Loganair will retire the Saab 340, one of the powerhouses in its regional fleet.
A Loganair Saab 340 (Photo: DaHuzyBru, CC BY-SA 4.0
Scottish carrier Loganair — the U.K.’s largest regional carrier — has announced a series of events to celebrate the end of service for the Saab 340. In a press release titled ‘It’s time to say goodbye…’, the carrier says that the events will be an opportunity on ‘their final weekend in service…for a last chance to see the aircraft before it leaves our fleet.’ The Saab 340 has been described by the airline as ‘the backbone’ of its fleet over the almost 25 years it has been in service.
Aviation website Key.aero notes that Loganair obtained its first two Saab 340s from Mesaba Airlines, a Minnesota-based carrier, in the summer of 1999. Through the Saab 340’s tenure with Loganair, the airline operated up to 16 aircraft, including two dedicated freighters highlighting the carrier’s importance in connecting remote communities of the Scottish Highlands and the country’s outlying islands.
The aircraft was also a regular fixture across the network, including on routes such as Dundee to London, and from Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Aberdeen to mainland Europe.
Loganair’s chief executive Jonathan Hinkles posted on LinkedIn: “I very much hope that this celebration will allow us to mark all that has been achieved with the Saab 340 in its formidable run of service with us, and create memorable opportunities for many interested folk outside Loganair to take part in these events alongside us too.”
The retirement events will take place on Jan. 20 and Jan. 21 at Glasgow, U.K.’s airport. On both days the Saab 340 will undertake a number of circuit flights taking in the beauty of the west coast of Scotland, weather permitting.
The airline will provide a commemorative gift bag and will plant a tree in the Caledonian forest. Loganair also notes that the price of the scenic flights will also include a contribution to its GreenSkies environmental program.
On Sunday, January 21, only the airline will open the doors to its Glasgow Hangar for two timed sessions at a cost of £25. All proceeds from the hangar events and profits from the scenic flights will benefit Loganair’s charity partner Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) and will give aircraft aficionados the opportunity to get up close with Saab 340.
“Although everyone who has flown, maintained, serviced and managed these aircraft during their 24½ years with us has been integral to the building of the modern-day Loganair with the Saab 340, the eight million customers who have flown with us on over 430,000 Saab 340 flights have also been fundamental too, so it’s important that we share this occasion outside Loganair as well,” Hinkles added.
Though both the scenic flights and hangar visits are close to selling out, Hinkles indicated that, “We might just have another surprise or two in prospect as part of the celebrations!”
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