Air Ecosse
| Company type | Commuter airline |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aviation |
| Founded | June 1977 |
| Headquarters | Aberdeen , Scotland, United Kingdom |
Area served | Scotland, England, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland |
Number of employees | 165 (1985) |
Air Ecosse was a commuter airline from Scotland, headquartered in Aberdeen, that operated from the late 1970s through the mid-1980s. It provided air services linking Aberdeen with northern English cities such as Liverpool and Carlisle, along with key Scottish destinations including Edinburgh and Glasgow. Additionally, the airline conducted mail delivery flights on behalf of the Royal Mail. Its inaugural scheduled route commenced in June 1977, connecting Aberdeen to Wick. By 1985, the airline's workforce consisted of 165 employees.
History
Established in June 1977 as a branch of Fairflight Charters, which was based at Biggin Hill, Kent, Air Ecosse initially operated flights from Aberdeen to Dundee, Glasgow, Manchester, Wick, and Sumburgh. Throughout the 1980s, its network extended to cover Edinburgh, Liverpool, and Carlisle. The company also won contracts to operate Royal Mail air services.
In November 1988, Peregrine Air Services Limited acquired Air Ecosse.
Aberdeen Airways
After rebranding as Aberdeen Airways (callsign: Granite), the airline functioned from 1989 until it ceased operations in 1992 following bankruptcy protection filing and a move to East Midlands Airport. Subsequent to its closure, numerous former staff members transitioned to the newly formed carrier Malinair.
Destinations
Denmark
England
- Barrow/Walney Island Airport
- Blackpool Airport
- Carlisle Airport
- East Midlands Airport
- Gatwick Airport
- Heathrow Airport
- Humberside Airport
- Leeds Bradford Airport
- Liverpool Airport
- Manchester Airport
- Norwich Airport
- Teesside International Airport
Faroe Islands
Northern Ireland
Scotland
- Aberdeen Airport
- Dundee Airport
- Edinburgh Airport
- Glasgow Airport
- Prestwick Airport
- Sumburgh Airport
- Wick Airport
The Republic of Ireland
Fleet
When operations ended, Air Ecosse's aircraft inventory comprised:
- Britten-Norman Trislander
- DHC-6 Twin Otter
- Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante
- Handley Page HPR-7 Herald 209
- Short 330-200
- Short 360