Uist cancer patient tells of flight disruption to tests

A cancer patient says he has been unable to attend hospital appointments due to flights between the Western Isles and the mainland being disrupted.

Ian Norris, who lives in South Uist, has multiple myeloma and needs to travel to Inverness for tests.

But Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd's network has been hit by industrial action since late last year.

It also emerged on Friday some Loganair services could be suspended for at least six weeks due to the situation.

Mr Norris was diagnosed with cancer three weeks ago and he needs to attend Raigmore Hospital in Inverness for blood tests and to have bone marrow samples taken.

He told BBC Radio Scotland's Lunchtime Live programme that getting to appointments involved a flight from Balivanich in Benbecula to Stornoway in Lewis and then a flight to Inverness.

Mr Norris said he could not rely on ferries as an alternative to getting to the mainland, adding that those journeys also involved long drives to reach Raigmore.

"The tests were originally booked for 28 February and then cancelled because I couldn't only get there by plane but by ferry either," he said.

"It was rebooked for 9 March but it's been cancelled because there is a strike."

A number of unions at Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (Hial) rejected a pay offer last year, and their members' industrial action has involved working to rule and strikes.

Mr Norris said Loganair's decision to suspend some of its flights from 17 March as a result of the industrial action could result in further delays to his treatment.

On Friday, the airline said services from Inverness to Stornoway and Benbecula, and from Inverness to Kirkwall and Sumburgh, could be affected until at least Sunday 30 April.

Mr Norris said: "This is my first introduction to getting my cancer fully analysed, but there will be people much worse off than me."

Members of the Prospect union are to due to hold a series of strikes from Wednesday. Strikes were staged by Unite in December and February.

PCS union members have also rejected Hial's pay offer.

Jane Rose, a Prospect negotiating officer, said workers had tried hard to avoid causing disruption to the public.

She said: "Our members have been very hesitant to move to a position where they feel the only option left to them is to take industrial action.

"Our members live in these communities, their families are in these communities, the businesses they use are within these communities.

"They recognise the significant disruption and impact that this makes on their friends and families and local communities they live in."

State-owned Hial said it was a developing a new business case in an effort to resolve the dispute following discussions with Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth over the weekend.

Managing director Inglis Lyon said: "Having previously exhausted our options in terms of the existing parameters of public sector pay flexibility, we have been advised that there may now be further options which could help pursue an agreement which works for all parties involved.

"The Loganair announcement to temporarily suspend some flights would cause considerable disruption for our island communities, and we are acutely aware of the impact that could have on people who rely on what can often be described as lifeline services in those areas."

Mr Lyon said unions had been updated and further talks would take place if Transport Scotland approved the business case.

Western Isles SNP MP Angus MacNeil and Highlands and Islands Scottish Labour MSP Rhoda Grant MSP have called for an urgent resolution to be reached in the dispute.