Guernsey airline Waves cancels flights for two months
- Published
The company said passengers with flights in the cancellation period would be refunded
Flights have been cancelled by an airline for two months after a "tumultuous" first year in operation.
Waves - which launched in Guernsey at the start of 2017 - will not resume flying until 1 September.
The "Uber-style" company said passengers with bookings during the cancellation period would be getting refunds.
It is looking to "take stock of its position" after "shaking up" the inter-island marketplace, it said.
'Detrimental effect'
Nick Magliocchetti, founder of the firm, said its momentum had been "damaged" after a judicial review last year limited the way seats could be booked.
The airline originally sold individual seats on its aircraft as an "air-taxi service", believing it was exempt from licensing regulations.
However, after complaints from competing airline Blue Islands, Waves had to move to a "whole-aircraft charter service" for four months while its route licence application was processed by Guernsey's Transport Licensing Authority.
The airline resumed selling individual seats when their application was approved in April.
"[It] ultimately had a detrimental effect on the business, our staff and our customers", said Mr Magliocchetti.
Waves employs 27 people - mostly in Guernsey - and flew its first flight in October 2017, with routes flying from Guernsey to Jersey and Alderney.
Earlier this month however, Alderney's government rejected the opportunity for Waves to sell single-seat tickets to or from the island, meaning only whole-aircraft charters are now accepted on that route.
- Published25 September 2017
