Shetland flight cancelled

Aviation: Passengers stuck in Glasgow after action by air traffic controllers

Industrial action by air traffic controllers in the Highlands and islands at the weekend saw a Shetland-bound flight cancelled because a request to extend Sumburgh Airport’s opening hours was refused.

It meant 45 passengers on the delayed Loganair LM437 flight were stuck in Glasgow overnight on Saturday.

Work to rule industrial action from air traffic controllers employed by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (Hial) resumed on Saturday after a revised pay offer was rejected by members of the Prospect union.

The action includes not working beyond designated airport opening hours.

Loganair managing director Jonathan Hinkles said fog on Saturday morning at Sumburgh led to all services being delayed, with the LM437 flight later in the day suffering a knock-on delay.

“Due to air traffic control declining to extend Sumburgh Airport’s operating hours under the current industrial action, it was not possible to fly the Glasgow-Sumburgh service,” he said.

Sumburgh Airport closes early on Saturdays at 4.30pm.

The affected passengers were flown home on Sunday morning.

Another Loganair aircraft was diverted into Sumburgh on Saturday afternoon to ensure the Sumburgh-Aberdeen flight, with 50 passengers, was able to take place before the airport’s closure.

Mr Hinkles added: “We regret the inconvenience caused to our customers but can only ask for their understanding that the situation was entirely beyond Loganair’s control.”

Loganair recently added an extra £5 on to every ticket in the Highlands and islands in an attempt to mitigate the “significant” financial impact the industrial action has had on the airline.

After Hial’s revised pay offer – which is understood to have been an additional £10,000 paid over the next five years – was rejected, the government-owned company said on Friday more talks are planned.

Managing director Inglis Lyon said it is “unfortunate the industrial action has been reinstated during the peak holiday period and I would like to apologise in advance to our passengers, customers and local communities”.

He added: “We have encouraged Prospect to meet and discuss an alternative solution. We remain committed to resolving this dispute and a meeting with Prospect will take place tomorrow.”

Prospect argues controllers in the Highlands, Islands and Dundee should have pay parity with those in Glasgow, Edinburgh and London.

GROUNDED: Forty-five passengers were stranded when their Glasgow-Sumburgh flight was axed