Covid in Scotland: BA halts Inverness-Heathrow flights
- Published
The affected service was introduced by BA in 2016 and marked by a celebration at Inverness
British Airways has stopped its flights between Inverness and London Heathrow due to England's lockdown.
The airline said it had reviewed its November schedule following the UK government's announcement of the tighter restrictions.
The lockdown, which includes a "stay at home" message, is due to last until 2 December. BA has not given a date for the resumption of the flights.
Inverness Chamber of Commerce has described BA's move as "disappointing".
BA reinstated the scheduled flights in 2016 after a gap of almost 20 years when it ended its services between the two airports in 1997.
In 2016, those on board the first flight from Heathrow to land at Inverness Airport were greeted by a welcoming party, including a piper.
Businesses in the region had been calling for the resumption of the service for years.
A survey of more than 290 businesses in the Highlands and Islands in 2013 suggested Heathrow remained a key destination.
Business people in the region told the survey they had to travel to airports in Aberdeen, Glasgow or Edinburgh so they could fly to Heathrow for meetings in London and the south east of England.
'Fought hard'
Following BA's latest announcement, Inverness Chamber of Commerce chief executive Stewart Nicol said: "It's not a surprise, but it's a real blow.
"We fought long and hard to get that re-established and I think for many years it was the best performing domestic route in the UK."
He added: "It's a very clear indication of the damage that the global pandemic is doing to the airline industry."
BA said its focus was on keeping "crucial" air links open for bringing home thousands of customers who were abroad, providing services to people making essential journeys within the UK and for transporting vital goods.
A spokesman added: "We will be contacting customers whose flights are cancelled to offer refund options, as well as encouraging customers who wish to change their booking to do so via ba.com, where they can also request a voucher for future travel if their flight continues to operate."
Highlands and Islands Airports Limited, which runs Inverness Airport, said the pandemic continued to have a "significant impact" on air travel.
A spokesman said: "We are in close contact with our colleagues at the airline and we continue to implement full Covid-19 mitigation measures at our airports and the safety of our colleagues and passengers remains our top priority.
"Customers with specific queries about flights already booked should contact their airline."
- Published3 May 2016
