Second airline begins Blue Islands rescue flights

Both Aurigny and Loganair have offered rescue flights and providing long-term services to replace those offered by Blue Islands

A UK-based airline is taking on flight routes that were cancelled after a Channel Islands company suspended all its operations.

Blue Islands confirmed on Friday it had suspended trading and cancelled all future flights to destinations including Jersey, Guernsey, Exeter, Bristol and Southampton. Advice has been issued for passengers affected by the collapse.

Airlines Aurigny and Loganair stepped in to offer "rescue flights" for Blue Islands passengers after the company's collapse, with Guernsey-based Aurigny's first flights on Saturday.

Two Loganair planes arrived in Jersey just after 14:00 GMT, Ports of Jersey said, to begin replacement flights.

The Government of Jersey said it had paid contingency costs to secure Loganair's replacement services but would not confirm the amount agreed.

CEO Luke Farajallah said the airline wanted to "ramp up to a full schedule" by March following the initial rescue flights.

Special rescue fares will begin from Sunday for the following routes:

• Jersey to Guernsey

• Jersey to Exeter

• Jersey to Bristol

• Jersey to Southampton

Loganair said it was working on providing a service from Guernsey to Southampton, but as the route has to be licensed it was currently subject to States of Guernsey approval.

On Saturday evening Deputy Sasha Kazantseva-Miller, President of the Committee for Economic Development, said: "We designate some air routes as essential so that it allows us to have direct involvement in who operates it, and therefore the standard of service on that route.

"We are aware that Loganair has put this route on its website, albeit customers cannot currently book it - we have contacted Loganair to clarify that a licence is needed to operate the route and it does not currently have one."

Airline Aurigny has stepped in to offer "rescue flights" for affected Blue Islands passengers

Aurigny has released a schedule of flights connecting Guernsey with Jersey and Southampton until 17 December and intends to offer an inter-island service in the long-term.

Deputy Mark Helyar, President of the States' Trading Supervisory Board, said Aurigny had the existing licence to take on the Guernsey to Southampton route if needed.

He said: "We are acutely aware of the importance of the Southampton route to our community, particularly around travel for off-island medical appointments.

"I'm aware of some speculation that Aurigny does not have the capacity to fulfil this route, but that is simply not true - we have been in close contact with Aurigny on this and it has confirmed the capacity is there."

Deputy Helyar said he hoped islanders were reassured the Southampton service would "continue to be served in the wake of the cessation of Blue Islands services".