The Airport Operator Spring 2025
Darren MacLeod
March 2025
The installation of energy-efficient Aeronautical Ground Lighting at Inverness and Kirkwall airports will reduce energy consumption by up to 80%.
Darren MacLeod, appointed Chief Operating Officer for Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL) in December, told The Airport Operator that the £9m+ investment at the two airports “marks a significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to sustainable operations and infrastructure enhancement”. The new systems provide crucial visual guidance to pilots during landing, taxiing and take off in low visibility and darkness and feature state-of-the-art LED technology.
MacLeod, who joined HIAL as Head of IT and Digital Transformation in 2017, said that the company had made significant improvements with the introduction of technology to improve efficiency and service, investing particularly in digital technology since he joined. Video conferencing had enabled HIAL to continue to work remotely “almost seamlessly” during the pandemic lockdown and it had also invested in the Internet of things, solar lighting and runway refurbishments.
Read on: Pages 13 - 16 AirportsUK-Magazine_Spring-2025c.pdf
