Scottish airline Loganair is to relaunch a popular route with the planned reopening of a key tourist attraction at the island destination.

The UK’s largest regional airline has also increased its flight schedule for summer 2024, releasing 900,000 seats for sale across key regional routes and responding to growing demand from leisure and business travellers.

The new schedule includes relaunching Fair Isle links for the first time since March 2019.

Fair Isle is one of the UK's smallest airports and is run by the National Trust for Scotland.

Located between Orkney and Shetland, Fair Isle is home to a permanent population of around 60 people and is one of Britain's most remote inhabited islands.

The island is famed for its bird watching but its only tourist accommodation, Fair Isle Bird Observatory, suffered a devastating fire in March 2019, forcing its closure.

The Gazette: The new Fair Isle Bird Observatory and Guesthouse - a replacement for the fire-devastated former building.The new Fair Isle Bird Observatory and Guesthouse - a replacement for the fire-devastated former building. (Image: NTS)

The internationally-renowned research centre is now set to reopen from 2024, prompting Loganair to reinstate its service next summer.

Starting from May 20 and running until September 2, the new link between Fair Isle and Kirkwall will operate twice weekly.

Loganair’s summer 2024 schedule will also see improvements to timings of its Newcastle to Southampton, Edinburgh to Sumburgh and Edinburgh to Exeter services.

It will include a weekend return service between Newcastle and Southampton.

It also sees the larger 72-seat ATR-72 deployed on busier routes.

Luke Lovegrove, chief commercial officer at Loganair, said: “We’re improving our schedule and increasing frequency across several key markets, in order to better serve our customers next summer. The opportunity to reinstate our Fair Isle service is particularly pleasing and demonstrates our support to this island community.

“Advance booking is the optimal way to secure the best value deals on our services so with over 900,000 seats now available next summer, it is the perfect time to plan your trips.”

With flights starting from March 31, 2024, tickets for Loganair’s summer 2024 timetable are on sale now, with further announcements for the schedule expected in the coming months.