Both Aurigny and Loganair have applied for licences to fly between Guernsey and Jersey from January after the smaller Channel Island designated it an “essential” air route.
The inter-island route was previously operated by Blue Islands, which went into liquidation last month.
Almost immediately after, Guernsey’s Economic Development Committee announced 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.
At the moment, Loganair has special dispensation to fly between Guernsey and Jersey, and Aurigny is also flying between the islands – 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.
The licence applications are subject to public consultations.
Comments can be submitted in writing to the Transport Licensing Authority at Sir Charles Frossard House, La Charroterie, St Peter Port, Guernsey, GY1 1FH or by emailing transportlicensing@gov.gg.
It’s not yet known how many licences the Transport Licensing Authority is considering issuing on the inter-island 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 Islands previously shared the inter-island service through a code-share system, but that ended in 2016 when Aurigny withdrew and Blue Islands took it on by itself.