While the bulk of the population of the UK lives on the country's mainland, its smaller islands are also home to a wide variety of people and places. Due to their geographical separation from the mainland, and the slow speed at which boats travel, regional air transport plays an important role in keeping these islands connected. One such route in this category has now been active for nine decades.
A recent anniversary
The corridor in question is, as Loganair reported on the anniversary of its launch on May 8th, the UK's longest-running commercial air route, and it connects two Scottish destinations. Specifically, it links Kirkwall Airport (KOI) in the Orkney Islands to Inverness Airport (INV) on the mainland. Today, Loganair is the route's only carrier.
The first flight, which took place 90 years ago this week on May 8th, 1933, was a rather different affair to Loganair's present operations. Operated by Highland Airways, the General Aircraft Monospar ST-4 Mk.II that made the inaugural journey had space for just three passengers. It stopped at Wick en route from Kirkwall.
Love aviation history? Discover more of our stories here!
Another difference was the fact that it didn't serve Inverness Airport, as pictured above, due to this facility not opening until the 1940s. As such, it instead served the city's Longman Airfield, which had just opened. Airport Data notes that the aircraft, G-ACEW, was also brand-new but destroyed after just four years.
The route today
The opening of an aerial corridor between Kirkwall and the Scottish mainland instantly improved the Orkney Islands' connectivity, and the archipelago has been benefiting from this ever since. Ninety years later, who else but Loganair, which proudly calls itself 'Scotland's Airline,' continues to maintain this vital connectivity.
A quick look at FlightRadar24.com shows that the carrier connects Kirkwall with Inverness up to twice a day, with flight LM130 having a scheduled duration of just 45 minutes. It is typically operated by Saab 340 aircraft, but Kirkwall does also see the ATR 42, as pictured below, on services to Aberdeen and Edinburgh.
Get the latest aviation news straight to your inbox: Sign up for our newsletters today!
As it happens, certain days also see even larger aircraft present, with the ATR 72 operating a second Kirkwall-Inverness flight. This is numbered as LM763 and operates as a standalone service. Meanwhile, LM130 typically originates in Sumburgh on the Shetland Islands and stops in Kirkwall on its way to Inverness Airport.
A strong legacy
Loganair has made a point of honoring Scotland's early aviation pioneers, who paved the way for its current island operations. Most notably, it has named one of its ATR 72 turboprop aircraft 'Captain EE Fresson OBE,' after the pilot of the very first flight from Kirkwall to Inverness. Loganair CEO Jonathan Hinkles states:
"Captain Fresson was a pioneer, and his landmark journey helped bring communities closer together, something which reflects the core of Loganair's business – connecting remote and rural communities across the UK through air travel."
Did you know that Kirkwall to Inverness is the UK's oldest air route? Have you ever traveled this corridor yourself? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!
Sources: Airport Data, FlightRadar24.com, Loganair