Kirkwall-Inverness-Glasgow: Loganair Final Saab 340 Flight

Loganair this week said farewell to the Saab 340 from it’s fleet with a special flight from Kirkwall to Glasgow via Inverness.

Operating under the special flight number LM340, this took place on Thursday January 25, with the aircraft leaving behind a strong history.

Without further ado, let’s get into it…

Kirkwall-Inverness-Glasgow: Loganair Final Saab 340 Flight…

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January 25 also marked a special day for the Saab 340 as it ended up being the 41st anniversary since it’s first flight.

Under the Loganair network, the aircraft type, of which they had 18 of them, completed over 430,000 flights, handling over eight million passengers over their lifetime.

Jonathan Hinkles, the airline CEO had this to say as the aircraft embarked on it’s final rotation between Kirkwall and Glasgow via Inverness:

“Saab would like to thank Loganair for 25 years of safe Saab-operations, serving so many Scottish communities and allowing regions and relationships to prosper”.

“It really is a historic moment for Loganair. The Saab 340s have been essential to our operation of island services over the years, connecting remote communities with the mainland and delivering over 8 million customers along with food, newspapers, pets and mail.

“As someone whose aviation journey was prompted by a strong passion for flying, I am personally very sad to see these aircraft go, but we look forward to introducing our new ATR fleet to our customers who will love the space and comfort they offer.”

“Today we celebrate another special retirement with the departure of Captain Eddie Watt after 34 years of service. He has made a remarkable contribution to Loganair, and we wish him well on his next chapter.”

Captain Eddie Watt added to this following the final rotation being between Kirkwall and Glasgow via Inverness: “It is fitting for me that I retire with the aircraft that has been the staple of my career.”

“Piloting the Saab340, I have watched all of Scotland pass underneath me and it’s been an incredible 34 years flying with this beloved aircraft.”

It remains clear this represents an end of an era at Loganair, as the Saab 340 now takes rest following an incredible feat of service.