Junior cricket teams stranded in Jersey
GUERNSEY’S under-11 and under-13 inter-insular cricket teams were left stranded in Jersey on Sunday night after their Blue Islands return flight was cancelled due to a lack of aircraft availability.
The travelling group, which included 24 cricketers and five coaches, was left having to search for accommodation late on Sunday night, eventually managing to find space at a Premier Inn in St Helier at about midnight.
Coach GH Smit said that, in many years of travelling to play and coach cricket, this was the worst disruption he had ever seen.
‘The transportation to and from Guernsey at the moment is a joke, I’m almost tempted to phone up [Policy & Resources president] Lyndon Trott myself as it’s not good for the local economy,' he said.
‘In this instance it’s left 24 nine- to 13-year-olds feeling very tired and confused.’
Their flight was initially meant to leave Jersey at 5.30pm, but was then delayed to 7.10pm.
Once at the airport, Mr Smit said the group was told of a further delay until 9.30pm.
‘They said there might be another delay, they weren’t sure themselves.
‘We weren’t given a proper answer and were left in the dark. We had to rely on some friends we had at air traffic control in Guernsey to get us an answer.’
At about 10pm, the group was informed that the flight had been cancelled, and that it was on them to sort out their accommodation.
Blue Islands said that it was hit by two 'unforeseen technical issues' at the weekend, which impacted the Sunday evening Jersey-Guernsey flight.
The airline apologised for the disruption.
It added that it complied with all relevant regulatory requirements, including compensation and hotel accommodation where appropriate. But passengers on a cancelled or delayed Blue Islands flight leaving the islands are not eligible for compensation or accommodation.
Mr Smit said the Guernsey Cricket Board booked the group 14 rooms at a Premier Inn, at a cost of about £4,000, adding that the GCB might be able to cover it. He was frustrated at the lack of clarity of communication by Blue Islands staff, but was reluctant to place the blame on them.
‘They’re just the messengers on the ground, I feel sorry for them, and they actually looked embarrassed at not being able to tell us the extent of the situation.’
