Both Aurigny and Loganair have applied for licences to fly between Guernsey and Jersey from January.
Loganair has also applied for a licence to fly between Guernsey and Southampton.
Both routes were previously operated by Blue Islands, which went into liquidation last month.
The Guernsey-Southampton route was already designated an essential one, meaning a licence was needed to operate commercial flights between the two airports, while Guernsey’s Economic Development Committee made the inter-island route a life line link almost immediately after Blue Islands stopped flying to protect Guernsey’s interests in the long term.
At the moment, Loganair has got special dispensation to fly between Guernsey and Southampton and Jersey, and Aurigny is also flying between Guernsey and Jersey – on top of its other routes – but from 15 January a licence will be needed.
Aurigny applied for an air transport licence for the inter-island route on 17 November, with Loganair following with its own application this week. Loganair had already applied for a licence to fly to Southampton.
All three licence applications are subject to public consultations, with views welcome until this Friday on Aurigny’s inter-island application, and Loganair’s Southampton application.
Comments can be submitted on Loganair’s application for the inter-island route until 15 December.
Deputy John Gollop, President of the Transport Licencing Authority, said: “Recent weeks have seen a lot of change in the landscape of Guernsey’s air travel market, representing a material shift and significant change for the travelling public. It is important therefore that they have the opportunity to provide feedback on the applications. We hope to hear from as many people as possible.”
To submit comments, members of the public and interested parties are asked to write directly to the Transport Licencing Authority by emailing transportlicensing@gov.gg or by writing to the Authority at Sir Charles Frossard House, La Charroterie, St Peter Port, Guernsey, GY1 1FH.
It’s not known yet whether the TLA is considering issuing one or two or more licences on the inter island route, or the Southampton route.
Aurigny ran a regular inter island service to and from Jersey for many years, with Flybe and later Blue Islands offering a less frequent service between the islands as part of a triangular route to and from a UK airport.
Aurigny and Blue Island also shared the inter island service for a while through a code share system but that ended in 2016 when Aurigny withdrew and Blue Islands took it on by itself.
Most recently, Aurigny and Blue Islands operated a code share on the Southampton route. Aurigny has continued to fly on that essential route since Blue Islands went out of business.