Fears of disruption as Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd agrees to meet Prospect union over air traffic controllers' pay dispute – but not before work-to-rule begins

AIR passengers jetting in or out of the Highlands have been warned they could face disruption in the first part of April.

Highlands and Islands Airports (HIAL) has agreed to a meeting with the union Prospect in a bid to find a “mutually agreeable solution” to air traffic controllers’ calls for a pay rise.

But this meeting, which will take place in the presence of official conflict resolution arbitrators ACAS (the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service), won’t take place until April 9 - days after the union’s work-to-rule protest kicks-in on April 1.

HIAL has warned that there could be “some disruption” as a result. And it warned that it is also “progressing on the assumption” that a planned 24-hour walk out by controllers later in April will go ahead.

A spokesman for HIAL said: “As this [arbitration] date falls after April 1, the work to rule by air traffic control officers due to start on that day will come into effect.

“We anticipate there will be some disruption as a result of the work to rule and apologise in advance for the inconvenience this may cause.

“We continue to work closely with our airlines to minimise potential disruption wherever possible.”

“HIAL will continue to engage with Prospect. However, to allow our passengers to plan, we are progressing on the assumption that the strike action will go ahead and that the following airports will close to air traffic for the 24 hour period on April 26:

• Benbecula
• Dundee
• Inverness
• Kirkwall
• Stornoway
• Sumburgh
• Wick

“Passengers should check our website for up to date information during the action period.”

For the latest information visit https://www.hial.co.uk/hial-group/air-traffic-control-dispute/

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