Isle of Man airport has introduced an additional runway closure as a result of multiple staff sickness in air traffic control.

The extra fatigue break will be in place tonight (Thursday) and tomorrow between 7pm and 7.35pm.

No fewer than five members of the team in air traffic control are off sick.

This resulted in the opening of Ronaldsway’s airfield being delayed on Wednesday morning. Services were delayed and the morning’s London City flights were cancelled.

The airfield opened at 8am yesterday.

An Isle of Man Airport spokesperson posted on Facebook this morning: ‘Due to a continued high level of sickness within air traffic control, an additional regulatory ATC break will be in place between 1900 hours and 1935 hours. Airlines have been informed.

‘We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.’

Staff shortages at air traffic control have led to issues at Ronaldsway for more than a year now.

The airport took the unprecedented step of closing the runway five times a day back in June last year to allow for fatigue breaks and training.

The situation eased when the medical issue in the control tower was resolved. Last August the number of fatigue breaks went down from five to two - 8.30am to 9.05 and 11am to 11.30am.

Since then, the situation in air traffic control has not changed. It has become less noticeable simply because there has been a reduction in air services over the winter.

Airport director Gary Cobb has said the airport was still ‘fragile’ but in a better place than last year - and he is hopeful that the fatigue breaks can be lifted later this year.

He said he hoped to have two additional ATCOs fully validate this year.