Orkney’s flying banker cheques in for over 11,000 flights across 30 years

During a ceremony at Kirkwall Airport after her daily commute, Loganair pilot Colin McAllister, who has been flying Anne for over 14 years, presented her with a specially engraved glass award commemorating her many flights on board the eight-seater Britten Norman Islanders which link Orkney’s islands.

On a Monday Anne heads to Longhope on Hoy via ferry, flies from Kirkwall Airport to Stronsay on Tuesday, Westray on Wednesday and Sanday on Thursday before finishing off the week on the Orkney mainland in Stromness. She also visits Papa Westray and North Ronaldsay once a month.

On each island she opens up the local Royal Bank of Scotland office, serving 40 to 50 customers during each visit, from crofters to fishermen to those serving the tourist industry by running B&Bs.

Anne is only the second Royal Bank of Scotland flying banker. The service was launched in 1969 by Mary Muir, who did the job for almost 20 years until Anne took over in 1988.

Operated by Loganair since 1967, the Orkney Inter-Isles Air Service connects seven Orcadian islands and includes the 1.7mile hop between Westray and Papa Westray which is officially recognised by Guinness as the world’s shortest scheduled airline service.

The duration is officially two minutes, but under ideal wind conditions can be completed in less than a minute.

Other stops across the Inter-Isle network include Eday, Stronsay, Sanday and North Ronaldsay, plus the airport of origin, Kirkwall.