Air traffic control talks to continue as HIAL and Prospect come to fresh agreement

A “framework” for discussion has been agreed to establish a new way forward for modernising air traffic control services at airports across the Highlands and Islands including at Kirkwall.

Fresh talks between Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL) and Prospect will focus on the implementation of a “surveillance” programme — with air traffic services being provided locally at HIAL-owned airports in Kirkwall, Stornoway, Sumburgh and Dundee.

The company’s controversial air traffic management strategy (ATMS) sought to centralise air traffic control services at the airports to an Inverness hub.

Prospect has agreed to suspend all industrial action while these talks continue.

The discussions will focus on:

• The introduction of a surveillance programme across the HIAL network with surveillance services provided for Stornoway, Sumburgh, Kirkwall, Inverness, and Dundee airports from a combined surveillance centre in Inverness.
• The phasing out of procedural air traffic control services and the adoption of more modern and widely used techniques, practiced globally.
• Air traffic services being provided locally at Stornoway, Sumburgh, Kirkwall and Dundee for the duration of the surveillance programme, with air traffic control for Inverness being provided remotely from the combined surveillance centre.
• A review of air traffic provision against a scope, agreed by HIAL and Prospect, to inform the next steps of the programme. The review to be undertaken at the end of the surveillance programme, or at five years, whichever is soonest.
• It has been agreed that further separate talks will take place on air traffic services for Benbecula and Wick John O’Groats airports.

Any proposal will have significant cost, regulatory and governance hurdles to overcome, HIAL and Prospect say.

More in this week’s The Orcadian.