Fresh talks in Hial air traffic control dispute

Hial said it must modernise air traffic control

Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (Hial) and the Prospect union have agreed to fresh talks to resolve a dispute over air traffic control.

Hial has proposed controlling air traffic at five airports from a central hub in an office building in Inverness.

But Prospect said the move would lead to job losses because some of its members were unwilling to relocate.

Hial and Prospect said the talks would focus on finding a new way of delivering the modernisation plans.

The dispute has seen strikes and other industrial action by Prospect members within Hial's air traffic control.

• Warning of air traffic plan's impact on islands

Scottish government-owned Hial has said it must modernise the service and has proposed controlling traffic at Dundee, Inverness, Kirkwall, Stornoway and Sumburgh from the hub.

Unmanned towers would feed information to the hub, located in an office building in an Inverness industrial estate.

Prospect members have been in dispute with Hial over the plans since January last year.

Hial managing director Inglis Lyon said initial discussions with Prospect to resolve the dispute had been constructive and were now "moving forward with more detailed talks".

David Avery, negotiation officer for Prospect said: "Prospect has agreed that there will be no further days of strike while these talks are ongoing."