Plans were revealed for a £400,000 upgrade of the terminal building to meet new security requirements at the island airport which catered for more than 20,000 passengers last year.

Work is already underway on a £1.8 million resurfacing of the main runway at Islay airport and the investment plan announced today will include major improvements to the terminal building and fully automated security screening of hold and cabin baggage. A new archway metal detector will also reduce the need for manual frisking of passengers in the building.

While in Islay, members of HIAL's Board also viewed progress on the resurfacing of the airport’s 1,500 metre runway. The resurfacing will extend the life of the runway by 28 years. The Construction Centre Group is carrying out the £1,796,000 project that is scheduled to last 10 weeks.

This is the latest significant investment by HIAL in Islay. It follows the upgrading of the airport’s fire training facility earlier this year with a new fire training simulator - part of a £2.2 million programme spread over four years for HIAL's 10 operating locations.

Islay Airport catered for more than 20,000 passengers and handled 2,294 aircraft movements last year. It is the busiest airport in the company’s southern region that includes Barra, Campbeltown and Tiree.

HIAL's Chairman, Sandy Matheson said: "We are committed to investing in the infrastructure of our 10 airports to ensure they meet the demands of flight operators and passengers in the 21^st century. In addition to the significant investment in the runway at Islay we are also putting together a financial package for a major upgrade to the terminal building in order to meet new security regulations. Overall, this will improve the services we offer to both passengers and carriers and guarantee that Islay airport continues to play a significant role in the social and economic life of the local community."

HIAL's Managing Director Bob Macleod said: "Islay is the busiest airport in our southern region and catered for more than 20,000 passengers last year. These investments will ensure that the airport continues to provide a safe and efficient service to the local community and visitors for the next 28 years. HIAL has absorbed all the costs of additional security in the wake of last September’s tragic events and not passed these on to flight operators and passengers. There should be no doubt that we make every effort possible to encourage airlines to use our facilities and offer the best possible deals to passengers."

Mr Matheson added: "As a company with operations in 10 locations across the whole of the Highlands and Islands it is important for the Board to meet in the communities that we serve. This meeting in Islay has afforded us the opportunity to meet with local stakeholders including Argyll and Bute Council and the local enterprise agency and to see at first hand the progress being made on the runway upgrade. We are listening to the communities we operate in and shall continue to work with them, local authorities and other partners across the North and West of Scotland to ensure the long term social and economic viability of the region."