Good day for Royal Dornoch and Castle Stuart

[Mark Chaplin]

British Airways started its LHR-INV service today making JFK to the first tee at RD doable in 12 hours and CS in 11 hours. This makes the direct services to Glasgow and Edinburgh far less appealing to get to the far north.

Fares from £55ow with a bag.

[David_Tepper]

Yes, that is good news for the Highlands (and for the possible Coul Links course at Embo ). It has been 8 years or so since there was air service between Heathrow and Inverness.

Unfortunately (for me), the overnite British Air flights from San Francisco lands at Heathrow in the morning after the BA flight to Inverness has already taken off.

http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/british-airways-to-commence-flights-to-inverness
 

[Charles Lund]

I am going to try a flight from Dublin to Inverness in September with Flybe.  Ryanair flies from Derry to Glasgow if someone is interested in an Ireland/Scotland trip and wants to avoid the ferry across from Belfast or Larne.

Charles

[James Bennett]

I flew flybe from Southampton to Paris in a twin propeller plane.
The views from the lower flying altitude were terrific, and the plane didn't seem to tire you as much as the higher altitude/pressure of the jet planes.

I would happily do another flybe flight, especially given the options for remote flights.

[David_Tepper]

In case anyone is interested -

Easyjet flies between Bristol, London Gatwick & London Luton and Inverness.

Flybe flies between Belfast, Dublin & Manchester and Inverness

On May 17, KLM is starting a daily flight between Amsterdam (Schipol) and Inverness. (That might be a good option if coming over from the U.S.)

[Charles Lund]

I flew flybe from Southampton to Paris in a twin propeller plane.
The views from the lower flying altitude were terrific, and the plane didn't seem to tire you as much as the higher altitude/pressure of the jet planes.  I would happily do another flybe flight, especially given the options for remote flights.

Thanks for the encouragement.  Tripadvisor reviews focused on other aspects of the Flybe flying experience that sounded less pleasant.

Charles

[Tom_Doak]

In case anyone is interested -

Easyjet flies between Bristol, London Gatwick & London Luton and Inverness.

Flybe flies between Belfast, Dublin & Manchester and Inverness

On May 17, KLM is starting a daily flight between Amsterdam (Schipol) and Inverness. (That might be a good option if coming over from the U.S.)

Yes, KLM will be a much better option than Flybe or Easyjet, which due to their independence from the big airlines, add a second bag fee onto your trip going each way.

[Angela Moser]

Tom:
KLM has a 'take your golfclubs for free'-club, where you print out a voucher and travel with the golfbag for free.

[David_Tepper]

Angela M. -

Thanks for letting us know about that:

https://www.klm.com/travel/us_en/prepare_for_travel/baggage/exceptional_baggage/index.htm

https://www.flyingblue.com/flyingblue-clubs/flyingblue-golf/voucher.html

DT

[David Davis]

In case anyone is interested -

Easyjet flies between Bristol, London Gatwick & London Luton and Inverness.

Flybe flies between Belfast, Dublin & Manchester and Inverness

On May 17, KLM is starting a daily flight between Amsterdam (Schipol) and Inverness. (That might be a good option if coming over from the U.S.)

A transfer through Schiphol, is far more reliable and way easier from a stress free perspective than a transfer through Heathrow. Heathrow should be avoided at nearly all costs. IMO. I usually see the inside and outside of Schiphol on average well over 100x a year. It's the best of the high traffic airport to go through IMO.


That would mean Delta from the US for routes that are not serviced directly by KLM. It's an excellent option. Even better is to stop over in Amsterdam to either warm yourself up or cool down after a trip up to the tundra. Some great golf here too.


Though missing the connecting flight out of Heathrow doesn't have to be bad either, if you are organized in advance you could spend the first day waiting for your flight to Inverness at Sunningdale, Walton Heath, St. Georges Hill, Woking .... and the list goes on.

[James Bennett]

Charles Lund

note that we travelled with one 15kg case and one cabin bag each. No golf clubs this last trip. Take my experience as a non-golfing visit.

[Adam Lawrence]

In case anyone is interested -

Easyjet flies between Bristol, London Gatwick & London Luton and Inverness.

Flybe flies between Belfast, Dublin & Manchester and Inverness

On May 17, KLM is starting a daily flight between Amsterdam (Schipol) and Inverness. (That might be a good option if coming over from the U.S.)

A transfer through Schiphol, is far more reliable and way easier from a stress free perspective than a transfer through Heathrow. Heathrow should be avoided at nearly all costs. IMO. I usually see the inside and outside of Schiphol on average well over 100x a year. It's the best of the high traffic airport to go through IMO.

I agree with David that Schiphol is the best big airport in Europe, but I only partially agree re Heathrow transfers. Avoid transfers that require a terminal change at Heathrow like the plague. But if you're in and out of the same terminal -- i.e. an all BA itinerary through T5, or an all Star Alliance itinerary through the new T2, Heathrow works really really well. It was a very pleasant shock when I started using T5

[Mike Hendren]

Hmmm.  I thought this thread was about my imminent trip.  Have I told you guys I'm headed that way in 10 days?

Bogey

[Mark Chaplin]

Now short haul BA is all through T5 many of the transfer problems at LHR for BA customers have disappeared. If you are fortunate enough to have lounge access some for the offerings are very good.

David Schipol is a very good airport but the KLM lounges are poor.

[ward peyronnin]

Thanks for the headsup Mark. I dearly want to return to my beloved Cruden Bay. Is inverness a better connection than  to Aberdeen?

[David_Tepper]

Is inverness a better connection (for Cruden Bay) than  to Aberdeen?

Ward -

Absolutely not!

DT

[Bill_McBride]

In case anyone is interested -

Easyjet flies between Bristol, London Gatwick & London Luton and Inverness.

Flybe flies between Belfast, Dublin & Manchester and Inverness

On May 17, KLM is starting a daily flight between Amsterdam (Schipol) and Inverness. (That might be a good option if coming over from the U.S.)

A transfer through Schiphol, is far more reliable and way easier from a stress free perspective than a transfer through Heathrow. Heathrow should be avoided at nearly all costs. IMO. I usually see the inside and outside of Schiphol on average well over 100x a year. It's the best of the high traffic airport to go through IMO.


That would mean Delta from the US for routes that are not serviced directly by KLM. It's an excellent option. Even better is to stop over in Amsterdam to either warm yourself up or cool down after a trip up to the tundra. Some great golf here too.


Though missing the connecting flight out of Heathrow doesn't have to be bad either, if you are organized in advance you could spend the first day waiting for your flight to Inverness at Sunningdale, Walton Heath, St. Georges Hill, Woking .... and the list goes on.

My last trip to St Andrews, a year ago, was via US Air from Pensacola to EDI via Charlotte and LHR.   My golf bag was stuck in LHR for two days en route to EDI; clubs and suitcase for four days coming home.

Agreed, LHR is to be avoided at all costs!