Hial boss issues apology to passengers ahead of air traffic control strike

The air traffic control tower at Sumburgh Airport. Photo: Ronnie Robertson

The row over the centralisation of air traffic control will escalate tomorrow (Thursday) when a one day strike will take place.

Prospect members working in ATC for Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (Hial) are staging the 24 hour walk-out.

The strike marks an escalation in the industrial dispute which has been ongoing since January.

Prospect say Scottish government ministers have refused to even meet those communities involved to discuss the impact of the decision.

It follows news that Westminster’s Scottish Affairs Committee has launched a new inquiry considering airports in Scotland.

Union negotiator David Avery said: “Prospect members have been forced into strike action to protect jobs in the communities they serve.

“Hial must halt its plan which will remove high value, skilled jobs from economies that can ill-afford to lose them, having a substantial negative impact on those communities.

“Prospect members are not averse to change but it has to be done in a way that maintains jobs and skills in remote communities.

“The Scottish government also has the power to step in on this debate but has so far refused to even engage with its own elected representatives in the areas affected. If it was serious about standing up for the Highlands and Islands it would intervene.”

Hial’s managing director Inglis Lyon said: “We apologise for the inconvenience this day of strike action will cause.

“The disruption will impact our passengers, airline partners and the communities we serve at a crucial time in the recovery from the effects the Covid pandemic.

“It is extremely disappointing that strike action is going ahead despite months of work with Prospect to agree a number of policies to support our colleagues’ transition to our Air Traffic Management programme.

“We are still in talks with the union on a commuting policy and appeal to Prospect to conclude those discussions before considering any further escalation of industrial action.”