Glasgow-based Air Charter Scotland is preparing to introduce larger Jetstream 32 aircraft on the revived Wick-Aberdeen route.
The reinstated scheduled air service between Wick John O’Groats Airport and Aberdeen International Airport has received a strongly positive reception from passengers since its relaunch in January, with operator Air Charter Scotland now preparing to upgrade the service with an 18-seat BAe Jetstream 32 aircraft.
The route – classified as a Public Service Obligation (PSO) and jointly funded by Transport Scotland (£1 million per year) and The Highland Council (£300,000 per year) – was relaunched on 14 January 2026 following an emergency procurement process. The service had been suspended since October 2025, when previous operator Eastern Airways entered administration, leaving the far north of Scotland without a scheduled air link to Aberdeen.
Air Charter Scotland, a Glasgow-headquartered company with two decades of experience in executive aviation, secured the PSO contract in December 2025 after The Highland Council concluded a rapid competitive tender. The operator initially deployed a seven-seat Beech King Air 200, chartered from UK firm Dragonfly Aviation Services, as a temporary measure while certification work was completed on the larger Jetstream 32.
The 18-seat Jetstream J32, leased from Dutch operator AIS Airlines, is expected to take over the route, delivering significantly greater passenger capacity on what is widely regarded as a lifeline connection for communities across Caithness and Sutherland.
Derek Thomson, Chief Operating Officer at Air Charter Scotland, said:
“Air Charter Scotland Ltd is delighted to have been awarded the Wick–Aberdeen–Wick PSO air service. We are proud to support the people of the Caithness community by keeping this vital air link flying and providing a service the region can truly be proud of. This has been a real team effort in a relatively short space of time, with many people and organisations working tirelessly behind the scenes to make this possible. We look forward to serving the local community – with the King Air 200 initially and then the 18-seat Jetstream J32, which we are also in the process of adding to our own Air Operator’s Certificate.”
The current timetable operates six days a week, excluding Saturdays. Monday to Thursday services depart Wick at 08:00, arriving Aberdeen at 08:55, with the return leg departing Aberdeen at 09:30. A Friday evening service and a Sunday afternoon return flight are also scheduled, catering to both business travellers and weekend commuters.
Councillor Raymond Bremner, Leader of The Highland Council and Chair of the Wick John O’Groats Airport Consultative Committee, said:
“Having a reliable air link from the far north to central Scotland is key to growing our local economy, improving connectivity and supporting the sustainability of our communities. I would like to thank council officers, Air Charter Scotland, Transport Scotland, the Department for Transport, and the Civil Aviation Authority for their tireless efforts to ensure services recommence on 14 January 2026.”
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One-way fares on the route start from £74.99, and Aberdeen’s position as a hub for onward connections to London, Manchester, and Birmingham makes the service particularly valuable to businesses operating in the energy and offshore sectors. Highland Council has previously noted “strong demand” from commercial operators and healthcare users alike.
Air Charter Scotland has indicated it is actively working towards adding the Jetstream 32 to its own UK Air Operator’s Certificate, a step that would strengthen the long-term operational stability of the service beyond its current contract, which runs to 31 March 2026 with an option to extend subject to funding confirmation.
