Chief minister to 'discuss' shared mail plane

Funding has been pulled for both the Jersey and Guernsey mail planes

Jersey's chief minister has agreed to have discussions with Guernsey about sharing a mail plane in future - but has warned it is likely to be "commercially unviable".

Jersey lost its mail plane in favour of boat delivery in August 2023 and Royal Mail has now said it would pull funding for its Guernsey flights from April 2025.

During question time in Jersey's States, Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham was asked if he would engage with his "Guernsey counterparts" to discuss sharing the cost of a plane in future.

Mr Farnham said the annual cost for a mail plane was £6m per annum with £1.2m being covered by the Post Office in Jersey and the rest by Royal Mail.

'Commercially unviable'

He added: "So I think commercially, whilst I'm prepared to have discussions with Guernsey, I think being realistic it's going to be commercially unviable."

Jersey's final mail plane was in August 2023 after which all letters, parcels and packages from the UK have been delivered via ferry, with a two-day delivery time.

In response to a subsequent petition from islanders, ministers said the removal of the plane would have "little impact".

Mark Siviter, CEO of Jersey Post Group, said it would aim to find the "fastest alternative routes possible" for mail.

"Nonetheless, our responsibility is to our customers and, while most will not notice any change, our priority is to find solutions for those impacted."

Julie Thomas, managing director of Postal and Logistics at Jersey Post, said: “As the Chief Minister has pointed out, Royal Mail funded 80% of the mail plane to and from the UK.

"We remain open to the potential to create a viable option for a premium airmail service, however this seems unlikely set against the dramatic decline in mail over the last two years and the rising cost of such services."

Royal Mail declined to comment.