Medical transfer changes made due to airport repairs

Alderney Airport is due to close overnight for runway maintenance work

Contingency plans are being put in place to continue to provide medical air transfers (medevacs) in Guernsey and Alderney while the islands' airports are closed for essential maintenance.

The States of Guernsey said Alderney Airport was due to close overnight between 18 and 26 April while patch repairs on the runway are carried out.

Guernsey Airport is to close overnight between 24 April and 1 May for maintenance on ground lighting systems.

The States said, in Alderney, any critically-ill patients would be transferred by helicopter, but it would not land at the airport during the closures.

It would use alternative landing sites at Les Butes and one at Braye Common instead.  

A civilian helicopter would be stationed at the Port Soif car park when Guernsey Airport was closed, it added.

The car park would be closed to the public between 20:00 BST and 07:00 on the nights the airport was shut while the helicopter was located there, officials said.

Terry Coule, planning officer of the Health and Social Care Department, said officials would "respectfully ask" people "to avoid these landing sites while they are in use" during the closures.