From a one-plane grocery shuttle to a 26-year-old regional airline propped up by millions in public money, the rise and sudden fall of Blue Islands has been decades in the making. This is the story of how a carrier that once connected the Channel Islands to Europe unravelled, step by step…
We’ll be keeping the timeline below updated when more emerges:
1999: Le Cocq’s Air Link
Blue Islands starts life as Le Cocq’s Air Link, founded to supply perishable goods to Alderney from Bournemouth using Britten Norman Islanders.
2002: First passenger flights
The first passenger services begin with flights between Alderney and Bournemouth.
Ten-thousand passengers are carried in the first year.
2003: Rockhopper
The trading name of Rockhopper is adopted.
Twenty-thousand passengers are carried that year.
2006: Blue Islands
The airline rebrands as Blue Islands and establishes itself as a regional carrier.
A British Aerospace Jetstream 32 aircraft was delivered.
A total of 63,500 passengers flew that year.
2009: First ATR
The airline gets its first ATR.
2011: New CEO
Rob Veron is appointed as CEO of Blue Islands.
2013: Guernsey-Southampton route
The airline gets its first ATR-72, and the Guernsey-Southampton route is launched.
2016: Flybe
Blue Islands becomes a franchise partner of Flybe.
2020: Pandemic woes
Flybe closes in the midst of the pandemic.
In June, it was revealed that the Government was considering a convertible loan to Blue Islands – meaning that the Government can be paid back through shares in the business in return for their cash injection.
The following month, the Government of Jersey confirmed a £10m emergency loan to Blue Islands to secure the island’s air links.
Despite repeated requests from Express, ministers declined to reveal the exact terms of the loan.
The airline drew down £8.5m.
2021: Repayment term extended
The loan originally had to be repaid by the end of 2026 but, after the second wave of covid hit over the winter of 2020/21, the final repayment date was extended to 31 December 2028.
2024: The plan to sell Blue Islands begins…
A request made under the Freedom of Information Law shows that Blue Islands had only repaid £1,425,653 of the capital sum by September – less than a fifth.
Blue Islands begins working on a sale process to secure the future of the business.
July 2025: Loan repayments no more
Express reveals that Blue Islands had not paid back any more of its taxpayer-funded loan (it later emerges that this is due to the sales process, with the government having allowed Blue Islands to defer loan repayments to support liquidity).
The revelation came after months of concerns about Blue Islands’ service following multiple delays and cancellations.
Meanwhile, the Consumer Council lobbies the government to create a protection scheme for Jersey airline passengers.
August 2025: Report finds ministers left Blue Islands’ performance unchecked after £10m loan
The government’s spending watchdog publishes a critical report, saying there is “no evidence” the government ever monitored Blue Islands’ performance after handing it a £10m lifeline loan during the pandemic.
Comptroller and Auditor General Lynn Pamment also says that Blue Islands’s small fleet of five aircraft “presents an inherent risk to resilience”.
12 September 2025: Additional £1.2m loan
Government gives Blue Islands an additional loan of £1.2m.
In the same month, the airline was ranked as the UK’s least punctual operator.
7 November 2025: Additional £500,000 loan
Government gives Blue Islands an additional loan of £500,000.
It comes while the airline is running through various ‘rescue’ scenarios with government. Sources told Express that nothing – including possible deals involving Aurigny and the States of Guernsey – was off the table.
However, Aurigny’s boss Nico Bezuidenhout later says he had been “totally taken by surprise” by Blue Island’s sudden cessation of flying and that the Guernsey taxpayer-owned airline had not been involved in any discussions with Blue Islands or any officials about a merger before the airline’s collapse.
14 November 2025: The night of sudden shutdown
The Council of Ministers Ministers hold an emergency meeting where it is decided that no further funding will be provided to Blue Islands – this is communicated to the business at around 4.30pm.
The airline subsequently takes the decision to immediately suspend operations and the last Blue Islands flight touches down in Jersey at 7.40pm.
Meanwhile, it is leaked to the media that the airline is on the “brink” and rumours begin to circulate on social media.
CEO Rob Veron writes to staff at 9.34pm, telling them in an email leaked to Express 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”.
A media statement confirming the suspension of services is sent out at 9.53pm.
Loganair’s chief executive, Luke Farajallah, said he received a phone call around 10pm asking the airline to initiate a contingency plan. That evening, Loganair begins loading routes into its website.
15 November 2025: Rescue flights
In the morning, Loganair confirms that it will offer “rescue” flights for affected passengers, and Aurigny confirmed later the same day that it would also fly between Jersey and Guernsey.
The States-of-Guernsey-owned airline also increased frequency between Guernsey and Southampton.
Two leased Blue Islands planes are “detained” at Guernsey Airport due to outstanding debts.
Deputy Mark Helyar, President of the States’ Trading Supervisory Board, declines to reveal the sum owed to the States of Guernsey but does confirm that the charges are “due to operational costs such as landing fees”.
“These are aircraft leased by Blue Islands, but under the relevant Guernsey law – which is similar to legislation elsewhere in this regard – such aircraft can be held by authorities in order to assist with recovery of monies owed. We will take all steps within our authority to recover monies owed,” he says.
16 November 2025: Loganair touchdown
The first two Loganair planes arrive in Jersey.
17 November 2025: Official liquidation begins
The States of Guernsey impounds two planes leased by Blue Islands.
Guernsey also announces that the Jersey-Guernsey route will be designated as an “essential” air route from mid-January, meaning any airline wanting to fly it will need a licence.
A meeting takes place at Government HQ for Blue Islands staff to outline support available.
Blue Islands officially goes into liquidation, with over £9m owed to the Government of Jersey.
Jersey’s Treasury Minister confirms that the Jersey-based airline owes:
- £7m of an £8.5m loan given during the pandemic
- £400,000 of interest on that loan
- £1.2m from the additional loan given on 12 September 2025
- £500,000 from the additional loan given on 7 November 2025
Deputy Elaine Millar says that “some” funds may be recoverable by the Government as part of the liquidation process.
She also confirms that Blue Islands was unable to find a buyer without further significant funding being required by the government – and that it was not possible to justify taking Blue Islands into public ownership or investing further public funds into it.
Deputy Millar also confirms that the Government of Jersey has agreed to provide up to £1.5m to Loganair to accelerate their full entry into the Jersey market from up to 60 days to within 48 hours.
Blue Islands posts on its website that joint liquidators have been appointed.
Meanwhile, Aurigny’s inaugural flight under the new schedule, GR304, departs from Guernsey on schedule just before 3.10pm and arrives in Jersey seven minutes ahead of schedule at 3.23pm.
Philip Saunders, Chief Commercial Officer at Aurigny, comments: “We are delighted to be back on the Guernsey-Jersey route.
“Aurigny’s DNA is of the islands and for the islands. That’s why we responded to the call for support immediately. For some it’s a new route. For us, it’s in our roots.”
18 November 2025: £12.3m debt
Ports of Jersey confirms it is owed £3.275m from Blue Islands, accrued from landing charges and other fees and services.
This brings the total owed by the airline to over £12.3m.
Follow Express for updates…