Regional airline Loganair is suspending some Highlands services from Inverness because of industrial action.

The carrier’s Inverness to Stornoway and Benbecula service and its Inverness to Kirkwall and Sumburgh service will be suspended from 17 March until at least the end of April.

Ongoing industrial action by workers at Highlands and Islands Airports (HIAL), including specific strike dates and work-to-rule on other days, makes planning the services difficult, Loganair said.

A spokesperson for Loganair said: “We have sadly concluded that it’s simply not realistic to continue our efforts to provide services between HIAL airports when the action short of a strike is intended to disrupt and counter those efforts at every turn.

“The suspension provides advance – even if unwelcome – certainty around which our customers can adjust travel plans, as opposed to facing the risk of on-the-day flight cancellations or significant delays.

“We hope that the period of suspension – initially through to 30 April – will provide time and space for the parties to this dispute to meet and reach a resolution, enabling these long-running services to resume thereafter.”