Senior management of Flybe and Blue Islands were called to an emergency meeting with the Island’s top politicians yesterday, and have committed to improving customer communications, and the way they work together – Blue Islands also said they will be getting another aircraft this weekend to help reduce the chances of more disruption.
The Jersey/Guernsey service is operated by Blue Islands, but tickets are booked through Flybe.
Yesterday’s emergency meeting between Jersey’s Chief Minister, Senator Ian Gorst, the Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture (EDTSC), Senator Lyndon Farnham, officials from Ports of Jersey Limited and EDTSC and senior management of Flybe and Blue Islands was called after fliers complained about a catalogue of cancelled and late flights, and poor customer service.
Blue Islands’ Managing Director Rob Veron said: “Blue Islands has now resumed its full published flying programme, as we remain 100 per cent focused on returning to the levels of on-time performance that our customers and stakeholders all reasonably expect. We acknowledge there has been an unprecedented amount of disruption to Blue Islands’ services and we apologise to all affected customers. In 14 years of serving our islands, never before have we experienced as many concurrent issues resulting in aircraft being out of service. This combined with delays and eventually being let down by an aircraft lessor, severely affected our performance.
“As part of our commitment to improve performance, Blue Islands has secured an interim spare aircraft from Sunday, for quick deployment as required, whilst we await delivery of a new larger ATR 72 aircraft, due to be introduced to our fleet from September. This will deliver an additional 60,000 seats each year to Blue Islands’ services to further serve our islands and return to the high standards of on-time performance we have always been proud to have achieved.”
Senator Farnham said: “It is essential that we work together to address issues that are currently being experienced on a number of air links, in recognition of the importance of these services to us all. Both the Chief Minister and I were encouraged by the attitude and commitment shown by all parties to resolve the issues and end the current disruption and uncertainty for travellers. We were provided with sufficient information to have confidence that the problems of recent months will shortly be behind us.”
