Loganair named Sustainable Airline of the Year

The UK’s largest regional airline collected the prestigious accolade last night (Wednesday 9 October) at a formal awards dinner held as part of ERA’s General Assembly. Loganair was selected as Sustainable Airline of the Year for its concrete steps towards reducing its environmental footprint.

Judges highlighted Loganair’s collaboration with Cranfield Aerospace Solutions to convert its Britten Norman Islander aircraft, which operates inter-island routes in Orkney, to hydrogen cell power. The partnership hopes to achieve the first zero emissions passenger flights worldwide.

They also praised Loganair’s first all-electric turnaround of an aircraft at Stornoway Airport, where the airline is in the process of replacing over 100 pieces of ground service equipment (GSE) to reduce emissions further and acknowledged its groundbreaking work with the UK Met Office.

Loganair’s fleet has been fitted with sensors to gather critical data that will help to increase understanding of and mitigate against the effects of non-CO₂ emissions, such as contrails. The project aims to tackle misconceptions about regional aviation’s environmental impact and could also improve the accuracy of weather forecasts.

More recently, Loganair announced a new partnership with Heart Aerospace to develop hybrid-electric aircraft for use across the airline’s extensive Scottish and UK network.

Luke Farajallah, CEO, Loganair, said: “Being recognised by ERA for our sustainability initiatives is a significant accolade and testament to the innovative approach we have long prized at Loganair.

“Our GreenSkies programme, introduced in 2021 to mitigate the environmental impact of flying, was the first of its kind in the UK and we continue to be a pioneering force for change, exploring new technologies and forming partnerships dedicated to reducing aviation emissions. “We are committed to introducing low and zero emissions flights where we can throughout our network and hope to offer the first such route by the end of the decade.”

Montserrat Barriga, Director General, ERA, said: “Loganair has shown exceptional dedication to sustainability, not just through promises, but with concrete actions that are driving real change.

“From pioneering electric turnarounds to groundbreaking hydrogen cell projects, Loganair is at the forefront of sustainable aviation. Their innovative partnerships and commitment to reducing environmental impact demonstrate their leadership in shaping a greener future for the industry. We are delighted to honour Loganair for their forward-thinking approach and tangible contributions to sustainability.”

ERA is a trade association representing the European aviation industry. Its membership includes more than 50 airlines and 150 associate and affiliate members who jointly cover the entire spectrum of the aviation sector – airlines, airports, manufacturers and suppliers. The annual ERA awards acknowledge the successes and achievements of the regional aviation sector.

Founded in 1962, Loganair is now the largest regional airline in the UK by passenger numbers and fleet size, operating more than 70 routes throughout the UK, Ireland and Scandinavia.