NorthLink Ferries is set to re-launch the Islander Family andFriends discounted travel scheme which was successfully pioneered in 2002. A new computerised reservations system now provides the technology which will allow NorthLink to offer this promotion again.

The scheme will see registered islanders invited to nominate up to six ‘Family and Friend’ households which must be based outwith the Orkney and Shetland Islands. All members of those households would then qualify for the 30 per cent discount currently enjoyed by islanders registered for NorthLink’s islander discount travel scheme.

The Family and Friend initiative will operate as purely an internet-based promotion with all registrations being handled through the NorthLink website. The promotion will initially operate on almost all sailings during May and June and it is scheduled to return in the autumn.

Most Orkney and Shetland residents are already registered with NorthLink for the 30 per cent islander travel discount scheme. The new promotion will, initially, be addressed to those registered islanders who have already provided NorthLink with their email address. As part of a phased scheme the company is in the process of e-mailing those individuals where the company has a current e-mail address.

However, for many registered islanders NorthLink does not hold a current e-mail address. Therefore a special web form has been created to allow registered islanders to provide NorthLink with an up to date e-mail address. Once NorthLink has an e-mail address, registered islanders will receive an e-mail inviting them to nominate their Family and Friends. As this is purely an internet based promotion an e-mail address is required for each nominated Family and Friends household. This will allow NorthLink to contact directly those nominated and provide them with the unique ID which they will require to make a booking.

NorthLink’s recently appointed Commercial Director, Cynthia Spencer, said: “The islander discount scheme has already been a great success. We know how much the discount means to islanders who travel south to see family and friends. Six years ago the company extended the scheme to nominated friends and family so they could enjoy the same benefit. That proved hugely popular. We expect a similar degree of uptake this time and would ask customers to be patient while we process what we expect will be a large number of applications.”