Government 'close' to agreeing essential air service

Wednesday 01 April 2020

The government has said it is 'close' to securing a contract with Blue Islands for an essential air service between Jersey and the UK to help islanders in need of medical treatment or repatriation.

Once agreed with Blue Islands, the service will provide a regular link to the mainland accessible to passengers who meet essential travel criteria due to the current restrictions on who can travel to and from the island.

The passengers in the following categories will be the only ones able to book and board Blue Islands flights until further notice:

• Essential workers travelling to/from Jersey for the purposes of their work. (Further guidance on the definitions of essential workers can be found here)
• Those travelling to/from non-emergency medical treatment in the UK.
• Those travelling on urgent compassionate grounds.
• Those travelling to reach a permanent home in, or via, the UK or in Jersey.

Passengers who do not fall into the above categories should not attempt to book or travel.

The news comes after Blue Islands recently cut some of its Jersey services, while grounding all of its Guernsey ones.

Meanwhile, government officers are also liaising with the governments of other jurisdictions to enable non-British nationals who are currently in Jersey to travel back to their country of nationality.

A direct flight from Jersey to Warsaw is scheduled to leave on Saturday (4 April) and Jersey's government is helping its Polish counterpart to put the arrangements in place. They will also be providing financial support for individuals who would otherwise not be able to afford the flight, which will be operated by airline LOT.

Pictured: The Polish repatriation flight will be operated by LOT.

Arkady Rzegocki, Polish Ambassador to the UK, commented: "The repatriation flight to Poland from Jersey shows how much we care and are concerned for our citizens, and that we react fast to their needs. Thank you to all those involved in helping our citizens return home, including Polish Honorary Consul Magdalena Chmielewska and the Government of Jersey for their smooth and swift cooperation."

“The Government of Jersey is happy to support fellow governments in their global repatriation attempts," Jersey's Minister for External Relations, Senator Ian Gorst, said.

"In this case we are particularly pleased to support our Polish community to be wherever they feel most at home during this crisis, whether that be Poland or Jersey.”