Travel
Airport to Reduce Runway Closures
Alf Cannan has been assured that the runways will only close twice a day.
The Chief has welcomed confirmation from the airport director that Ronaldsway will actually function as an airport for longer each day from August 1.
Alf Cannan has been assured that the a new ATC controllers’ roster will ensure the runways will only close twice a day.
Runway closures were introduced on June 12 to preserve overall aerodrome hours, ensure air traffic controllers’ mandatory rest periods are taken and allow essential staff training to continue during a period of acute staffing pressures.
The Chief Minister said: ‘I am pleased that the plan put in place to increase resilience within the Air Traffic Control team is starting to have a positive impact. I want to thank the Airport Director and his team for their hard work to move this forward so effectively. I also want to thank passengers for their patience and clearly I apologise where inconvenience has been incurred.’
From Tuesday 1 August only the two morning closures will be retained:
- 8.30am to 9.05am and 11am to 11.35am
Airport Director Gary Cobb said: ‘While the introduction of the new roster is a positive step and will improve the passenger experience, staff resource within Air Traffic Control remains finely-balanced. Building resilience is vital for island connectivity, and the team are focussing on both training existing staff and preparing for new starters following recruitment as part of the longer-term strategy. We thank all airlines and passengers for their patience during this challenging period, and wish to provide reassurance that the team is working extremely hard to make your journeys as smooth as possible.’
