The Isles of Scilly Steamship Group has appointed a Managing Director of its in-house airline Skybus, which celebrated 40 years of service in 2024.
The newly created role will be taken up by Jonathan Hinkles, a highly experienced airline executive with over 30 years in the industry, who was most recently the CEO of Loganair with an impressive tenure spanning more than 7 years. He started his career with Gatwick-based regional airline CityFlyer Express in 1993 and has held senior roles with carriers including Astraeus and Virgin Atlantic.
Skybus provides year-round lifeline services from Land’s End and a seasonal service from Exeter and Cornwall Newquay airports to St Mary’s, and the appointment of a Managing Director is part of the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group’s commitment to return Skybus to sustainable profitability.
Jonathan has been working with Skybus’s management team in an advisory capacity for the past six months and has been part of a team looking at operational matters as well as advising on a five-year strategy. He will now lead the Skybus management team in delivering this strategy, reporting to a newly formed Isles of Scilly Steamship Group Aviation Board committee.
Speaking this morning, he said that, “I’m very much looking forward to getting started and meeting all of the Skybus team, together with the key stakeholders throughout Cornwall and Scilly who have a vested interest in the airline’s prosperity and success.
Skybus has served the Isles of Scilly throughout its 40-year history, and delivering for Scilly will remain firmly at the heart of what we do far into the future.”

“Jonathan joins us at an exciting time for Skybus and we are delighted to welcome him to the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group,” added Stuart Reid, Chief Executive of the Steamship Group.
“The appointment of a dedicated Managing Director for Skybus is a clear signal of our commitment to develop and grow our aviation interests. Jonathan’s undivided attention will be on making the airline successful and profitable whilst maintaining the record of safety and customer service that we have built up over our 40 years of operation.
“Jonathan’s extensive experience in the regional airline sector will be invaluable in driving progress after a number of challenging years both for the industry as a whole and for Skybus itself.”

Cianan Kelly is an aviation writer and, most importantly, enthusiast, with a passion for regional aviation and the essential connectivity it can create. He joined Fresh Aviation in late 2022 with the aim of contributing to high-quality aviation journalism and research.