Air traffic controllers strike to shut six Hial airports

Six Scottish regional airports are to close for 24 hours on Thursday due to a strike by air traffic controllers.

The Prospect union members are in a dispute with Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (Hial) over plans to centralise services.

Benbecula, Dundee, Inverness, Kirkwall, Stornoway and Sumburgh airports will be closed to all but emergency flights from 00:01 on Thursday.

Hial said it wanted to apologise to customers for any inconvenience caused.

The Scottish government-owned airports company wants to install technology that would allow air traffic control services at a number of its airports to be operated from an Inverness hub.

Prospect said Hial's plans would see a reduction in staff at its island airports in Lewis, Orkney and Shetland. Air traffic service posts could also go at Dundee Airport.

The union said the loss of skilled jobs would be damaging to island communities and economies.