Following on from the recent announcement about new confirmed Heathrow flights to Inverness there was more good news today with the confirmation that KLM will be flying daily into the Highland capital from mid May 2016.
The press release confirmed that Royal Dutch Airlines is set to expand its medium-haul network with daily flights to (and from) Inverness, marking the airline’s 4th Scottish destination and 17th UK destination. The route will form part of KLM’s new summer schedule for 2016.
Commencing on the 17th of May 2016, the daily flight will connect Inverness to KLM’s awardwinning hub Schiphol, in Amsterdam. The airline will offer a number of connections to its worldwide network of over 150 destinations from Scotland, including Montreal, Beijing and Hong Kong. All flights will be operated by KLM Cityhopper, using Fokker 70 jet aircraft, carrying up to 80
passengers.
The flights are scheduled tod eaprt from Amsterdam at 0945 arriving local time at 1025 - on the tee at Castle Stuart for Midday! - departing at 11am for the return leg.
Fares start from £79 return in economy including all taxes. Flights are open for sale now on the airline’s website www.klm.com,
The launch of the Inverness service further cements KLM’s position as the UK’s regional airline of
choice and brings the total of Scottish airports served by the airline to four, including Edinburgh,
Glasgow and Aberdeen, providing a choice of more than 100 weekly flights to incoming Scottish golf passengers.
KLM’s decision to introduce services out of Inverness airport follows a strong business case put forward by the airport and our decision to position KLM as the key intercontinental airline for the regions. The research showed significant support for business and leisure sectors for the commencement of the route.
Warner Rootliep, General Manager of Air France-KLM UK & Ireland said: “Demand from Scotland
continues to grow and KLM has always invested in its Scottish network and local relationships in the
region. We are happy to strengthen our presence in Scotland and are confident this news will be
well received. Our experience of being the UK’s largest regional long-haul carrier means we are
best placed to understand the needs of local communities and regional businesses and we know
that the service we will provide out of Inverness will perfectly answer the needs of the people of
Northern Scotland.’
A spokesperson for the Scottish Incoming Golf Tour Operators added, "This has been a great few weeks for golf travel in and around Scotland with the new routes from Heathrow and Amsterdam to Inverness and the less high profile confirmation of the permanent Ferry route between Ayrshire and Argyll. Access to and easier travel around the country is essential for sustained growth and new routes usch as this are of great benefit to our aims of increasing our share of the glocal golf market."
Scott Armstrong, VisitScotland Regional Partnerships Director, said: “This daily service, flying
directly into Inverness, is fantastic news for the Highlands. It not only links Inverness to one of the
world's major aviation hubs - unlocking the potential for growth in our long-haul and emerging
markets - but creates further opportunities for our European visitors, many of whom are repeat
visitors, to fly directly to the north of Scotland.
“VisitScotland’s objective is to see our country connected into every global airline network and
alliance, which is key to growing the visitor economy. This new service from KLM will further
enhance the promotion of the Highlands as a must-visit destination where visitors can explore
distinct and beautiful landscapes and discover the world-renowned North Coast 500 route."
