Highland Council Pushes for Wick Flights Awaiting Funding Decision

Hey, so there’s news about the Wick to Aberdeen flights. They get money from the Highland Council and Scotland. It’s a special deal called a PSO. The deal helps keep prices down.

The current funding agreement ends this month. Highland Council wants to keep the flights going, and they are trying to get more money. The Scottish Government is also thinking about it.

These flights are vital for people there. The PSO helps people travel for work and fun; it also supports local businesses and tourism. The money comes from the council and government.

Fiona Hyslop decides on the funding now, but she’s retiring next year from her transport role. The council is making their case for more funding. They want the flights to continue after March 2025.

Transport Scotland is looking at things too. They are waiting for a report from the council. This report will help them decide on the funding. Discussions are ongoing about funding through March 2026.

The goal is to support the north Highlands community. The flights link residents with jobs and healthcare, and connect businesses across the UK. Also, recent flight schedule changes had good results: cancellations went down, and passenger numbers increased a lot.