Loganair has celebrated its 150,000 customer flying from Exeter Airport - and they were a first-time flyer.

Edward Church and Anna Sullivan travelled with their five-month-old daughter Iris for her maiden journey.

It was an effort to tend to Mr Church's mum, Jane, in Kinross near Edinburgh, who recently underwent major shoulder surgery.

The first-time flying family were met at the Loganair gate in Exeter Airport and awarded a pair of complimentary tickets for using the airline's services.

They were also given access to the lounge before their flight.

Mr Church said: "We travel with Loganair frequently to visit my parents in Scotland, and we’re always impressed by their friendly service.

"Exeter Airport is our favourite airport as it’s so close to home and there’s always a relaxed atmosphere with none of the stress of other bigger airports.

"It’s a real bonus to have been selected as a milestone passenger.

"Winning these tickets means we can take Iris back to Edinburgh to spend some more quality time with her grandma and grandpa even sooner than we’d planned, which we know they’ll be absolutely ecstatic about."

Loganair, the UK’s largest regional airline, serves more airports and routes within the UK than any other airline.

This summer, the airline will introduce new, larger ATR72-600 Next Generation turboprop aircraft to its Edinburgh-Exeter route.

This development will increase seat capacity by around half, making more seats available at lower fares to the Scottish capital.

Furthermore, there will also be up to five weekly non-stop jet services from Exeter to Newcastle throughout Loganair’s Summer 2024 schedule.

Luke Lovegrove, chief commercial officer at Loganair, said: "We are grateful to each of the 150,000 customers who have flown with us through Exeter Airport since we started flying under our own banner in 2017.

"Regional airports like Exeter are vital to the communities they serve, and open up opportunities for business, tourism, and for onward connections to explore even further afield with our interline and codeshare partners".

Stephen Wiltshire, managing director of Exeter Airport, said: "Loganair is a vital part of Exeter Airport’s UK route network and we’re delighted to be marking their 150,000th passenger milestone.

"Edinburgh and Newcastle are popular routes from Exeter and Loganair’s investment in extra capacity this summer is warmly welcomed.

"With 25 routes on offer from Exeter Airport in 2024, our continued investment means passengers can enjoy even more choice and flexibility from their local airport."