Flights between Scotland and North America resume

Air Transat will run up to two weekly flights between Glasgow and Toronto this winter

The first scheduled flight between Scotland and North America in more than a year has taken off from Glasgow Airport.

Canadian airline Air Transat is running up to two weekly flights between Glasgow and Toronto during the winter season.

It plans to increase that to up to four weekly services next summer.

Flights between North America and Scotland were halted last year by the pandemic.

The last flight was on 1 November 2020.

Derek Provan, chief executive of Glasgow Airports owner AGS, said: "Glasgow has long been Scotland's gateway to Canada, so we are really pleased to see the country's first route to North America since November 2020 take to the skies over the city this morning."

Earlier this month, United Airlines confirmed they would resume a daily non-stop service from Edinburgh Airport to New York/Newark from 5 March.

Further services to Chicago and Washington DC are due to start from 7 May.

The UK government recently introduced new travel restrictions in an effort to limit the spread of the Omicron variant.

All travellers to the UK aged 12 and over will have to show proof of a negative PCR or lateral flow test - even if they are fully vaccinated - before setting off.