Jersey-based Blue Islands staff who were left blindsided by the airline’s sudden collapse have been asked to attend an urgent meeting with government officials on Monday as uncertainty grows over the future of around 100 jobs.
Express understands that employees were not informed in advance of the decision to suspend operations on Friday evening.
Many first became aware that something was wrong as rumours began circulating on social media, before receiving an email from chief executive Rob Veron shortly before 9.45pm – around the same time the formal announcement was made.
In the message, seen by Express, Mr Veron told staff that the immediate suspension of services “was not an outcome that we had expected, nor could we possibly have seen that this afternoon’s events would result in matters deteriorating as quickly as they have”.
The JEP reported tonight that the announcement from Blue Islands came after it was confirmed that Ministers had decided against providing any further lifeline funding at an emergency meeting on Friday afternoon. This came little more than a week after a separate funding injection rumoured to be around £1.5m had been agreed.
Affected employees living in Jersey have now been invited to a meeting at the government’s Union Street office at 2pm on Monday to hear from the Employment, Social Security and Housing team about the support available to them.
The government said staff would be able to seek advice in person or by contacting the department on 01534 444444. Officials will outline options including registering as a jobseeker with Back to Work, applying for Insolvency Benefit and accessing Income Support.
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