Guernsey airline disruptions a disgrace to island - aviation group

An aviation group said Aurigny's flight issues are "a shambles and a disgrace to the island"

High flight prices and frequent disruptions are "a shambles and a disgrace to the island", an aviation group has said.

The Guernsey Aviation Action Group (GAAG) said ongoing issues with the island's airline Aurigny were creating a "disincentive" for businesses.

The hospitality sector has also raised concerns over the airline's resilience at the beginning of March.

Aurigny said it had been a "difficult few weeks, but things will get better".

'Absolutely no resilience'

GAAG said a longer airport runway would solve the issues as it would allow British Airways and EasyJet to operate year-round services to Gatwick and Heathrow.

This would remove Aurigny's monopoly - being the predominant airline in Guernsey.

In September 2023, plans to extend Guernsey's airport runway were defeated and delayed until the next time the runway was resurfaced.

GAAG has now asked deputies to "urgently revisit the debate".

It said: "There is overwhelming evidence to show that the fares provided by these two airlines to and from our sister island are manifestly lower than the fares we are experiencing here with Aurigny and with their large fleets, that have resilience to cope with any technical problems which might occur."

GAAG also said Aurigny had "absolutely no resilience" when it came to its aircrafts.

In February, Aurigny leased an A320 jet from Heston Airlines due to problems with an ATR-72, and in January, it also leased an ATR-600 aircraft and crew from Eastern Airways.

Aurigny Chief Commercial Officer Sudeep Ghai said it was replacing its only jet with two leased turboprop planes to "significantly improve service resilience".

"Removing the Embraer jet does not affect overall capacity and in fact will increase the frequencies on offer to multiple points, particularly London," he said.

Mr Ghai said recent flight schedules had been impacted due to unforeseen technical challenges, staff illnesses and the weather.

He said: "Aurigny is an airline for a small island - this is not directly comparable to larger commercial airlines and different operating environments.

"We are not immune to the cost pressures our customers are facing or the disproportionate impact of global supply chain challenges that most small businesses face.

"We are confident that our evolution towards an ATR72 fleet this year is the most effective way to offer customers the most reliable service possible."