Local flyers pay more than Jersey or Isle of Man, says independent review
Guernsey air travellers have had a more reliable service than those in Jersey and the Isle of Man over the years, but are paying more for it.
A new independent review into air connectivity and performance from Frontier Economics, commissioned by the Economic Development Committee, found that the most popular local routes were typically 15% to 30% more expensive than in the other two islands.
The report, which was ordered in response to Aurigny’s ‘Black Swan’ technical issues over the first few months of last year, also highlights the deterioration in service standards over 2024.
Economic Development president Neil Inder welcomed the report. But while he was positive about connectivity, he was outspoken on the cost of travel.
‘Despite the positive market confidence we are seeing, passenger figures are still recovering from pre-pandemic levels and affordability of air fares is an area of concern where improvement is needed,’ he said.
‘The committee’s view is that, as State-owned assets, both Aurigny and Guernsey Airport should be used as economic enablers – price and affordability are a factor in businesses making decisions in using the island as a base.’
The reasons for higher fares have been attributed to differences in aircraft sizes, the degree of competition on routes, and demand for travel.
Aurigny flies 72-seater ATRs, while Easyjet to Jersey operates Airbus A319-100, which can seat nearly 150 people.
In terms of reliability, it was found that between 2010 to 2023, Guernsey’s reliability compared favourably to Jersey and the Isle of Man, but it worsened significantly last year.
Deputy Inder described the island’s connectivity with the UK as ‘reasonable’ and similar to that of the other islands, and said that new services launched for 2025 from Blue Islands and Loganair were ‘encouraging’.
There are currently 13 airports listed on Aurigny’s website to fly directly to from Guernsey, which includes the seasonal Grenoble route.
Economic Development, which commissioned the Frontier Economics review into air connectivity and performance, is now planning to meet with politicians and the business community about the findings next month.
It is also working on a review of the island’s Air Transport Licensing Policy Statement.
Only a summary of the report has been published so far, with the full report set to be published with the policy statement.
