From August 1, the airport’s daily runway closures will be reduced from five times a day to twice a day.

new Air Traffic Controllers’ roster will be in place from Tuesday, August 1 which will mean there are only two periods of closure, compared to five currently, and reducing the total closure time by more than two hours.

The new roster will see the airport close from 8.30am to 9.05am and 11am to 11.35am.

Runway closures were introduced on June 12 to preserve overall aerodrome hours, ensure air traffic controllers’ mandatory rest periods are taken and allow essential staff training to continue during a period of acute staffing pressures.

Airport director Gary Cobb said: ‘While the introduction of the new roster is a positive step and will improve the passenger experience, staff resource within Air Traffic Control remains finely-balanced. Building resilience is vital for island connectivity, and the team are focussing on both training existing staff and preparing for new starters following recruitment as part of the longer-term strategy.

‘We thank all airlines and passengers for their patience during this challenging period, and wish to provide reassurance that the team is working extremely hard to make your journeys as smooth as possible.’

The Chief Minister said: ‘I am pleased that the plan put in place to increase resilience within the Air Traffic Control team is starting to have a positive impact.

‘I want to thank the Airport Director and his team for their hard work to move this forward so effectively.

‘I also want to thank passengers for their patience and clearly I apologise where inconvenience has been incurred.’

The government says that details of the changes have been communicated to airlines and operators.