The Isle of Man Airport is confident that there won’t be similar disruptions this summer compared to last year because of an ongoing recruitment process.

The Minister for Infrastructure, Tim Crookall, confirmed that many of the delays suffered last year were not just down to staff shortage, but also the weather, airline technical/operational issues and delays picked up in other parts of the aviation transport network.

Talking about the current recruitment drive, Mr Crookall said: ‘Specifically within air traffic control since the end of 2022, the airport has been actively recruiting to all levels, including experienced air traffic control officers, student air traffic control officers, air traffic assistants and air traffic engineers.

‘This is both to replace staff who have previously left or retired, and also hiring new staff with the aim of moving the total number of those in the watch tower to 18.

‘Whilst this is good news, the full benefit of the new staff will take time to be realised, with training having to be balanced against the competence requirements of existing staff, together with the operational needs of the airport over busier summer months.’

Mr Crookall added that on current projections, the airport’s management does not see the need to implement the same number of ‘short closures’ that were seen in June and July last year.

The Infrastructure Minister is hopeful that there will be 18 fully-trained members of staff at the Ronaldsway tower in the second half of this year, but that there is an ongoing concern over staff being ‘courted’ by other airports in the UK and the rest of the world.

He said: ‘We simply don't know when people might just decide to take one of these offers and we're talking about an exceedingly large amount of money that is being offered to them.’