An airline has ceased and suspended several routes from Scottish airports and said it is working to "safeguard remaining services".

The carrier cited a rise in certain charges by 33% as part of the reason for a rethink on routes to and from Scotland.

Jonathan Hinkles, chief executive of Glasgow-based Loganair, was critical of the Civil Aviation Authority’s approval of the National Air Traffic Services’ charges hike of 26% with "the average charge forecast to increase from £47 in 2022 to £64 in 2023 to 2027 inclusive".

Mr Hinkles said that, so far this year, "Loganair has paid £1.1 million more (a 33% increase) to fly the same number of customers on the same number of flights through UK airspace as last year".

The CAA said the average cost of UK en route air traffic control services by around £0.43 to £2.08 per passenger per flight. "Treble those numbers for UK domestic regional air travel and you’re in the right ballpark," said Mr Hinkles.

The Herald: The airline is working to preserve remaining routesThe airline is working to preserve remaining routes (Image: Loganair)

Mr Hinkles said there will be an "impact on consumers through loss of choice as some regional air routes become unviable through these charges".

Loganair this week axed and suspended several services. It cut routes from Inverness to Birmingham and Inverness to Dublin and suspended routes including Dundee to Kirkwall and Aberdeen to Oslo.

The Scottish airline said: "Despite considerable efforts under way to reduce costs, including those forced upon us by NATS for air traffic control services, the current soft market conditions regrettably mean that a number of our routes have been suspended or have ceased operation.

"Loganair remains fully committed to all airports affected and we continue to work closely with all our partners to safeguard remaining services."

The Herald: Jonathan Hinkles said estimates on charge increases were lowJonathan Hinkles said estimates on charge increases were low (Image: Chris James)

The increase will allow NATS "to recover revenues from the period affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, which the regulator has spread over 10 years to reduce the impact on charges", the CAA said.  

Dublin-based carrier Ryanair also cut six Scottish routes this week, which it told The Herald was part of a seasonal routes review.

The Irish airline axed five routes from Edinburgh Airport and one from Glasgow Prestwick Airport for next year.

There was also positive news for the Scottish capital, however, this week as it was revealed WestJet is launching routes between Edinburgh Airport and the Canadian cities of Toronto and Halifax.

Elsewhere, Scotland topped a UK table on one key measure. The country’s private sector economy contracted sharply in October, posting its worst performance since last November, but it recorded the fastest employment growth among the 12 UK nations and regions, business editor Ian McConnell writes.

Platform Glasgow, the eating, drinking, and events venue housed in a famous former club space under the Hielanman’s Umbrella in Glasgow, has changed hands, writes deputy business editor Scott Wright.

The destination in the vaulted space beneath Central Station, previously home to  The Arches nightclub, has been acquired by Camm & Hooper, the London-based events management company.

Also this week, a Scottish drink that it is claimed helps to prevent hangovers has secured national listings in Asda and Costco, writes business correspondent Kristy Dorsey.

Developed by Glasgow-based biochemists Dhruv Trivedi and Vandana Vijay, Bounce Back is taken before going to bed, and is described as "a combination of 17 vitamins, minerals, prebiotics and amino acids that are depleted when the body processes alcohol".