'A bad time to spend £37m.'

FLYBE has hit out at Aurigny in response to the fall in passengers at Guernsey Airport.

It reported a 12.96% decrease in February compared with the same month last year. The drop equates to 8,173 people. January also saw a fall, of 2,743.

Flybe chief commercial officer Mike Rutter (pictured) said taxpayers should question how their money was being spent.

'Given Aurigny's decline in passenger numbers out of Guernsey in February, coupled with the recently reported £175m. hole in finances, just why are the States allowing a loss-making airline to take delivery of two new aircraft costing a reported £37m.?,' he said. 'The government continues to pour taxpayers' money into this bottomless pit, especially at a time when the aviation market is shrinking.'

Airport director Colin Le Ray said considering the longer-term trend, the current levels of passenger movements were not untypical for the first two months of the year. 'In comparison, 2008 saw an unusually high level of passenger movements during February, which contributed to this year's headline decline of 9% over the first two months.'