On July 29th 2026 Transport Scotland announced funding of almost £1.8 million to support the existing Publis Service Obligation (PSO) route between Wick and Aberdeen, and to support the opening of a new service from Wick to Glasgow.
Highland Council awarded the contract for these services to the incumbent operator Air Charter Scotland with confirmation that the existing BAe Jetstream 32 aircraft will be used to operate 4 weekly flights to Aberdeen and 3 weekly flights to Glasgow.
A full summary of the available flights is below;
Monday
EDC 101 Wick to Aberdeen 0800-0855
EDC 101 Aberdeen to Glasgow 0930-1030
EDC 102 Glasgow to Wick 1600-1725
Tuesday
EDC 103 Wick to Aberdeen 0800-0855
EDC 104 Aberdeen to Wick 1600-1655
Wednesday
EDC 105 Wick to Glasgow 0800-0910
EDC 102 Glasgow to Wick 1600-1710
Thursday
EDC 103 Wick to Aberdeen 0800-0855
EDC 104 Aberdeen to Wick 1600-1655
Friday
EDC 106 Wick to Aberdeen 1530-1630
EDC 106 Aberdeen to Glasgow 1700-1800
Sunday
EDC 107 Glasgow to Aberdeen 1530-1630
EDC 107 Aberdeen to Wick 1700-1825
Disclaimer: Flights cannot be booked between Aberdeen and Glasgow or Glasgow and Aberdeen, and any passenger travelling from Wick to Glasgow via Aberdeen must remain onboard the aircraft during the stop.
What is a Public Service Obligation flight?
A PSO route is a commercial flight that is subsidised (in this case by the Scottish Government) to maintain “essential, lifeline air connections to remote areas” that would be unprofitable for an airline to operate without the subsidy money provided – essentially the Government plugs the gap between the ticket revenue and the operating costs but sets out conditions that must be met by the operating airline in terms of ticket prices and frequency.
For this particular route, Highland Council has awarded a four year contract to Air Charter Scotland with annual break clauses allowing service to be stopped. Transport Scotland will confirm funding on a year-by-year basis hence the annual break clauses in the contract.
Why Glasgow and not Edinburgh?
Highland Council provided an answer to this question on their website, I have pasted it below;
Highland Council considered a range of options before selecting Glasgow.
While Edinburgh was examined, suitable landing slots could not be secured within the available funding and timetable constraints.
The new timetable has been carefully designed to maximise onward national and international connections, support healthcare travel and provide attractive options for business and leisure passengers.
How Was The Schedule Created?
The timetable has been structured around business travel, medical travel needs and to allow some leisure trips to be taken as well, that’s part of the reason for the aircraft spending Friday and Saturday nights in Glasgow before flying back North on Sunday.
Fare Information
| Wick-Aberdeen | Standard Fare | Flex Fare |
|---|---|---|
| Single | £79.99 | £109.99 |
| Return | £149 | £199 |
| Wick-Glasgow | Standard Fare | Flex Fare |
|---|---|---|
| Single | £119.99 | £149.99 |
| Return | £229 | £279 |
Children under 12 receive a 25% discount, and childeren under two travel free on both services.
Speaking on the annoucement of funding for these routes, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Tourism and Transport Stephen Flynn said:
I am pleased to confirm this funding for PSO air services from Wick, providing important connectivity for businesses and communities across Caithness.
The Scottish Government fully recognises the economic and social importance of rural connectivity in Scotland and this reaffirms our continuing support for air services from Wick, including through our subsidy of Wick John O’Groats Airport.
It is vital that the Council continues to make every effort to increase use of the service further. The improved reliability of the Wick to Aberdeen service since Air Charter Scotland took over the route in January is a great starting point to build from.
Additionally, Raymond Bremner, Leader of The Highland Council added;
I am delighted that Transport Scotland has confirmed funding for the Wick PSO air service for the year ahead. At a time when the aviation sector continues to face wider uncertainty, this demonstrates the shared commitment of both Transport Scotland and The Highland Council to maintaining vital air connectivity for our communities.
I am particularly pleased that, alongside the continuation of flights to Aberdeen, the new contract introduces scheduled services to Glasgow, responding to longstanding demand for improved links with Scotland’s Central Belt and creating new opportunities for business, healthcare travel, tourism and onward national and international connections.
These services play a crucial role in supporting the sustainability and economic prosperity of remote and rural communities. I would like to thank Transport Scotland, Highlands and Islands Airports Limited, Air Charter Scotland, Council officers and all partners involved in securing this outcome.
Are these routes necessary when Wick, Aberdeen and Glasgow are all served by rail?
These routes are designed to make access from Wick to Aberdeen and Glasgow easier for those who need it, and exist specifically because the train connections take too long.
Flights from Wick to Aberdeen take 55 minutes, departing at 0800 and landing at 0855, meaning somebody from Wick could be in the city centre of Aberdeen for 1000.
ScotRail has a departure from Wick at 0802 arriving into Inverness at 1227, passengers would then connect to the 1239 service to Aberdeen arriving at 1501 – a total journey time of 6 hours 59 minutes.
Looking at Wick to Glasgow, the direct flight is scheduled to take 70 minutes, departing at 0800 and arriving at 0910, meaning a passenger could be in Glasgow city centre for 1000.
Using that same 0802 ScotRail service from Wick to Inverness arriving at 1239 the fastest journey to Glasgow involves travelling on the 1248 departure to Perth arriving at 1503, then boarding the 1519 service to Glasgow Queen Street arriving at 1619 – a total journey of 8 hours and 17 minutes.
When that information is factored in, its clear to see why Highland Council wanted to expand the PSO contract to include a route to the central belt, as the train gets a passenger to Glasgow 19 minutes AFTER the return flight to Wick leaves Glasgow Airport.
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