Group suggests talks with BA over new Guernsey London route

Monday, 2 September 2024 11:20

Policy and Resources urged to use emergency powers to discuss BA entering the Guernsey aviation market to offer direct Heathrow or Gatwick flights.

The Guernsey Aviation Action Group claims reliability issues with Aurigny this year are driving away business.

It says some companies are 'quietly moving off the island' while 'major players are moving parts of their business to Jersey.'

The Group want the Policy and Resources Committee to use its emergency powers to open up a dialogue with BA over a Guernsey to Heathrow route and potentially one to Gatwick.

It also wants the runway lengthened by putting in a material called EMAS.

This acts as a safety end feature and may allow larger jets to operate without physically increasing runway length.

Group chair Barry Cash says Aurigny's 'reputational damage is immediate but restoring confidence will take years, and at considerable cost.'

The airline has added a further wet lease aircraft to its fleet over the past week and has lined up a longer term leased ATR for October.

An analysis of Aurigny's transition to an all ATR regional fleet and its ability to fly its timetable with minimum disruption are part of a current review commissioned by the States Trading Supervisory Board, the government shareholder in Aurigny.

Gatwick is one of Aurigny's two lifeline routes, along with Southampton.

In 2019 the Economic Development Committee subsidised Flybe to offer a daily Heathrow connection, and the trial was extended into early 2020.