Simon Calder: 'To lose one airline is unfortunate, two looks like carelessness'

Travel journalist Simon Calder says there are questions to be answered on whether regional airlines receive enough support, after Blue Islands and Eastern Airways collapsed a few weeks apart.

Speaking to Channel 103 and Island FM, the broadcaster sympathised with passengers and staff affected: "It is a really, really tough situation for passengers to be in, especially if they have flown from the Channel Islands and are now trying to work out how to get home.

"They should be able to reclaim the cost of their tickets, but unfortunately, they will then have to find an alternative flight.

"Anyone who has a forward booking with Blue Islands is simply going to have to go to their bank. It should be quite straightforward if you booked direct, especially if you used a credit card. If you used a debit card, you may need to ask them to do you a favour and return the money."

The Jersey Consumer Council has shared advice for Blue Islands customers looking to reclaim the money paid out for future flights.

Blue Islands' aircraft at Jersey and Guernsey Airports have been secured on the tarmac

Mr Calder highlighted the importance of air travel for remote communities like the Channel Islands, urging authorities to take steps to preserve lifeline travel routes. He said: "It's absolutely critical to get these routes back and working with another airline as soon as possible.

"Loganair, based in Glasgow, may enter the fray - they have some aircraft - but of course, looking ahead to Christmas and the New Year, everything is going full stretch.

"From an economic point of view, the absolute best outcome would be someone like EasyJet to step in and say 'we think there's absolutely huge potential here'. It's a professional, profitable airline and would be a really good option."

He continued: "As Oscar Wilde nearly said, to lose one regional airline in an Autumn is unfortunate, to lose two looks like carelessness.

"I think the government in London has to answer some questions about why vital connectivity - not just to and from the Channel Islands but also [within the UK] - is jeopardised by another regional airline collapse.

"It would be terrific to have an airline with the power and profitability of EasyJet just to come in and replace those flights, but it is going to reverberate well beyond the Channel Islands, and I think the Civil Aviation Authority is going to have to answer some questions about whether it's doing enough to ensure the financial health of airlines."

Blue Islands had planned to start flying between Gatwick and Newquay later this month, replacing one of Cornwall's vital airlinks lost when Eastern Airways ceased trading.

While two regional airlines have ceased trading in recent weeks, Mr Calder reflected on a longer-term trend: "We've seen Flybe go bust twice in 2020 and again in 2023, Eastern Airways, and now Blue Islands.

"It is deeply concerning that regional airlines seem to be a very British problem. There really needs to be a resilient solution that means the Channel Islands can have a good, robust connection with Great Britain and beyond."