Glasgow joined the likes of Sydney, Seattle and Vancouver on Monday (August 20) with the launch of a seaplane service operating from the heart of the city centre.

Conference delegates and tourists are now able to fly to Oban in Scotland’s spectacular West Highlands in less than 25 minutes – as opposed to two and a half hours by car.

The service – the only regular seaplane flights operating from the centre of a European city – is a major new attraction for Glasgow conference delegates, allowing them to comfortably enjoy a return day trip into the Highlands.

Flying from a newly-built terminal at Glasgow Science Centre (which is a two minute walk from the Scottish Exhibition + Conference Centre), delegates will be able to soar over the stunning mountains and lochs of Scotland’s world-famous West Coast to reach Oban in minutes.

The service operator, Loch Lomond Seaplanes, is planning to open up a range of other new routes along the West Highlands, and is also offering corporate charter services on the nine-seater Cessna seaplane throughout Scotland.

The next destination the company is hoping to fly to from Glasgow is the island of Skye – slashing a drive time of six hours down to just 45 minutes. The company is also considering flights to Tobermory on the island of Mull and remote Ardnamurchan.

Return flights to Oban from Glasgow start at £149 and there will initially be two flights a day on weekdays and up to three flights a day on weekends, depending on demand.

The company is also looking at providing flights from Glasgow to Loch Lomond, which would take approximately 10 minutes.

The luxurious De Vere Cameron House Hotel and Resort on Loch Lomond is just 45 minutes drive from Glasgow city centre. It is undergoing a stunning £25 million refurbishment, including the recent opening of the Carrick, Scotland’s latest championship golf course, and spa.

Delegates taking a seaplane would be able to tee off at the Carrick minutes after take off from Glasgow city centre.

The seaplane can be chartered from £1100, and because it can touch down on water as well as land, it can take delegates or corporate clients anywhere in Scotland where there is a suitable landing space. Scotland has 6,200 miles of coastline, more than 700 islands and 560 large freshwater lochs.

This opens up the possibility of bespoke golfing trips to some of the world’s greatest courses, or customised sightseeing or business trips the length and breadth of the country in a single day.

Stewart Stevenson, Transport Minister in the Scottish government, was among those who took part in the inaugural flight from Glasgow to Oban on Monday.

”We want to open up the west coast with a raft of new destinations to be added over the next few months,” announced David West, the Managing Director of Loch Lomond Seaplanes.

The company has been flying from Loch Lomond for the past three years, offering the first commercial flying boat services in the UK for more than 50 years.

He said the new service provided passengers with the opportunity to relive the romantic halcyon days of air travel without the stress and inconvenience of using conventional airports.

”This will put Glasgow and the west of Scotland in the same league as the Maldives, Vancouver, Seattle and Sydney,” said Mr West.

Steven Purcell, the Chair of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau and the Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: “We're witnessing massive regeneration along the River Clyde and the return of the classic seaplane is another indication of the diverse ways in which we can develop tourism and commerce along our river.

“Glasgow is one of Europe's most stylish and exciting cities, but the introduction of a seaplane service opens up the possibility of experiencing the best of both city and country in one fantastic short trip."