Transport / HIAL airport charges have risen by 15 per cent in a year, airline chief says
LOGANAIR chief executive Jonathan Hinkles has questioned why no pay agreement has been reached for staff at Highlands and Islands airports – given that the company’s cost of using Sumburgh Airport has increased by around 15 per cent this year.
He told a meeting of Shetland’s external transport forum on Wednesday that charges at Sumburgh, imposed by operator Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL), rose for Loganair by 4.8 per cent in April and then by 10 per cent in November.
HIAL has increased fees for airport users across its network, not just at Sumburgh.
It comes ahead of two days of strike action in the lead up to Christmas by members of the Unite union working for HIAL in a dispute over pay.
Two days of strikes could hit Sumburgh Airport prior to Christmas
The workforce has already rejected a five per cent offer which they deemed unacceptable amid rising inflation.
It is unclear at the moment whether the strikes, on 19 and 22 December, will close Sumburgh Airport, but Loganair has temporarily suspended sales on flights to and from HIAL airports and Dundee on the two dates.
But Hinkles said there was a sense of “bewilderment” within his airline that there has been not been more progress on a pay agreement given the rise in airport charges.
He also said it was a case of “here we go again” given it will be the third episode of industrial action at HIAL airports in the last four years.
A HIAL spokesperson said in response that the government-owned company needs to increase its income, adding that efforts are ongoing to avoid the strike acton taking place.
“HIAL has been open and transparent in its communications on the need to generate additional income while at the same time making cost savings to pay for routine business expenditure, including salary increases, against the backdrop of the current unprecedented external financial pressures,” they said.
“With that in mind we have presented an enhanced pay offer to colleagues that maximised the flexibility within the Scottish Government’s pay policy, which HIAL is bound by.
“We recognise the challenges colleagues face due to inflationary pressures and the cost-of-living crisis and we will continue dialogue with the trade unions in an attempt to avoid industrial action.”
More generally Hinkles said it was a case of “steady as it goes” for Shetland in the recovery from the Covid pandemic.
He admitted publicly earlier this year that Loganair’s reliability had not been good enough, but he explained there were a “gamut of reasons” which have affected the wider aviation industry.
This includes the availability of spare parts, which has been a “major problem”, as well as knock-on effects from problems at city airports.
Hinkles also updated members with route plans, and said Loganair will be combining Kirkwall on some of the Edinburgh-Sumburgh flights at the start of 2023 as it is expected to be quiet.
The airline also aims to have a large ATR plane on standby from March, with the hope being that Loganair will not have to use a smaller plane for replacements.
Loganair is also investing in zero carbon loading belts for the freighter plane which runs to and from Shetland.
Hinkles also moved to reassure the forum that the fact that Loganair is looking for a new owner should not affect services to Shetland.
Loganair’s communication with passengers affected by delays and cancellations was also raised by the meeting by chair councillor Moraig Lyall.
Hinkles said the airline was considering introducing a contact point in airports, as well as a facility for people to ‘live track’ planes online. He added that vouchers for refreshments in the event of delays will also be able to be delivered to mobile phones.
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