Loganair chief 'dismayed' with Stornoway Airport staff after passengers left stranded

The chief executive of Loganair said the airline is “dismayed” with airport security staff in Stornoway after a flight was cancelled leaving passengers stranded.

The airline hit out at Highlands and Islands Airports (HIAL) after 45 passengers were delayed on a flight from Stornoway to Edinburgh on Sunday evening.

Loganair said HIAL’s security team, which operates more than ten airports in the Highlands including Inverness, Barra and Sumburgh, were “unwilling” to stay at the airport to handle the flight.

The flight due to depart after 4pm on Sunday was cancelled.

Loganair CEO Luke Farajallah said: “I am absolutely dismayed at the decision of the HIAL airport security team in Stornoway this evening to leave the airport and refuse to handle the flight, leaving the passengers stranded.”

A Loganair post on X read: “Loganair would like to apologise to the 45 passengers who were due to fly on Loganair flight LM344 from Stornoway to Edinburgh this evening, Sunday, July 21.

“Despite the airline providing an aircraft and crew to ensure the delayed flight could operate, it was cancelled owing to the unwillingness of the HIAL Security team to remain available and present at the airport to handle the flight.”

A spokesperson for HIAL said: “Our security team at Stornoway, as with all our teams at HIAL airports, regularly go above and beyond to accommodate extensions requests from airlines partners and voluntarily stay on beyond airport opening times for late running schedules wherever possible.

“Stornoway received an extension request yesterday for over two hours beyond airport closure at short notice due to schedule delays earlier in the day.

“Unfortunately, on this occasion we did not have the required resource to support this request.

“It is disappointing that comments were made on social media blaming our hard-working team for the cancellation of the flight.

“HIAL will continue to work with all of its partners to support air connectivity for passengers and the communities it serves.”