The airline went bust on Wednesday night, with planes met by liquidators as they landed, while other scheduled services were refused permission to take off.

As Blue Islands, Aurigny and Condor Ferries all rallied to help passengers affected by lost bookings with Flybe, the States of Guernsey also said it was in talks to try and protect links to UK airports which have previously relied heavily on Flybe’s business.

That includes locations like Exeter, where up to 80% of flights were operated by Flybe, and Southampton, where up to 90% of all flights were. 

However, since the demise of Flybe there has been some positive news with Southampton announcing other airlines are taking on some of the route slots. 

There had been fears that airports, such as Southampton could go under themselves with the loss of Flybe’s business which in turn would impact on Guernsey’s services run by Blue Islands and Aurigny.

That is one area likely to be discussed as talks between the States of Guernsey and Guernsey Airport continue with air operators, the UK Government and the other Crown Dependencies. 

The States said “while the impact of cancelled routes is not as severe for Guernsey as it is to some other destinations in the British Isles who are more reliant on Flybe, some routes are affected.

“However, steps are being taken by local operators Blue Islands and Aurigny to mitigate the impact and ensure travellers in the short-term are able to get to their destination.”

The routes in and out of Guernsey that were operated by Flybe (as opposed to being part of the franchise agreement with Blue Islands which continues to fly itself) are: 

  • Birmingham (via Jersey)
  • Exeter
  • Heathrow

The Heathrow to Guernsey route had been part funded by a subsidy paid to Flybe by the States of Guernsey. Despite proving a popular route, news of the subsidy itself wasn’t universally well received. With Flybe now in administration any fears over that subsidy money being lost have been allayed though, as Economic Development President, Deputy Charles Parkinson has confirmed the money had only been paid up until the end of February.

Deputy Lyndon Trott, Vice-President of the Policy & Resources Committee, said talks on other areas linked with Flybe’s collapse are continuing.

“The States is working with the airport and operators to ensure business as usual as far as possible, and to ensure we protect our overall air connectivity. We welcome the steps being taken by Blue Islands and Aurigny to ensure travellers can get where they are going. Flybe’s services were a valuable part of our network, but today shows the huge importance of our local operators in ensuring our resilience and minimising disruption for those travelling to and from the Island.”

Guernsey Police have also been warning people about a scam doing the rounds since Flybe went into administration.

Any messages received purporting to be from your bank, offering help with getting refunds from cancelled flights should be treated with caution.

If you receive a message you believe to be a scam you should report it to Trading Standards on 234567 or email scams@gov.gg. If you believe you’ve been the victim of a fraud and have lost money as a result you should go straight to Guernsey Police on 725111.