Southampton rejection behind Alderney pull-out

BLUE ISLANDS chairman Derek Coates yesterday clarified the reasons behind its Alderney pull-out.

On Saturday, the airline made a shock announcement that it would halt all of its flights to Alderney from 10 May and four staff at the airport there were told their jobs were under threat.

Mr Coates (pictured) said the closure of the Guernsey-Alderney route was necessary because of reasons that included the failed attempt to get a licence to operate the Alderney to Southampton route.

'Without a second route out of Alderney our operation there would continue to be a drain on our resources,' he said.

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