Rejected plan for Alderney runway could finally take off

In December 2022, deputies threw out Yvonne Burford’s two-part proposal for a smaller refurbishment of Alderney’s runway, at an estimated capital cost of £14m., and the re-establishment of a route network between Guernsey, Alderney and Jersey, operated by a single airline with smaller aircraft.

Instead they backed a much larger project at Alderney Airport, including extending the runway to allow Aurigny to use ATR aircraft, but it has been on pause since July after estimated costs soared to £37m.

Alderney’s two representatives in Guernsey have now told the latest edition of the Guernsey Press Politics Podcast that they think Deputy Burford’s model could end up being the answer.

‘I think it could end up back on the table, as long as there is support for whatever the funding scheme is, whether you lease Twin Otter aircraft or buy them,’ said Alex Snowdon.

‘I think that’s probably where we should be moving to, but obviously I’ve got no power over the deputies in the States of Guernsey or States of Jersey. Let’s have that conversation. I think there is a willingness, but we want action.

‘If the islands don’t start working together, it’s going to cost everyone more money and the service is going to keep deteriorating.’

• Hear more from Alderney representatives Alex Snowdon and Edward Hill on the latest Guernsey Press Politics Podcast

Alderney’s runway, which was last resurfaced in the 1980s, has been deteriorating badly while Guernsey has been prevaricating over how it should be refurbished or upgraded.

States committees in Guernsey responsible for Alderney Airport and Aurigny hoped that a more ambitious extension of the runway could substantially reduce the airline’s operating costs by allowing it to maintain a fleet of ATRs only.

But the project’s soaring costs have forced them into working up revised options for a fresh States debate later this year, with Policy & Resources warning that the ambitious plan approved two years ago was no longer affordable.

At the same time, increasing concerns have been expressed about the reliability of resilience of the schedule of flights into and out of Alderney.

The newest Alderney representative, Edward Hill, who attended his first States meeting in Guernsey last week, was even keener on revisiting the ideas put forward by Deputy Burford.

‘I actually 100% agree with it,’ said Mr Hill.

‘I’ll tell you why – it was the original Aurigny model. You’re not reinventing the wheel. It was why Aurigny got to where it was. It was a very successful airline.

‘Where it all started to fall off was when they lost [inter-island] routes or had to compete. That was a huge mistake between Guernsey and Jersey. I don’t actually think there is enough room for two islands to operate.’

Mr Snowdon feared that investment in Alderney was ‘going down the pan at the moment’ and that the island would be unable to reverse its fortunes until ‘action is taken’ to refurbish the runway and stabilise air links.