ScotAirways, the UK’s independent business airline celebrates 20 years of flying this Thursday. And it is marking the achievement with the launch of a brand new one-way fare structure for its popular Southampton to Amsterdam route.

The move means greater flexibility and even better value one-way or return fares for its loyal customer base which has seen this route grow from its launch in January 1998 to carrying some 46,000 passengers in 2005.

Lead in single fares, including taxes and charges, will start at GBP49 (including all taxes and charges) including complimentary refreshments. Commercial Director Meryln Suckling confirmed the new fare structure would start from 1 May. “This is our birthday present to the travel management companies, corporates and private individuals who fly with us,” she said.

ScotAirways (originally Suckling Airways) was founded by Roy and Merlyn Suckling in 1984, initially offering charter flights from a grass runway at Ipswich Airport. Scheduled passenger services commenced with a 17 seat Dornier 228 on 20 April, 1986, from Ipswich to Amsterdam and Manchester. The first international passengers were members of the Ipswich Ladies Hockey Team. The airline relocated to a new permanent base at Cambridge Airport in 1988 and this remains ScotAirways’ HQ today.

In its first year of scheduled flying the airline carried 5,000passengers. This year, ScotAirways will transport 230,000 passengers on a route network that links Southampton with Amsterdam for times daily (plus reduced frequencies at weekends); London City to Edinburgh (nine times daily) and London City to Dundee (four times daily), all with a dedicated fleet of seven Dornier 328 aircraft. In addition, the airline is well known for providing ad hoc charter services to a range of customers, serving more than 100 different UK and European destinations in 2005.

“We are delighted to help ScotAirways mark this significant milestone in its history,” said Southampton Airport Managing Director Chris Butler. “This route is tremendously important to Southampton as a key European destination in its own right and also one that brings in another 400 destinations via Amsterdam with the KLM/Northwest/Air France alliance. ScotAirways has steadily grown the route to the point that it offers four daily flights, affording excellent flexibility for leisure and business passengers and the introduction next month of one way fares is a major boost,” he added.

ScotAirways changed its identity from Suckling Airways in October 1999 as it focused on its growing activity between England and Scotland.

Its high quality, personal and friendly service and distinctive Scottish style has earned the company tremendous loyalty in the travel trade. The airline works with a large number of travel management companies, brokers and corporates in the Hampshire region, representatives of whom were at Southampton Airport this morning to toast the airline’s continuing success. Representatives were out at Southampton Airport this morning to toast the airline’s continuing success.
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