'Sabbath threatened by flights to Lewis'

A commercial airline began Sunday flights to the Scottish island of Lewis yesterday, marking what religious leaders fear will be the end of the traditional sabbath on the Presbyterian stronghold.

Lewis, off the north-west coast of Scotland, is the spiritual home of the Free Church and for years its 22,000 Christian inhabitants have protected their religious traditions.

Chief among them is the strict adherence to the sabbath as a day of rest. Many things cannot be done on Lewis on Sunday, from buying a newspaper to watching a film.

But at 1.40pm yesterday a small Loganair propeller-driven, 34-seat aircraft touched down at Stornoway airport. Loganair and British Midland, which begins its services next Sunday, plan to maintain a seven-day a week operation between the island and Edinburgh and Inverness.

The move has divided the community despite claims by the airlines that demand is high enough to justify it.