Aurigny's newly leased plane makes first flight

The aircraft arrived in Guernsey from Madrid earlier, before flying passengers to East Midlands Airport

Airline Aurigny's newly leased plane has completed its first flight after arriving in Guernsey earlier.

The ATR-72 landed in the island from Madrid shortly after 07:00 BST and has since transported passengers to East Midlands Airport.

Aurigny has "wet leased" the aircraft from Spanish airline Swiftair - an arrangement that typically includes a plane and a crew, as well as maintenance and insurance.

The States-owned airline said the aircraft would operate until "the middle of October", when Aurigny's fifth permanent ATR is due to be introduced.

'Back on track'

In a social media post, Aurigny said the aircraft would "support our fleet and contribute to getting our schedule back on track".

It added: "The crew on board this aircraft is highly experienced, previously operating in the Azores and also having provided wet-lease capacity to Flybe.

"Bringing in a wet-lease provider involves a rigorous process of safety inspections, regulatory clearance and permits."

Aurigny's fifth permanent ATR aircraft is due to enter service in "the middle of October", the airline says

Aurigny has previously leased planes from other carriers, as part of plans to simplify its fleet and make the airline more reliable and cost-effective.

Last week, Aurigny said it was confident the arrival of another leased aircraft would "overcome disruption" following a series of cancellations and delays.