PLANS for remote control towers to be used at airports serving island communities are “unsafe and untested”, MSPs have been told.

The Scottish Parliament’s Public Petitions Committee heard from campaigners urging Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) to halt its plans to centralise air traffic control services.

The company, which is 100% owned by Scottish ministers and runs 11 airports, says the plan will solve recruitment issues and make it sustainable in the long term.

But opponents, which include community councils based near some of the airports, say it could cause delays to “lifeline” flights.

The committee yesterday heard from two witnesses supporting a petition against the plans, who said there should be a greater focus on recruiting from local communities.

One of the witnesses, Peter Henderson, who worked at Kirkwall Airport in Orkney for 18 years as an air traffic assistant, said there is a risk emergency “blue light” medical flights could be disrupted.

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He said: “I cannot with a clear conscience accept that this is safe and I don’t want people in my community made more ill or dying because of remote links which are highly unstable.”

He said airport control towers have visibility of around 15 miles on an average day, whereas the remotely monitored cameras would have a view of only three miles.

Henderson said: “We’re reliant on being able to see things.

“Why send all of that 100 miles through cables all through the Highlands for a compressed view?

“It’s just wrong. And it’s unsafe and it’s untested and we’re being experimented on.”

He added: “The technology around remote control towers is still “in its infancy.”

John Doig, who presented the petition on behalf of Benbecula Community Council, said there has been a lack of consultation with communities the move would affect.

He said the changes would mean bad weather could cause “significant delays to scheduled or mail flights to stop them from arriving and departing at the same time”.

Committee convener Johann Lamont said the evidence was “extremely useful” and further views will be sought from Holyrood.