Air link optimism

ISLANDERS could soon be jetting off to a host of extra British and European destinations. Airlines have until the end of this month to submit proposals for new routes to and from Guernsey.

Commerce and Employment advertised the island in the aviation press and also wrote to airlines encouraging them to develop new links.

And Chris Elliott, tourism and marketing director at the department, said that negotiations had gone very well so far.

'In March we advertised and we have had a number of meetings and will be receiving concrete proposals from airlines at the end of June,' he said.

'We are very excited and optimistic about the prospect of new routes. We are very pleased with the level of interest that we received.'

Mr Elliott said there were a number of reasons why airlines would want to come to Guernsey.

'Firstly, we are a good holiday destination. Secondly, we have a major financial industry, which means we generate a lot of business passengers for the airlines. Thirdly, we have a population of 60,000 with a reasonably high standard of living who like to travel.

'Put them together and you have a potentially attractive market for an airline.'

Both Aurigny and Flybe said they would be submitting proposals for consideration. Aurigny commercial director Malcolm Coupar said he strongly approved of the department's initiative.

'We've just released our accounts for 2006, which shows that we're profitable and fighting fit,' he said.

'Given this position of strength, we're actively on the lookout for new route opportunities and are looking to put some new route proposals together for discussion with the department.

'These are very much at a draft stage so I cannot elaborate any further, but we will let people know if anything comes to fruition.'

Flybe is talking to Mr Elliott about developing a link between Paris and the Channel Islands - although it was thought the route would prove difficult to sustain. General manager market development Ian Taylor said the project was far from dead.

'We had a meeting with Chris Elliott only three weeks ago where we discussed not only the Paris link but also our ideas for developing other links to Guernsey,' he said.

'Guernsey is definitely heading in the right direction in terms of bringing in more air routes and we are totally supportive of Chris Elliott and Commerce and Employment in what they are doing.'