Six airports have been closed due to a strike by air traffic controllers involved in a pay dispute in Scotland.
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Airports in Inverness, Dundee, Benbecula and Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides, Sumburgh in Shetland and Kirkwall in Orkney will be shut throughout Thursday.
Staff at Highlands and Islands Airport Limited (Hial) rejected a 2% pay rise offered last year calling for at least a 10% hike.
Union Prospect claimed its members did not want to take industrial action, but have been left with no choice after running "out of patience" with Hial.
However, Hial believes its air traffic controllers are well paid and claimed it has been fully committed to resolving the dispute.
Hial managing director Inglis Lyon said: "We sincerely regret this escalation of the pay dispute by Prospect members and apologise for the inconvenience that this has caused our customers.
"We continue to work closely with our airlines to mitigate the effects of strike action and I wish to thank them and all our staff who have worked extremely hard to implement contingency measures.
"Throughout this process, Hial has been fully committed to resolving this dispute.
"We are disappointed that our efforts to provide possible solutions have been rejected by Prospect and its claim has not altered and remains a wage increase of at least 10%."
Mr Lyon said the airport operator a public corporation wholly owned by Scottish ministers is bound by Scottish Government pay policy and cannot negotiate a separate settlement.
He added: "We believe Hial air traffic controllers are well remunerated and have already accepted a pay increase backdated to April 2018.
"I urge the union to consider the best interests of all their Hial members, our communities and those with a stake in the long-term future of air services in the Highlands and Islands and moderate its claim to help us jointly resolve matters.
"Unless Prospect temper its claim and Hial is afforded flexibility around the implementation of the Scottish Government's public pay policy, I do not see a quick resolution to this dispute." ■