Inverness Airport to remain open while island airports forced to close due to fresh strikes

Airports at Barra, Benbecula, Kirkwall, Tiree, Stornoway, and Sumburgh will be affected by the walkout.

By Ross Hempseed

February 7 2023, 4:00 pm

Inverness Airport to be affected by walkouts. Image: Sandy McCook/DC Thomson.

Inverness Airport will remain open as normal following the announcement that several airports in the north will close for three days due to strike action later this month.

Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (Hial) operates 11 airports across the north of Scotland and the islands.

Unite the Union has announced its members working at Hial would strike following a pay dispute with the airport operator.

Unite represents security staff, baggage handlers and ground crew alongside those working in fire and rescue, security and administration.

They rejected a 5% pay increase, which due to the soaring cost of inflation, would mean little difference for workers struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.

A spokeswoman for Unite deemed it “completely unacceptable” and so union members were balloted to strike.

Island airports to be affected by three-day walkout

Walkouts will take place over three consecutive days from Tuesday, February 21 to Thursday, February 23.

However, Hial has now confirmed several airports will remain operational as normal during the three days.

These include Inverness and Wick John O’Groats, while smaller island airports will be forced to close.

These are Barra, Benbecula, Tiree, Stornoway, and Sumburgh, preventing air travel to and from communities in Shetland, Orkney and the Western Isles.

Kirkwall Airport will open on a limited basis from 7.15am and 1pm on Tuesday, February 21, Wednesday, February 22 and Thursday, February 23 for inter-island flights only.

Sumburgh Airport in Shetland is one of seven to close due to strike action. Image: Jim Irvine.

There was a similar arrangement when union members walked out in December last year with larger airport able to remain open while others shut.

Dundee Airport, owned by Hial, will be closed to all flights on Friday, February 17 and Monday, February 20, opening as normal after that.

Inglis Lyon, managing director at Hial, said: “We apologise in advance for the disruption this action by Unite colleagues will cause for our airlines and passengers. I would urge anyone intending to travel on these dates to contact with their airline.”

“The enhanced offer we presented maximised the flexibility within the Scottish Government’s pay policy. However, we remain in dialogue with Transport Scotland and the trade unions in an attempt to resolve the matter.”