St Mary’s Airport was slient today as no flights took off or landed due to today’s national industrial action.
Tresco’s new heliport (a few yards down the lane from where it was) saw one of the busiest days it will ever face as around 17 helicopter flights went in and out. This was diverted air traffic, most of which should have arrived at St Mary’s.
Scillonian III had 100 more passengers than at other times this week, most of whom should have travelled by air traffic. 346 passengers sailed today, over 200 of whom where daytrippers. The boat has carried about 250 travellers on weekdays earlier this week.
Due to the helicopters flying to Tresco the post, normally carried on the helicopters to St Mary’s for sorting, arrived late around the Islands, but was not cancelled.
The Hostel, in which the Five Islands’ School’s secondary school students board, was closed for the night. Students had to travel back to the off-islands to sleep the night, returning the next morning for school.
Some council services avoided the strike, defiantly keeping on working.
The national Councils strike was in order to gain a better pay rise than that offered, 6% instead of 3%.