Loganair has confirmed that its flights will be affected by a strike by air traffic controllers at six Highlands and Islands airports later this month.
The industrial action will impact operations at Inverness, Sumburgh, Kirkwall, Stornoway, Benbecula and Dundee airports, with Loganair stating that it has been forced to cancel all flights to and from the affected airports on Thursday July 29.
The carrier said that it would add an extra service between Kirkwall and Aberdeen (departing 1900) on Wednesday July 28, as well as an additional flight from Aberdeen to Kirkwall (departing 0610) on Friday July 30.
It also plans to operate larger aircraft “on several other services” either side of the strike date, “to provide additional seats to help customers re-arrange their travel plans”.
Loganair also stressed that “Flights to and from Islay, Barra, Tiree and Campbeltown will be unaffected as the Flight Information Service officers who oversee arrivals and departures at these airports are not part of the dispute”.
The carrier also said that it was checking “whether it may be possible to provide inter-isles air services within the Orkney Islands on 29 July 29 and will provide a further update on this as soon as possible.
Customers booked to travel on affected routes on July 29 will have the option to transfer their booking without change fee or difference in fare, onto another Loganair flight (on an alternative route if they wish) – or to obtain a full refund if they no longer wish to travel.
Commenting on the news Jonathan Hinkles, CEO, Loganair, said:
“We are hugely disappointed by this strike action by the union representing Air Traffic Controllers at HIAL airports, and can only ask for our customers’ understanding that we are unable to avoid the inconvenience that these flight cancellations will inevitably cause to travel plans, hospital appointments and island deliveries of freight and mail.”
