Andy DevaneyDirect flights to Campbeltown have edged closer to becoming something more substantial than an interesting aviation experiment after the second of three charters from London Gatwick sold out — and the third followed suit before it had even left the ground.
That matters because Kintyre has spent years possessing almost everything a travelling golfer could reasonably want, with the inconvenient exception of being terribly easy to get to.
The second flight in the trial departed on August 13, while the final service, scheduled for October 1, is also fully booked. All three flights in the programme have therefore sold out, providing the clearest evidence yet that there is at least an appetite for quicker access to this gloriously elongated corner of western Scotland.
The initiative was created by Southworth Development and Machrihanish Dunes, with the longer-term objective of helping establish seasonal scheduled services between Campbeltown and Edinburgh.
Three full charters do not constitute an airline business plan. They do, however, make a more convincing argument than three half-empty ones.
Campbeltown’s oldest problem is getting there
Machrihanish Golf Club requires little introduction among links devotees. Its celebrated opening hole has been discussed, photographed and argued over for generations, which is generally how golfers demonstrate affection.
Machrihanish Dunes provides another serious reason to make the journey, while Campbeltown’s whisky heritage ensures the evening programme need not consist solely of discussing missed three-footers.
The difficulty has never really been the product.
It has been the journey.
For visitors arriving from much of Britain — and particularly those connecting from overseas — reaching South Kintyre by road can consume a sizeable portion of the day. Flying over the inconvenient bits rather changes the arithmetic.
Operated by Loganair with support from Highlands and Islands Airports Limited and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the charter programme is attempting to establish whether that apparently obvious advantage translates into sufficient commercial demand.
So far, the booking figures say there is something there.
A very agreeable way to conduct an experiment
The inaugural flight brought 35 golfers, journalists, influencers and whisky enthusiasts directly from Gatwick to Campbeltown, offering a select group of media the chance to sample Kintyre’s golf, whisky and hospitality first-hand. Some of us, naturally, have had to rely on the press release.
Those guests were met by local pipers before beginning a four-day programme featuring golf at Machrihanish Golf Club and Machrihanish Dunes, accommodation at the Ugadale Hotel & Cottages and an exclusive whisky tasting at Campbeltown Bond.
There are sterner methods of evaluating regional transport policy.
The hospitality also needs acknowledging when considering the resulting endorsements.
Glowing testimony from journalists who received a free four-day golf-and-whisky trip can make coverage read rather more like hospitality collateral than independent journalism. That does not make their observations false; it merely places them in the proper evidential weight class.
Jezz Ellwood, Courses Editor at Golf Monthly, said: “I’ve travelled extensively to play golf around the UK and Ireland, but what struck me most was just how easy the charter flight made the journey. Instead of spending hours driving, we landed in this superb region in what seemed no time at all from London.
Combine that with the quality of both courses, outstanding hospitality and spectacular scenery, and it becomes clear that this is a destination that deserves to be far more accessible.”
Simon Bale, Editor of Golf Today, was similarly enthusiastic: “The whole experience exceeded expectations. The golf is exceptional, but what really stays with you is the complete package – genuine Scottish hospitality, incredible food, beautiful accommodation and an atmosphere that makes visitors feel instantly welcome. It’s exactly the sort of destination today’s travelling golfer is looking for.”
All perfectly glowing. Then again, four days involving championship links, comfortable accommodation, good food and whisky would have to go quite spectacularly wrong before somebody returned demanding the restoration of the six-hour drive.
The more persuasive evidence is sitting on the passenger manifests.
The flights sold.
Three sell-outs strengthen the case for regular Campbeltown flights
An independent economic appraisal by MKA Economics for Machrihanish Dunes has already examined the potential benefits of improved air access to South Kintyre.
The current charter programme is now providing something less theoretical: people actually buying seats.
Ian Ferguson, Resort Director at Machrihanish Dunes, said: “When we launched this charter series, our aim was simple: to demonstrate that there is genuine demand for direct flights to Campbeltown. The success of the inaugural charters, together with the interest in the remaining departures, gives us real confidence that we’ve achieved that.
“Better air connectivity would make Kintyre more accessible for visitors from across the UK and beyond, supporting local businesses, encouraging further investment and helping more people discover everything this remarkable part of Scotland has to offer.
“These flights are the next important steps in building the evidence for future scheduled services, and we’re excited to welcome more visitors to Campbeltown over the coming months.”
There is a credible economic argument behind that ambition. Easier access could potentially deliver customers not merely to golf courses but to accommodation providers, restaurants, whisky businesses and the wider visitor economy.
The important distinction is between proving that people like the idea of flying to Campbeltown and proving that a scheduled route can operate sustainably.
Those are not quite the same examination.
Could Campbeltown to Edinburgh be the next step?
The longer-term ambition is a seasonal scheduled connection between Campbeltown and Edinburgh Airport.
That would potentially be more important than the Gatwick charters themselves because Edinburgh offers access to domestic and international connections and could make Kintyre considerably more practical as part of a wider Scottish golf itinerary.
For a visitor trying to combine Machrihanish with other Scottish destinations, shaving several hours from the transfer is not a cosmetic improvement. Time is one of the least renewable commodities on any golf trip, particularly one assembled around fixed tee times.
But aviation economics remains stubbornly less romantic than links golf.
A commercially viable scheduled service needs reliable demand across a season, useful departure times and passengers travelling in both directions. Aircraft tend to become expensive pieces of airport furniture when those ingredients disappear.
Three sell-out charter flights therefore represent promising evidence rather than a verdict.
Kintyre has made the easy part look difficult for long enough
There is a slightly absurd quality to Kintyre’s tourism conundrum.
Here is a peninsula with revered links golf, dramatic coastal scenery, a substantial whisky tradition and hospitality businesses keen to receive visitors. None of those assets has suddenly appeared.
The geographical inconvenience has always been part of the bargain.
Direct flights to Campbeltown could alter that bargain more significantly than any new hotel package or tourism slogan ever could. The attraction is already there; improved connectivity simply reduces the amount of determination required to enjoy it.
That is why the final charter on October 1 deserves attention beyond the novelty of golfers arriving by air.
If three successful flights can be converted into a sustainable scheduled service, Kintyre may finally remove one of the few persuasive excuses for not visiting.
And if another media familiarisation trip is required to establish that beyond reasonable doubt, one imagines volunteers will somehow be found.
