The way our local airline operates is very worrying...

Most successful airlines operate only one type of aircraft for obvious reasons: crew flexibility, training, spares and maintenance, etc. The facts are out there: EasyJet, Ryanair and SouthWest Airlines, even Blue Islands now, to name but a few. But by the end of the year, Aurigny will have one jet, three ATRs and maybe a couple of Dornier 228s to replace the Trislander, if they can afford them. But what will happen to the freight and quick re-role for medical flights in and out of Alderney? Perhaps a Trislander will have to stay to accommodate these requirements, in which case we might have a tiny regional airline with up to four types of aircraft.

So who is in charge of this perplexing little company? Since the 'retirement' of Malcolm Hart, the new CEO Mark Darby has arrived (well, not that new actually – he has been a non-exec director since 2011).

Surely the super-rich chairman Jon Moulton (£170m. – source Sunday Times Rich List) is a capable chap? So what reassurance do we have that any of these people actually know how to steer the airline in the right direction?

A worrying example: the latest scheme for employees in lieu of any pay rise or even RPI increase is to introduce a quarterly bonus payout, based on punctuality. If a certain percentage of flights operate at or close to schedule then all staff will receive a financial reward. There are obvious and concerning safety implications here, potentially at all levels, to cut corners to achieve targets which are simply unacceptable in safety-critical environments such as aviation.

Most likely the CAA would be somewhat concerned at this type of incentive. So remember the next time your flight departs late to leave a couple of quid in the seat pocket for the staff who might miss their bonus – but don't worry, we have experts in charge.

Name and address withheld.

Email: aviator@suremail.gg.

Editor's footnote: Mark Darby, Aurigny's CEO, responds:

'Thank you for the opportunity to reply to your correspondent's letter.

Aurigny is now in its 46th year of commercial operations and 2014 will be by far the biggest year of change the airline has had to undertake in its entire history. These changes have been necessitated by a combination of factors: the continuing requirement for Aurigny to protect lifeline routes, Flybe's withdrawal from the London Gatwick market and a request from the States of Guernsey that we look at ways of replacing that lost capacity; the need to replace long-serving aircraft; and the requirement from our customers that we continue to offer good value for money in a highly competitive industry while being profitable.

We believe we are duty bound to look for opportunities that will enhance our offering to the local market. London City is a premium airport that is ideal for the traveller working to deadlines as it is situated in the heart of London. While it is our intention to provide day return services to London City, not everybody wants to spend the entire day there. We believe this is where Aurigny is uniquely positioned, as we can offer a combination of flights from London Gatwick, London Stansted and London City. This will give unprecedented frequency of up to nine differently timed flights in the London market for the time-sensitive traveller. We believe this is adding extra value for our customers while protecting a vital lifeline route.

You are indeed correct that it is much simpler and more cost-effective for an airline to operate just one kind of aircraft. For Aurigny to service the hugely different lifeline route requirements of Gatwick and Alderney as well as our other mainland routes, we need a range of aircraft. To replace the capacity lost by the exit of Flybe on London Gatwick it was recognised that the best solution was to employ a larger aircraft rather than try to purchase more landing slots – which are difficult/impossible to find. Much has been written about our decision, supported by the States, to opt for the 122-seat Embraer 195 but we are confident that when we introduce the service in March, it will prove to be very popular. In addition, the availability of back-up ATR aircraft will enhance our reliability across the network and on London Gatwick in particular.

The Trislander needs to be replaced as the cost of keeping them in the air rises every year and although we have yet to make a final decision, Dorniers look like the best alternative to service our specific needs. They can be converted for medical evacuation operations and, if required, can carry more stretchers than the Trislanders. We also believe that they will be a lot easier and more dignified to load as the patient can be lifted into the aircraft on the stretcher and then secured in.

The remuneration package we offer our staff is a private matter but I'm sure you will agree that punctuality is extremely important to the success of our business and a bonus package based on punctuality is common practice within the airline industry. In this case, we have offered a small financial incentive to the whole Aurigny team to achieve a realistic punctuality target. We do not believe that providing such an incentive will lead anyone to compromise the safety of our operation. But let there be no misunderstanding – safety is and always will be our number-one priority.

As a commercial airline, we must comply with very strict safety guidelines and we are checked comprehensively and regularly. We are signed up to CAA Safety Management Systems, which set and monitor our safety performance. It assesses the effectiveness of our safety management by confirming that the controls and defences we put in place are working and effective to ensure safe operational practices. Any corner-cutting that impacts on safety will not be tolerated.

2014 is a very important year for Aurigny with a number of challenges that we have to face. We thank our customers for voting us the Best Short-Haul Airline in Which? magazine and for their continued support.'