Loganair’s chief executive has hit out at airport security staff in Stornoway after they were “unwilling” to work extra hours to handle a delayed flight.
CEO Luke Farajallah said he was “absolutely dismayed” at the decision taken at Highlands and Islands Airport (Hial) for staff to clock off for the night, leaving 45 travellers and displaced crew stranded after the flight was cancelled.
The incident happened on Sunday night, when passengers were due to fly into Edinburgh on the Loganair flight LM344 from Stornoway.
The airport insists it “did not have the required resource” to support the delayed flight – and that they will always try to go “above and beyond.”
In a statement online, Loganair apologised to passengers for the disruption, pointing out the “unwillingness” of security staff to help.
A spokesman said: “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 21st July 2024.
“Despite the airline providing an aircraft and crew to ensure the delayed flight could operate, it was cancelled owing to the unwillingness of the Highlands and Islands Airport security team to remain available and present at the airport to handle the flight.”
Loganair CEO ‘absolutely dismayed’
Mr Farajallah then took to social media to air his frustration.
“I am absolutely dismayed at the decision of the HIAL airport security team in Stornoway to leave the airport and to refuse to handle the flight,” he said.
“The 45 passengers who have been stranded will doubtless now have considerable disruption to their onward journeys, thanks to this decision by the HIAL airport security team.
“We know that many of these passengers will have been flying to Edinburgh to connect with international flights.
“The Loganair team pulled out all the stops to ensure an aircraft and crew were available and were willing to go the extra mile in the name of providing a flight for these customers.
“We sincerely hope this decision will be thoroughly investigated, and that it is a unique, one-off event driven by exceptional circumstances, and that in future the teams from Loganair and HIAL will work together to ensure customers always come first.”
‘Disappointing’ that comments were made on social media
A Hial spokesman 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.”
He continued: “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.”
Have you signed up for our Oban and Hebrides newsletter?
Every week our Oban-based reporter Louise Glen curates the best news in the area.
