Loganair will become Europe’s first airline operating an electric fleet following the purchase of five aircraft from BETA Technologies.
Britain’s biggest regional airline placed the order for the ALIA CX300 conventional takeoff and landing aircraft at the Farnborough International Airshow with options for five more.
The agreement came as the airline has “temporarily reduced” flights from Inverness to the Western Isles as well as making cuts to the Inverness to Orkney and Shetland flight because of financial concerns.
It described the move as a “last resort” but stressed that the Inverness-Stornoway and Inverness-Kirkwall-Sumburgh routes had been losing money.
Transport Scotland has urged Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (Hial) and Loganair to “work collaboratively” on a solution.
The airline is seeking approximately £1.3 million to sustain the Inverness air links with Lewis, Orkney and Shetland at their current frequency.
It said its new electric aircraft fleet will suit its operations linking the mainland, island and remote communities which depend on short routes that road and rail cannot serve.
Most of Loganair’s regional sectors are under 100 miles. The CX300 aircraft operate from existing runways and recharge in 20 to 40 minutes using BETA’s fast-charging systems.
The agreement builds on the UK’s first electric flight demonstration programme completed in March, when BETA’s CTOL flew 23 flights in 10 days across Loganair’s network, connecting Glasgow, Dundee, Aberdeen, Inverness, Wick and Kirkwall.
The aircraft covered more than 1,000 nautical miles in real-world operational conditions, flying routes to some of Scotland’s most remote communities and validating performance, ground handling, charging and integration into existing airport and airspace systems, and demonstrating a model for short regional routes across the UK.
Expected to enter service in 2029, the aircraft will support passenger and cargo operations across Loganair’s network.
Luke Farajallah, chief executive of Loganair said: “This is a truly historic moment for Loganair and for European aviation.
“Our demonstration programme earlier this year proved that electric aviation is no longer a future concept, it is a viable commercial opportunity.
“The aircraft demonstrated the potential to reduce operating costs by up to 80% while maintaining the reliable regional connectivity our customers and communities depend on.
“Signing this agreement is the natural next step in that journey. It reflects our confidence in the technology, our partnership with BETA, and our ambition to remain at the forefront of sustainable regional aviation. We look forward to working together as we prepare to bring these aircraft into commercial service.”
Kyle Clark, founder and chief executive of BETA Technologies said: “Loganair has spent six decades connecting communities that rely on air travel, so their standard for new technology is appropriately high.
“We met that standard the only way it can be met, by flying more than a thousand nautical miles across their network, on their routes, and in their conditions.
“This agreement is what happens when demonstrated performance meets an operator serious about the future of regional aviation.”
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