Escalating industrial action could put Highland air routes under 'unsustainable pressure'
A move to step up industrial action over the plan to centralise air traffic control services in Inverness has been described as "unwarranted" by the managing director of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL).
Inglis Lyon warned that the escalation of action, announced on Monday by the Prospect union, could put routes under "unsustainable pressure" as the country begins to emerge from lockdown.
Mr Lyon also rejected Prospect's claim that the controversial "remote towers" project would mean nearly 50 staff being made redundant.
HIAL's Air Traffic Management Strategy (ATMS) has drawn strong criticism from opponents who fear it will harm economically vulnerable areas and downgrade smaller airports such as Wick.
“Further industrial action by Prospect will have a significant impact on local communities and individuals who rely on HIAL’s airports," Mr Lyon said. "This action is unwarranted and at this time could put existing routes under unsustainable pressure, just as the country is emerging from lockdown.
“We would not be undertaking this hugely complex project unless we believed it was absolutely necessary to do so. We have repeatedly said ATMS is the only option that allows us to move forward in a way that ensures the long-term future of air services for the Highlands and Islands and that remains the case. For its part Prospect has repeatedly failed to provide a credible alternative.
“The aviation industry will take years to recover from the effects of Covid-19 and any disruption to scheduled services as a result of this action will put us further behind at a time when we should be looking forward."
Mr Lyon added: “Notwithstanding that HIAL operates a no redundancy policy, Prospect repeats its inaccurate claim that HIAL will make 50 staff redundant. Our air traffic controllers are highly valued colleagues and we will work closely with them as we go through a period of significant change and necessary modernisation in the way air traffic management is delivered.”
The escalation of industrial action will include work to rosters, an overtime ban, refusal of extensions except for search and rescue, emergency and medical flights and refusal to commence training of new controllers not within the business at the time of a ballot that began on November 30.
Prospect negotiator David Avery said: “Prospect has presented a raft of evidence against remote towers, including an independent report into its viability, and HIAL’s own impact assessment published recently shows the negative impact it will have on communities, but HIAL is pressing on regardless. This is the wrong plan and at a time when aviation is being decimated by the pandemic there are better things to spend taxpayers’ money on.
“HIAL claims that the current system is inflexible and unsustainable. This is simply not the case. Staff come in early and stay late to accommodate aircraft to ensure that their local communities remain connected. Where there have been staffing problems in the past the staff have gone above and beyond to ensure airports remain open.
“It is not too late for HIAL and the Scottish Government to think again, cancel this harmful project and come up with an acceptable way to modernise services.”
A recent study on the air traffic plans concluded that "the status quo is not sustainable". HIAL chairperson Lorna Jack insisted that ATMS was the only way to ensure a long-term future for air traffic services in the region and warned: “Standing still is not an option – we must modernise."
Jamie Stone, the Liberal Democrat MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, claimed at the time that centralising air traffic controllers in Inverness was "the riskiest and most expensive option". He said: "HIAL seems dead set on undermining the future of Wick John O'Groats Airport."
