News / Airline’s flight schedules change without notice
LOGANAIR has apologised after changing times of a number of passengers’ pre-booked flights to and from Shetland – sometimes by up to three hours – without any notification.
A number of islanders have complained that they only noticed their flight times had been changed by chance when they happened to log in to check their online account.
The airline, which on Friday went head-to-head with former franchise partner Flybe on routes serving Shetland, said it is trying to contact customers by phone about any schedule changes.
It added that anyone unhappy with their new flight times will be “offered a suitable alternative at no extra cost”.
Jennifer Jamieson had return flights booked to leave Sumburgh for Glasgow at the end of September and she said both flights were changed without any notification.
While one was only moved by 15 minutes, the outgoing flight was changed by two hours.
“I’m glad other folk made me aware to check my flights,” Jamieson said.
“Flybe changed a flight I was on recently only by five minutes but they sent email and text to let us know.”
A music promoter, meanwhile, who is taking up a band from the mainland next weekend for a concert said a flight to Shetland he booked for the group had been moved forward by two hours.
He said the band would not have known about the different departure time if he hadn’t happened to contact Loganair about a change of name on the booking.
Some passengers, however, have said they heard first by phone from Loganair about the changes.
A Loganair spokesman said: “All airlines occasionally change schedules before flights take place.
“We advise our customers by phone in order, based on their departure date, but it is possible that they may see altered timings via our online ‘manage my booking’ facility before we are able to call them.
“Any customer unhappy with a timing change should contact us, and we will do everything we can to offer a suitable alternative, at no extra cost.”
On Friday Loganair and Flybe – alongside new partner Eastern Airways – flew their first flights in direct competition to and from Shetland.
Both airlines told Shetland News that they are confident about their own futures, despite worries locally that there might be only room for one operator on the routes.
Shetland will be served by as many as eight daily return flights to Aberdeen (three operated by Flybe and five by Loganair), Edinburgh can be reached four times (three Loganair flights and one operated by Flybe) and Glasgow twice. Loganair also flies to Kirkwall and Inverness.
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