New Loganair and Blue Islands partnership to connect UK regions and Channel Islands

Loganair, the UK’s largest regional airline, and Blue Islands, the Channel-Islands based airline, are broadening their partnership to offer customers a new range of regional air connections across the UK, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. Customers will be able to buy a single ticket to benefit from lower fares and guaranteed connections on a wide range of links between Scotland, the North East and the Isle of Man to the south coast and the Channel Islands. Frequent connections with a focus on links via hubs at Southampton and Manchester will link points such as Inverness with Exeter; the Isle of Man with Southampton; and Guernsey and Jersey with Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle. Loganair operates 43 aircraft, predominantly on routes to, from and within Scotland. Blue Islands operates five aircraft and is now expanding its network from its traditional Channel Island bases, adding two UK bases with new services including Manchester to Exeter and Manchester to Southampton following the failure of Flybe in early March, just before the Covid-19 pandemic. The ability to book journeys in a single ticket through either airline’s website will enable customers to save the double Air Passenger Duty which would apply if tickets for the flights were purchased separately. Blue Islands has also completed its move to the same Videcom booking system as that used by Loganair. Commenting on the new partnership, Loganair’s chief executive Jonathan Hinkles said: “We’re delighted to be working with Blue Islands to offer this new range of connections. Providing dependable air services to communities throughout the UK, the Channel Islands and Isle of Man is a core part of the ‘DNA’ of both airlines, and by joining up our networks, we can help many more customers reach their destination.” Blue Islands’ Chief Executive Rob Veron added: “We are excited to form this new partnership with Loganair, hand in hand with a significant expansion of our own route network after 15 years of Channel Islands’ centred operations.”