Faroese flag carrier Atlantic Airways is to extend the summer schedule of its flights between Vágar to Scotland’s capital city, Edinburgh into the first couple of months of the winter season due to stronger than forecast passenger demand on the route.

The twice weekly link was launched on March 30, 2015 as part of a revised business strategy to focus on more frequent links to the islands’ closest neighbours. It was initially due to operate until the end of October, but Atlantic Airways will now extend the service into the winter schedules with flights continuing until December 18, 2015 with an additional service also operating on January 4, 2016, before the full service resumes on March 18, 2016.

Atlantic Airways focuses primarily on providing the Faroe Islands with important air services to neighbouring countries, including Denmark, the UK, Iceland, and Norway but it is also involved in increasingly important activity in other markets including charter contracts throughout northern and central Europe.

Its new strategy has already committed it to increasing its services from the Atlantic archipelago to neighbours Iceland and Norway, alongside its core routes to Denmark and the addition of a route to Scotland marked the final piece of the jigsaw.

“We have enjoyed a good start on the route, with passenger numbers ahead of expectations and this has enabled us to extend services up until the Christmas period,” said Allan Skaalum, director, sales and marketing, Atlantic Airways. “Our eventual aim is to operate the service all year round.”

The route is flown with a 144-seat Airbus A319 with the schedule of flights on Friday mornings and Monday evenings devised to cater for long weekend leisure demand in each direction. The 18 Faroe Islands make up one of Europe’s most unusual and dramatic destinations, with breath-taking scenery, great walking, and fantastic birdlife.

The Faroe Islands’ carrier has had previous experience of the Scotland market having previously offered flights to Aberdeen and Sumburgh in the Shetland Islands. It also served Edinburgh for a short summer season between May 2005 and September 2005 with a weekly flight using a BAe 146-200. It is understood to have selected Edinburgh ahead of alternatives including Aberdeen to support the final stage of its strategy.