Atlantic Airways: Winter boost for Faroe Islands flights

A NEW air service linking Edinburgh with the Faroe Islands has been extended to run into Winter, Atlantic Airways has announced.

The national carrier of the Faroe Islands launched the service linking Scotland with its North Atlantic neighbour in March, initially as Summer season service running to the end of October.

Now the twice-weekly flights will continue until December 18, with an additional service on January 4, 2016, before the full service resumes on March 18, 2016.

The flights are part of Atlantic Airways’ new strategy to build stronger connections with neighbouring countries.

The scheduled service operates from Edinburgh on Friday mornings and Monday evenings, with return flights on the same days. Fares to the islands start at just over £200, including taxes, charges and fees, booked online (exact fare subject to exchange rates).

Flights are operated by a 144-seat Airbus A319 and depart Edinburgh at 1925 Mondays, arriving in the Faroe Islands at 2050 and at 1010 Fridays, arriving in the Faroe Islands at 1135. Return flights depart at 1715 on Mondays, arriving Edinburgh at 1840 and at 0800 Fridays, arriving in Edinburgh at 0925.

Allan Skaalum, Atlantic Airways’ Director, Sales and Marketing, said: “We have enjoyed a good start on the route, with passenger numbers ahead of expectations and this has enabled us to extend services up until the Christmas period.
“Our eventual aim is to operate the service all year round.”

The 18 Faroe Islands make up one of Europe’s most unusual and dramatic destinations, with breath-taking scenery, great walking, and fantastic birdlife. Yet getting around is easy, with the islands connected by modern tunnels, bridges or fast ferries. Faroese culture is distinctive and colourful.

Passengers from Edinburgh land at Vágar Airport, built during World War II by British military personnel, many of them Scottish, who were stationed on the islands as part of the UK’s “friendly occupation”. The distance to Vágar is a little over 400 miles.