About HIAL

Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL) operates 10 airports throughout the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, supporting business and leisure travel and providing lifeline links between island communities and the mainland.

HIAL's Mission Statement is: "We will operate our airports in a safe and cost effective manner to support the economic and social development of the Highlands and Islands".

The airports are spread out in an arc from Campbeltown in Kintyre to the Argyll islands of Islay and Tiree, Barra, Benbecula and Stornoway in the Western Isles, Sumburgh in Shetland, Kirkwall in Orkney and Wick and Inverness on the mainland.

Until 1986, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) managed the airports. HIAL was formed as a limited company as a subsidiary of the CAA. Ownership was transferred to the Secretary of State for Scotland (now the Scottish Ministers) on 1 April 1995.

With the exception of Barra and Campbeltown, all the airports are licensed for Public Use - a classification that allows airport procedures to be published. Barra and Campbeltown are licensed for Ordinary Use, where approach procedures are private - for example, held by an operating airline.

Full Air Traffic Control (ATC) is offered at Sumburgh, Kirkwall, Wick, Inverness, Stornoway and Benbecula. Flight Information Service (FIS) is offered at Barra, Tiree, Islay and Campbeltown, where the scale of operations does not require ATC personnel.

Each of HIAL's 10 airports operates to a specified Rescue and Fire Fighting Service (RFFS) category related to the largest aircraft type which regularly uses each airport. For example, a Boeing 737 requires category 6, which is provided at Inverness Airport. A list of operating aircraft and airport categories can be found within this web site.

Support services - finance, works services, administration, personnel, training, fire service, operations, engineering, air traffic services and health and safety management - are provided by HIAL's head office staff, based at Inverness Airport.

Financial Statistics

HIAL charges airlines for the use of airport facilities through a mixture of set charges per tonne of aircraft laden weight, plus a passenger landing supplement. Airport charges totalled £8.4 million in the 2002/03 financial year. Other income totalled £0.8 million. Operating costs of £25.6 million in 2002/03 were supported by deficit funding of £15.8 million from the Scottish Executive. Capital subsidy brought total Scottish Executive subsidies for 2002/03 to £24.1 million.

Operating Statistics

Passengers using the 10 airports in 2003/04 totalled 933,779 while freight totalled 6,900 tonnes. Passenger statistics for the individual airports during 2003/04 were:
 

Corporate Plan Summary  2004 - 2013

Our Corporate Plan is available for download.  If you have any comments or queries please do let us know using the Contact Us option.  Alternatively you may write to Mr R M Macleod, Managing Director, Highlands & Islands Airports Ltd, Head Office, Inverness Airport, IV2 7JB