Skybus, the in-house airline of the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group, has launched its new winter schedule with longer operating days and a further freeze on prices.
The airline has gained the agreement of St Mary’s Airport and Isles of Scilly Council to operate a longer daily schedule that will provide benefits to local residents and visitors alike during the winter season.
And Skybus will once again to freeze fares and not pass on to customers the 10% increase in St Mary’s Airport landing charges announced earlier this year.
Rob Goldsmith, Chief Executive of Isles of Scilly Steamship Group, said:“We have been keen to extend the operating day and we are pleased that St Mary’s Airport has been able to support our request.
“We are dedicated to offering our passengers the best service we can and by extending the time they can spend on the mainland to assist with medical appointments, business trips and rail connections, we are hoping to do just that.”
The schedule, which runs from 2nd November 2015 to 5th March 2016, will give residents of the Isles of Scilly one hour and five minutes extra on a day trip to the mainland using Land’s End Airport and an extra 30 minutes using Newquay.
The first flight of the day from St Mary’s will now arrive at Land’s End 15 minutes earlier at 9.15am, allowing a 45 minute connection time for the 10am rail departure from Penzance to London Paddington. The new schedule is on sale now at www.islesofscilly-travel.co.uk
Jane Hurd, from Healthwatch Isles of Scilly, welcomed the changes and said:“This is something that Healthwatch has been requesting for some time now, so that patients attending the mainland for medical appointments will be able to catch the 10am train and thus have more opportunity to attend an appointment and return home the same day.
“We are delighted that Skybus have followed this up and that the Council of the Isles of Scilly has agreed to open the airport earlier to allow this to happen.”
David Jackson, Executive Director at the Islands’ Tourism and Business Partnership, also welcomed the announcement. He said: “The extended winter flights schedule is a welcome boost for Scilly and the local economy, providing greater opportunities to do business year-round both on and off the islands”.