GRANDFATHER Mark Cooke touched down in Glasgow after industrial action by airline pilots and crew resulted in five days of flight cancellations and delays in Iceland.

The pensioner and his wife were among dozens of passengers who faced delays out of Reyljavik and today said they would never again fly the country's national carrier Icelandair.

The retired crane driver, 75, and his 73-year-old wife Rose, from Hamilton, were due to fly out of Keflavic ­International Airport on Thursday after a holiday in the Seattle area of Washington State, US.

But the direct flight to Glasgow was cancelled.

The elderly couple then ­endured another three cancellations before being flown home yesterday.

Speaking minutes after touchdown, Rose said: "We had spent three weeks on holiday with our daughter only to face a series of flight cancellations on the way back.

"Even today the flight to Glasgow was delayed for an hour.

"The airline put us up in an hotel but it's still cost us an awful lot of money. Frankly, I nearly kissed the ground when we landed in Glasgow. We will never fly with Icelandair again."

Mark added: "The whole episode has been so inconvenient. They did offer to fly us to New York and on to ­Amsterdam and London and then Glasgow.

"But that was far too long a journey for us. We're just glad to be back home."

Pilots working for the airline have been taking strike action in recent weeks. It resulted in Icelandair having to scap 26 flights just on one day.

But with the threat of nine days of further stoppages the Icelandic Parliament banned the pilots from taking further strike action at a time when cabin crew members are negotiating a new pay deal.

Abstract painter Tobba ­Oskarsdottir lives in Keflavic but faced a 24-hour delay before flying into Glasgow for a six-day holiday with her ­seven-year-old son Oskar.

The artist's mother has lived in Scotland's largest city for more than 20 years.

Tobba said: "I think the whole dispute is stupid. They have enough money but won't work overtime. It means the airline doesn't have enough crew and so have to cancel flights. These people are paid enough and should be fired."

The airport is a major hub for connecting flights to America and Canada as well as the UK and the rest of ­Europe. The dispute has ­disrupted airline schedules.

Paul and Frances Stevens, from Troon, South Ayrshire, said the airport was in gridlock yesterday with passenger conveyor systems unable to cope with the amount of luggage.

Paul, a 49-year-old air ­traffic controller, said: "It is absolute chaos."

Icelandair blame the disruption on "crew shortages" and have issued a public apology.

gordon.thomson@eveningtimes.co.uk