New seaplane service touches down off Mull

A daily direct air link from Glasgow to Mull has taken off as a second destination for Loch Lomond Seaplanes.

The new summer service to Tobermory Bay reduces the travelling time to and from Glasgow to 35 minutes.

Travelling by road and ferry between can take five and a half hours or more.

The introduction of the flights using a nine-seat aircraft follows the company running a daily service between the River Clyde in Glasgow and Oban on the west coast of Scotland

More than 6,000 passengers have travelled or have booked on the seaplane service since the Oban service was started last August.

Loch Lomond Seaplanes, which has been running charter flights for four years, has been working closely with Tobermory Harbour Association to bring about the new air link to the mainland.

The company plans to expand services with a third aircraft later this year and have up to five seaplanes operating to destinations such as Portree, Bute, Arran in the near future.

Director and founder David West said: “The introduction of a Glasgow city centre -Tobermory seaplane service will greatly improve transport links between the Western Isles and the central belt.

“The service, using our nine seat Cessna 208, is modelled on our highly successful Oban route and will run through to November.

“I am certain the service will assist the community in many ways such as increasing the number of business trips to and from the island, aiding local people to more easily access mainland services and increasing the number of tourists visiting the area.”

About 400,000 visitors a year travel to the island in search of wildlife and scenery.

“We are keen to improve transport links across the whole of the west of Scotland and the seaplane provides a sustainable alternative to roads and ferries,” said West.

Glasgow City Marketing Bureau chief executive Scott Taylor said: “Since the launch of its Glasgow Terminal in 2007, Loch Lomond Seaplanes’ first class operation on the River Clyde has proved itself to be a hugely popular – and viable – addition to the city’s portfolio of riverside developments.

“This new service from Glasgow to Tobermory offers yet more choice to short break visitors to the city who want to combine the excitement of the city with a taste of Scotland’s great outdoors.”

by Phil Davies