Island sees a light dusting of snow in the south while retired pilot claims delayed Aurigny flights ‘totally avoidable’
AURIGNY flights were delayed throughout the day by icy and snowy conditions at the airport, as temperatures fell to just above freezing.
However, Guernsey Ports said that these delays were caused by issues de-icing planes, not problems with the runway.
And a retired airline captain described the situation as ‘totally avoidable’.
Morning flights to Southampton, Gatwick, Birmingham, Exeter and Bristol were all delayed for an average of around two hours.
But with the ground temperature in Guernsey and Alderney staying above freezing, no de-icing was required on the airfield.
An Aurigny spokeswoman said that due to icy conditions, there had been some disruption to Aurigny flights.
‘We would like to thank our customers for their understanding – our staff are working hard to get flights back on schedule as soon as possible,’ she said. ‘We advise all passengers to check in on time and as usual please check their flight status before heading to the airport. Customers will be updated via email should there be any changes to their booking.’
However a retired airline captain who spoke to the Guernsey Press said the delays could have been avoided.
‘The poor weather was there for everyone to see,’ he said. ‘You could spray the plane with anti-icing fluids beforehand and prevent this.
‘De-icing is about removing ice that has formed, whereas anti-ice is putting on a fluid prior to low temperatures that won’t freeze till you get to something like minus 20. Aurigny only has a small fleet, so this was totally preventable.
‘Aurigny have a loyal following, but if they continue to frustrate people like this they will no longer be an “enabler” for the island.’
On Monday the airline sent out a statement, saying it was prepared for the cold weather and protocols were in place to minimise disruption any disruption. The first flight of the day – the 6.55am to Southampton – did not depart until just before 9am, while the 7am flight to Gatwick did not take off until just before 10am. These early problems created knock-on delays for some travellers. Delays continued throughout the day, but were reduced by the evening as the airline caught up.
Guernsey Met Office’s prediction of just a light dusting of snow for the island proved correct this morning.
Just enough snow fell at the airport to be officially recorded. With a depth of less than half a centimetre, it was the first measurable snowfall since showers of snow and hail fell on the afternoon of 8 February 2021.
Rising temperatures in the morning meant snow turned to sleet and most remnants of the early morning flurries had been washed away before 10am.
The official air temperature remained above freezing throughout the night and into the morning, with the lowest recorded at the airport being 0.4C.
However, the Met Office said that ground temperatures briefly dipped to freezing point in the very early hours. While the higher southern parishes did get snow, with the Forest seeming to get the most of the white stuff, it did not settle in the northern, lower parishes.
