Airlines cut services as restrictions begin

Blue Islands had already reduced the service to two rotations a day with the introduction today of mandatory quarantine for all people arriving in the Bailiwick of Guernsey.

Yesterday morning it was not possible to book a flight between the islands at all until mid-April.

The airline’s Southampton service will stay at two flight rotations a day.

‘Blue Islands is working closely with the States of Guernsey and Government of Jersey to maintain the essential levels of service that our Channel Island communities require as we work through these challenging times,’ a spokesperson for the airline said.

‘As the impact of the Covid-19 evolves, and we jointly manage essential travel, we are committed to maintaining our crucial lifeline routes from Guernsey and Jersey to the extent we ensure islanders can travel to access vital medical care and those requiring repatriation are accommodated.’

Aurigny has also been reducing its schedule.

There will be just three rotations to Gatwick on Sunday and from Monday there will be just two.

The reduced service is in place until Monday 20 April. Normally there are around five rotations a day on the route, which is the busiest one into Guernsey.

Aurigny has also halved its Southampton and Manchester services, so there will be just one rotation a day on each.

On the water Manche Iles has suspended all sailings between France and Channel Islands.

The news comes as Condor announced that it was suspending its high speed sailings to the UK from Tuesday and its sailings to France from Monday until 2 April.

The French company would normally start offering services from March, although its main timetable does not get going until April.

For now the company has suspended its service until 8 April. Passengers with tickets booked will be able to book on an alternative sailing for free.