Scottish airline Loganair has entered into a codeshare agreement with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines for travel from the end of March 2020.

The codeshare will see Loganair flights from Orkney Island, the Shetland Islands and the Scottish Western Isles connect with KLM flights from Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness, providing global connectivity to and from the Scottish Islands.

Passengers can expect a seamless travel experience when travelling with the two airlines and benefit from checked through baggage to the passenger’s final destination. In the event of any disruption, affected passengers will be protected.

Codeshare passengers travelling from Orkney Island, the Shetland Islands and the Scottish Western Isles will also benefit from an exemption from UK Air Passenger Duty (APD). This exemption was introduced by the UK government in 2000 for all flights from airports in the Highlands and Islands.

Loganair’s chief commercial officer Kay Ryan said: “We have a great working relationship with KLM and this codeshare agreement is a natural progression.

“We look forward to bringing many more KLM passengers to connect onto our flights with the opportunity to visit our highlands, islands and the wider Loganair network.”

Air France KLM’s general manager for the UK and Ireland, Benedicte Duval added: “We look forward to working more closely with Loganair as we further strengthen our regional network in Scotland.

“As a result of this codeshare partnership, we are proud to now provide global connectivity to and from seven departure points across Scotland.”

KLM carried a record 35.1 million passengers in 2019, offering its passengers direct flights to 165 destinations with a modern fleet of 168 aircraft.

Loganair is a major regional airline, headquartered in Glasgow but with bases in Aberdeen and Newcastle and operates more than 1,000 flights every week with a fleet of 44 aircraft ranging from eight to 70 passenger seats.