the mainland town of Oban. This compliments the existing ferry service and allows the islanders easier access to the shopping, leisure and healthcare facilities that most of us take for granted. An added benefit is that secondary school children can now get home most weekends, which is a great boost to family life.

The service has one of the shortest scheduled routes in the country – the five minute hop from Coll to Tiree – where the plane goes almost as fast as the windsurfers catching a wave below.

One year on the passengers say how the introduction of this service has changed their lives for the better. Although some people may have moved to the islands to enjoy the remote island lifestyle over two thousand passengers have used the service in the first year.

And whilst the uptake from the island of Colonsay has been a little weaker, passenger numbers from both Coll and Tiree have been considerably more than was estimated for the first year.

“We hear from all sorts of businesses, utility companies, health care professionals and others who tell us how much more convenient the air service is than only relying on the ferry,” says Colin Munro, Contracts Manager for Highland Airways.

He continues: “We are already talking to Argyll & Bute Council about how these services can be expanded in future. It is important to get the balance right here to sustain the economic and social viability of these communities without changing the unique local culture or damaging the environment.”

For more information about services log on to: www.highlandairways.co.uk