Changes are already afoot after airlines' franchise deal
SO, the first week of full integration of Blue Islands with Flybe and already changes are occurring after promises that Blue Islands will remain separate. I note that now the Flybe website has to be used, the free hold baggage of Blue Islands has now been consigned to history – no word from Blue Islands of this when the merger was announced. Also the first flight of the day to Jersey is now 07.30 – the previous 07.50 now does not exist.
The 17.50 return flight from Jersey also now does not exist, although there is a 17.30 which boards at 17.00. Or there is the 18.10, which is the Flybe Exeter-Guernsey aircraft and subject to the usual 'flymaybe' delays or cancellations. Do they call these business-friendly times?
I have also noticed that prices are starting to creep up.
I guess the only reason Blue Islands is remaining separate is to avoid any delay compensation claims.
Come back Aurigny, all is forgiven...
BOB FARRELL
Editor's footnote: Rob Veron, Blue Islands' managing director, replies:
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to your reader's letter. Blue Islands' partnership with Flybe is not a merger or a code share, it is a franchise. As such, how we look has changed as we adopt the Flybe brand, however it is not 'full integration' with Flybe.
Blue Islands still retains full control of its commercial choices including routes, schedules and fares.
As well as enabling through ticket connectivity to UK and European destinations, the big benefit is we can promote destination Guernsey and Jersey to a huge audience of potential new visitors, far greater than ever before. Blue Islands and Flybe offer a choice of up to 16 inter-island flights per day. There have been some slight timing changes to improve schedule optimisation for our customers across our network.
As has been previously stated, and covered in the Guernsey Press (23 April 2016, page six), Blue Islands has adopted Flybe's tiered product, allowing for the lowest possible fare options. Our customers can choose from a basic to an all-inclusive fare to better meet individual requirements. One exception is inter-island services, where all fares between Guernsey and Jersey include baggage and ticket changes as standard (fare difference may apply), and are available from £42.49 one way (previously from £42). While fares on our Guernsey-Southampton services previously started from £49 one way, these are now available from £29.99 one way, and can be booked at flybe.com.
