LOGANAIR has started the search for a new chief executive following a period in which it has come under fire for its record on punctuality and customer service.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon noted “real concerns” about the airline’s performance in November.

The Glasgow-based airline, which flies 31 routes across Scotland’s Highlands and Islands and the UK, said current chief executive Stewart Adams would step down in April.

Mr Adams, who joined in 2013 from Singapore-based Tiger Airways, said: “For personal reasons the time is now right for me to step down.”

Loganair’s chairman David Harrison said Mr Adams, 55, informed the board of his decision late last year, as the company tried to improve its performance in key areas.

Around one in four (23 per cent) of Loganair’s flights are currently departing late.

Mr Harrison said of Mr Adams: "His experience has proved to be a significant asset, particularly while we have been developing a major raft of initiatives to ensure our punctuality and customer service are soon back at the levels which our customers have rightly come to expect.”

Mr Adams leaves following a period in which the company has faced criticisms of its performance in areas where it provides a lifeline service, such as Shetland and the Western Isles.

In November the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon noted concerns about the airline’s record the day after a plane travelling from Glasgow to Sumburgh, Shetland, with 13 people on board made an emergency landing after one of its engines was shut down.

She said then: “Derek Mackay (transport and islands minister) is discussing these concerns and these issues with Loganair and we will continue to do so and demand that these issues are rectified.”

In October the British Airline Pilots Association wrote to Loganair expressing concerns about the company’s engineering department.

Yesterday BALPA said it continues to work with Loganair and is looking forward to discussing a range of matters at upcoming meetings.

In a statement issued by Logonair, Mr Adams said :

“The widespread improvement initiatives we launched last year are already having a positive impact and our strong financial performance in recent years has also made possible the largest investment programme in the company’s history.”

Asked to provide examples of the positive impacts referred to or whether Mr Adams would receive compensation, a spokesman for Loganair declined to elaborate on the statement.

The company said its punctuality figures for all flights departing within 15 minutes of schedule currently sits at 77 per cent and a target of 85 per cent has been set for 2016.

Loganair said the 77 per cent punctuality rate was above the UK average without detailing which measure it had used.

Unveiling a seven per cent rise in turnover earlier this month Loganair said it had been addressing the punctuality issues it has suffered through major investment.

Mr Adams noted then that Loganair is investing in its engineering facilities under a £15m programme which will deliver improvements in the fleet of planes.

He noted the challenges Loganair faced operating a range of different plane models to serve its unusual flight mix. The firm is developing a £6m spares hub at Glasgow airport and has launched an engineeering apprenticeship programme.

A spokesman for the Scottish Government said yesterday: “Loganair have recently announced a renewed investment programme which will be a key focus for the incoming chief executive, and we look forward to working closely with them as they take this work forward.”

Loganair increased sales to £93.6m in the year to 31 March, from £87.3m in the preceding year.

Boosted by a £1.68m exceptional gain on aircraft disposal in the year to March 2015, Loganair’s pre-tax profits rose to £7.2m from £5.83m.

Helicopter entrepreneurs Stephen and Peter Bond acquired a majority interest in Loganair in 2012 from Scott Grier, who was a driving force behind the business for many years.