Chamber and committees

Prospect submission of 2 November 2021

PE1804/QQ - Halt Highlands & Islands Airports Ltd's Air Traffic Management Strategy

Prospect would, on behalf of members, like to thank the committee for continuing to look at this issue into the new parliament. For the last six weeks Prospect and HIAL have been engaged in high level discussions on taking a different approach to the remote towers project with an agreement on a possible new way forward announced on 25 October.

The new proposal puts the model already in operation in Sumburgh of local aerodrome control and remote surveillance in place for the rest of group. There is a lot of work to be done on the viability and cost of this new approach and areas where further discussion is required most notably HIAL’s proposals for Inverness and the downgrading of Wick and Benbecula aerodromes.

The full text of the joint statement is below:

“HIAL and Prospect have agreed a framework for discussion to establish a new way forward for the implementation of HIAL’s air traffic management strategy (ATMS).

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

Both parties have been engaged in discussions to seek a mutually agreeable approach for the modernisation of air traffic services at HIAL’s airports. Talks have been constructive with both HIAL and Prospect agreeing middle ground to move the discussions forward.

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 five years, whichever is soonest

• It has been agreed that further separate talks will take place on air traffic services for Benbecula, Wick and John O’Groats airports.

This is a considerable process and any proposals as a result will have significant cost, regulatory and governance hurdles to overcome.”

We will be working with HIAL to try and flesh out these proposals but if agreement can be reached this proposal would protect local employment and local air traffic services for at least the next five years.

I am happy to provide further updates to the committee as required.