Another inter-island cancellation heaps pressure on airlines

Tuesday 26 July 2016

Angry passengers found themselves delayed at Jersey Airport again this morning after the main flight of the morning from Jersey to Guernsey was cancelled, with the Economic Development Minister saying he has been "inundated" with complaints.

The inter-island service is operated by Blue Islands, with tickets sold through Flybe, and frequent recent cancellations have led to lots of criticism from angry passengers on social media.

This morning's 08:10 departure, which is the main service for business travellers, was cancelled, with the next service, due to leave at 10:25 not leaving until 11:03. Passengers rebooked on that service from the earlier cancelled departure would have arrived in Guernsey three hours late, after the short 15 minute flight. 

The politician responsible for economic development and tourism says he’s been inundated with angry comments from Islanders alleging a poor level of service on inter-Island flights being operated Blue Islands, under the Flybe banner. 

Senator Lyndon Farnham says “ the service is not good enough.” He’s says he's trying to schedule a meeting with airline bosses to find out what the problems are, and what can be done: “I’d like it to be this week, or the next at the very latest.”

Senator Farnham says the problems seem to have come about following a “franchise partnership” between Flybe and Blue Islands in June. Under the set-up Blue Islands has its own crews and planes, but tickets are sold through Flybe. 

Latest figures show the number of passengers flying through Jersey Airport in the first six months of this year are 4.5% up on 2015, but perhaps most tellingly that inter-Island flights are down 10% over the same period.

Blue Islands says it will be issuing a press release later today.