About the Air Route Development Fund
The Scottish Route Development Fund (RDF) was established in November 2002 in partnership among The Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Visit Scotland to improve business 
connectivity and inbound tourism access all year round.
Prior to the RDF, the majority of international traffic to Scotland was routed through hub airports such as Heathrow. The Fund has contributed to a dramatic improvement in Scotland's direct international air network by concentrating only on those routes that helped business and in-bound tourism. As at September 2008, 32 routes continue to operate as result of investment from the Fund.
The RDF ceased in its current form at the end of May 2007. However, routes that started by that date remain eligible for funding. The Scottish Government has been exploring how route development should go forward. Options are being considered but no final decisions have so far been made.