Luke Farajallah, chief executive of loganair, warned that a recent spike in oil prices linked to the US-Israel war with Iran has focused the airline on developing electric aircraft. He confirmed the carrier is working with US electric aerospace company Beta Technologies on a trial of a battery-powered plane. Farajallah added the airline will seek to protect customers from rising costs while the transition is worked through.
Loganair operational trial and fuel measures
The trial with Beta Technologies involves an operational aircraft that has been in production for some years, Farajallah said, and the airline aims eventually to have electric aircraft carrying passengers and freight. loganair operates routes across the UK and to parts of northern Europe, including scheduled services for the Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland. Farajallah said the oil price spike has made finding alternative propulsion methods a priority for the next generation of aircraft.
On fuel supply, Farajallah said the airline had already secured half the fuel it will need for the coming year through a locked-in contract and had added an extra 20 to 25% of fuel to its stocks. Those steps are being taken to limit the immediate cost impact on customers while the company pursues electric options and other efficiencies.
Immediate reactions from the chief executive
Luke Farajallah, chief executive of Loganair, described the trial as a major career milestone and a timely development for the industry: “The [electric aircraft] trial we are undertaking is one of the most exciting phases of my career to date, and it has come at a very interesting time in global history terms. “
On the link between the conflict-driven oil price movement and the push for electric aircraft he said: “The oil price spiking as it has done over the last few weeks has really brought sharply into focus the need for us to find alternative methods of energy to propel our next generation of aircraft. ” Farajallah stressed that operational trials are intended to explore practical deployment on short-hop routes where electric propulsion could be viable.
Quick context
Loganair flies on routes across the UK, including services for the Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland, and to parts of northern Europe. The airline has framed the Beta Technologies trial as a step toward assessing electric propulsion for short hop flights.
What’s next
Farajallah said the airline will continue the operational trial with Beta Technologies while managing fuel stocks and contracts to shield customers from immediate price pressure. The company’s ambition remains to move toward battery-powered flights for short routes and freight when trials prove operationally and commercially viable, and loganair will monitor outcomes before any wider rollout.
