A group of Alderney residents with backgrounds in aviation have announced plans for a new airshuttle service.
They’ve shared the information with residents via a flyer, stating they’ve already presented the ideas to politicians from both islands, adding that “it would create employment on the island”.
Rod Paris, Roger Dadd, and Malcolm Matthews form the Alderney Air Transport Group, and together they’ve announced plans which they believe would “remove the current stranglehold on Alderney.”
Their plan would require the purchase of at least three twin- piston-engined aircraft, with a fourth recommended. However, these aircraft would be capable of achieving lift off from grass, so they wouldn’t require an extension of the island’s runway to operate, but it might still need a renovation.
“We all know our runway is in a dire condition,” they said. “Our proposal doesn’t require an extension although a few extra metres would be helpful. It will have to be resurfaced and widened to 23 metres as this is a requirement as is proper safety clearways at the runway ends. The Tecnam we propose has an excellent crosswind capability and can operate on our grass runways with only minimal payload limitations.”
The planes in question are Tecnam P2012 Traveller, which have nine passenger seats and are certified for single pilot operation. It’s a modern version of the BN Islander, which is what is used by AirAlderney for chartered flights.
Answering those that say the planes won’t have enough seats, the group argue that’s incorrect as they would be “running many more flights, so more seats”.
In the flyer, the group do not give a costing on how much this would require financially, but confirmed it has been “fully costed”. In fact the group claims that although the Shuttle Service would require a subsidy, that the amount needed would be “much lower than currently” provided.
However, in an online presentation accompanying the flyer, which you can find online HERE, the group states that the cost for three of these aircraft would equate to £7.2 million, at more than £2.7m each.
“The plan is to operate essentially what would be a shuttle service between Alderney and Guernsey with frequent flights and a service that can adapt to meet demand,” the flyer explains. “All aircraft, crew, operations, reservations and an engineer would be based in Alderney. This provides a quick response to weather situations and most importantly the 24/7 medevac.”
The shuttle would fly to three airports, as well as providing those urgent medevac services.
The airports would be Guernsey, Jersey, and Cherbourg.
Southampton would not be on offer as the group states: “Operating small aircraft to Southampton is simply not viable”.
Guernsey would be seen as the travel hub for Alderney, allowing connections further afield, with “between 7 and 12 flights a day in each direction” and could see more, as they add the amount of flights “can be increased to 16 either side of Alderney Week and more if the spare aircraft was used”.
The group says that when making estimations on how much it’ll cost to run, and therefore how much it’ll cost for a ticket, puts it in the £65 – £75 per-flight ball park.
“An aircraft and pilot will be on standby 24 hours a day for urgent medevac (patient transfer) flights to Guernsey. The Tecnam can be converted, here in Alderney, in under ten minutes between medevac and passenger roles, with quick & easy loading of a stretcher.”
In the online presentation outlining their plans, the group expanded on the possible uses for the shuttle service. Adding mail and post delivery, as well as freight, alongside the shuttle and medivac services.
Furthermore they state they “believe that this alternative solution would remove the current stranglehold on Alderney and provide a sustainable, reliable and adaptable air service for Alderney”.