Loganair boss Luke Farajallah has called for more focus on developing electric-powered aircraft as the Iran war continues to send oil prices soaring.
The airline is already working with American firm Beta Technologies on a project to trial battery-powered planes, eventually hoped to be able to carry passengers and freight.
And the Loganair chief executive has said that the ongoing war in the Middle East, and its impact on fuel prices, brings the issue of electric aircraft "sharply into focus".
Farajallah told the BBC: "The [electric aircraft] trial we are undertaking is one of the most exciting phases of my career to date, and it has come at a very interesting time in global history terms.
"The oil price spiking as it has done over the last few weeks has really brought sharply into focus the need for us to find alternative methods of energy to propel our next generation of aircraft."
Farajallah also vowed that the airline, which operates flights including to the Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland, is doing everything it can in the meantime to avoid passing rising fuel costs onto passengers.
He said: "We might need some small adjustments, but right now we would like to make sure that we don't increase proportionately air fares with the way fuel prices are going."