Loganair’s mostly exclusive aerial connections to the Scottish Outer Hebrides (also known as the Western Isles) will be suspended during a Prospect union work-to-rule campaign at Highlands & Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL), the manager of Outer Hebrides airports between at least March 17 until April 30, 2023. But this is not the full extent of the labor action being taken against HIAL – there are even full strikes planned to ensure airport disruptions in a pay dispute intended to address the cost of living.

First round of labor action

Before the work-to-rule kicks off, full strike action will occur at these airports in HIAL’s care by the Prospect union due to a pay dispute with the firefighters and security forces.

  • 8 and 9 March – Stornoway Airport, Sumburgh Airport
  • 10 March – Barra Airport, Benbecula Airport, Campbeltown Airport, Islay Airport, Kirkwall Airport, Wick Airport
  • 13 March – Dundee Airport, Inverness Airport, Islay Airport
  • 17 March – Dundee Airport, Inverness Airport

Already, as per a March 1, 2023 statement, Loganair has contacted affected passengers and said to use online options to contact the airline “wherever possible” if rebooking and refund options offered were insufficient. Loganair also said “sorry” and said events were beyond the airline’s “control and influence” - a matter some Scottish parliamentarians publicly dispute, as mentioned below.

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What is work-to-rule?

Which is mostly true as work-to-rule is a labor tactic that is where employees only do what they are contractually required to do. In other words: No overtime and full compliance with employment rules – even if time-consuming.

Even with an intent to work the contract, with airlines dependent on timely service and sufficient airport staffing, this can become insufficient. As Loganair explained in their March 3, statement explaining their decision, there is a risk of “A position where shifts cannot be operated to the required minimum levels to enable flights to take place, causing cancellations and delays with either very limited advance notice or none at all.”

Loganair rationale

A Loganair spokesman offered this statement about their decision to take an “unprecedented step” to suspend service from Inverness to Stornoway and Benbecula and from Inverness to Kirkwall and Sumburgh,

The statement read, "with the utmost reluctance,” but;

“We have sadly concluded that it’s simply not realistic to continue our efforts to provide services between HIAL airports when the action short of a strike is intended to disrupt and counter those efforts at every turn.

The suspension provides advance – even if unwelcome - certainty around which our customers can adjust travel plans, as opposed to facing the risk of on-the-day flight cancellations or significant delays. We hope that the period of suspension – initially through to 30 April – will provide time and space for the parties to this dispute to meet and reach a resolution, enabling these long-running services to resume thereafter.”

It's worth noting also that Loganair, when the first version of Flybe collapsed in 2020, arguably partially due to a Loganair fare fight with Flybe, promised, in the words of Chief Executive Jonathan Hinkles published here to "maintain essential air connectivity within the UK regions to keep customers flying." The history of Loganair is that the 60-year Scottish airline has been an airbridge for the Scottish islands, even when a British Airways and Flybe franchisee before becoming a stand-alone airline again in 2017 and again in 2020 with Flybe's first collapse plus FlyBMI's 2019 collapse take on routes outside of Scotland.

Read more about Loganair's fleet.

Members of Scottish Parliament respond

In the Orkney News, two Members of Scottish Parliament (MSP) responded to the development with dismay and demanded a sense of “urgency.” As Rhoda Grant, Highlands and Islands Labour MSP shared with the Orkney News, the routes are “essential life line services” connecting the residents with medicine, family, and travel, and as such, Loganair’s actions are “a complete over-reaction.” While Grant acknowledged "things would fall apart” without “extra work which must be appropriately compensated,”

Grant went on to say;

“Loganair instead needs to apply pressure on HIAL to get round the negotiating table, rather than on their customers in the islands who are already having to negotiate horrendous transport issues and have no influence in these matters.

“HIAL must as a matter of urgency get back round the table with Unite and find a resolution to this dispute rather than allow our communities to be held to ransom.”

Liam McArthur, Orkney Constituency Liberal Democrat MSP, also added the situation was “deeply disappointing” and “more disturbing” with “lifeline services” being suspended. McArthur also noted HIAL is “wholly owned by the Scottish Government,” and therefore, “the Transport Minister needs to step in and bring the two sides together.”

Prospect union wants pay to address "cost of living"

In a February 23, 2023 statement, the union Prospect said the firefighters and security officers are calling for the Scottish Government to intervene. Namely, Prospect wants the Scottish Government to "Fund an improved pay offer” to address "the worst cost of living crisis in 40 years” with higher pay instead of "the substantial real terms pay cut that is currently on offer.”

Highlands and Islands Airports Limited explained

Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL) has issued several updates in the past few weeks advising the public of when to expect labor disruptions at their airports. HIAL is, according to its website, a private limited company owned by and receiving subsidies from the Scottish Government.

HIAL claims to have as its core values "creating social benefit and economic prosperity by building Scotland’s sustainable regional airport group of the future.” HIAL furthermore claims to have the value of respect or “we always listen and respond to customers and colleagues; we do not ignore the needs of others.”

Ultimately as HIAL’s managing director Inglis Lyon told the BBC on March 3, 2023;

"It is vital that we find a mutual solution to resolve this dispute and will now discuss our options within the parameters of public sector pay flexibility with the Hial board and Transport Scotland."

What is your assessment of the situation? Please share in the comments.

Sources: BBC, HIAL values, Orkney News