Possible breakthrough in air traffic plans for North airports
Operator HIAL and the Prospect union are back in talks
Could a potential resolution be on the radar in the long-running row over a revamp of air traffic control at North airports?
It's as the operator Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) and the Prospect union have entered a dialogue to resolve the dispute.
Prospect members have been in dispute with HIAL over plans since January last year.
HIAL is considering a centralised hub in Inverness to handle the air traffic of five airports (Inverness, Dundee, Kirkwall, Stornoway and Sumburgh) across the North.
Unmanned towers would feed information to the hub, located in an office building in an Inverness industrial estate.
This has angered the union who claim the move will lead to job losses and force some members to relocate to the Highland capital to continue their work.
Both the operator and Prospect said that the talks will aim to find a new way of delivering the modernisation plans - better known as the Air Traffic Management Strategy or ATMS.
During their dialogue, the union says that any strike action will be on-hold, but HIAL warn that it must modernise the service.
HIAL managing director Inglis Lyon said initial discussions with Prospect to resolve the dispute had been "constructive" and were now "moving forward with more detailed talks".