Press Release - Statement on air services - 14.04.2022

Statement

Date: 14^th April 2022

Issued at 14:30 hrs

 

Air Services

 

The States of Alderney naturally very much regrets the current situation, where our partner in the Public Service Obligation (PSO), Aurigny Air Services, does not have an operational Dornier aircraft to run the air services. Having said this, we do understand the operating difficulties that the airline is facing operating the Island's vital air services with only two aircraft.

While both new Dornier 228 NG aircraft have proved to be very reliable, there are inevitably various times when essential maintenance is required for each aircraft, leaving the services to be operated by only one aeroplane. Nevertheless, that is the situation, as a third aircraft is not affordable under the PSO Contract.

We understand that Aurigny has attempted to charter in a replacement Twin Otter aircraft, but none are available over the busy Easter weekend. Hence the airline has been laying on charter boats to take all passengers who wish to travel to Guernsey, and then onwards via Aurigny's regional services to Southampton (for travellers who had been booked on the direct Alderney-Southampton service), and vice-versa for incoming passengers.

Aurigny has arranged an extra flight each way between Southampton and Guernsey today, exclusively for the passengers travelling between Alderney and Southampton. We understand that they are planning similar operations for Friday and Saturday too.

While it is no comfort to disrupted passengers in the short term, Alderney is working very closely with the authorities in Guernsey, and with Aurigny to develop a far more robust, resilient and sustainable air service for the island. This involves major work at Alderney Airport on both the runway and the airport's rather tired infrastructure. Work is advanced on the options that may be available, and we very much hope that very soon we will be able to move towards more sustainable and resilient air services.

We hope that services will return to normal as soon as possible and thank Aurigny's hard-working staff for doing what they can to minimise the disruption at what is a very difficult time.

 

Ends