Fourth ATR will bring more reliability to Blue Islands

REDUCED disruption and more reliability should be on the way for Blue Islands passengers now it has taken delivery of its fourth ATR aircraft.

As part of a move to switch from its 19-seat Jetstream 32EPs to a fleet made up entirely of ATRs, the airline, which at one time was poised to take over rival Aurigny, is already in the process of buying a fifth 50-seat aircraft.

Blue Islands made a loss of approximately £1.5m. in 2009, but managing director Rob Veron said its finances were now out of the red.

'We have had a substantial financial improvement. The majority of the network is making money, though I could not say which is not. We have to cover our own commitments in order to justify the purchase. But it has always been part of the plan.'