Airline mess not our fault

Channel Island hub. They simply got it right. All the while, Guernsey wasted millions in a different direction. I saw a confidence in Jersey that seems to be growing when I visited last week. We are missing the boat.

So, I am not surprised at the losses attributed to Alderney, by Aurigny.

Indeed, I expected them, and knew they were coming.

As expected, we got no clarity or fiscal transparency. Guernsey, in charge of the taxpayers’ purse, do not even demand inside figures, happy to take the word without any investigation and allowing Guernsey’s and Alderney’s money to be incompetently thrown away.

No questions asked, an old boys’ network of friends meandering along, just mates looking after each other, when the islands’ needs go untended. There is no other explanation.

Sark, bless them, and I mean that, get two million from Guernsey. Now correct me if I am wrong, but does Sark pay tax? How does that work out?

But Alderney get publicly slated from the Chief Minister, about a £400k deficit and yet Aurigny, Guernsey’s slot machine, get smiled upon after projected seven million to eight million losses. I would say get your own house in order, before giving Alderney a lecture in public – we are a resilient lot up here, and do not take kindly to being told off like a naughty child. Some child, who came back to nothing after the war. Okay it left us with a limp, but we are a proud island.

Guernsey needs to go to Aurigny and take charge of the mismanagement team, acquire the documents leading to these claimed losses, and start protecting Guernsey and Alderney money, because it’s not theirs to spend. They may be friends, but the responsibility remains to the Bailiwick. And people are beginning to notice. It is not Alderney that is messing up. We do not run your finance or Aurigny, I only wish we did.

Alderney to Southampton return £300. Alderney to Guernsey £130. God knows what Alderney to Jersey would cost. Flight loads brilliant, so where is the money leaking?

Dornier GSAYE in the pits again, for six to eight weeks. How much has that singular aircraft cost the taxpayer? Guernsey should ask, they won’t tell me for sure. Who bought that?

The management want rid of Alderney – that’s a disgrace, and we the taxpayers, who own the company, expect and demand a reliable and affordable service for the wages we pay them.

So Guernsey deputies, when will you start asking questions, in the name of the public who elected you? It is long past time you did.

Aurigny staff – brilliant without recourse. The best mob going, and the company’s greatest asset.

Aurigny management . . . Well, as Alan Sugar would say . . .You have failed completely, you bungled every turn, you did no business plan and you lost us millions. You are not fit to cook pancakes, so, for that reason . . . you’re fired.

STEVE ROBERTS,

Address withheld.

Editor’s footnote: Aurigny would like provide the following response to the issues raised:

1. Our annual accounts are fully audited and presented to the States of Guernsey. Independent accountants, KPMG, conducted a review of our revenue and cost allocation model in 2015 and since then the airline has applied the same methodology for subsequent years and the budget provision provided the States for 2018 is in line with that approach.

2. The airline has invested/committed to over £15m of capital expenditure in new and used aircraft. 2018 is the first full year of depreciation of those assets and this depreciation is a major contributor to the forecast losses in the provision of the Alderney services.

3. During 2017 around 90% of planned Alderney flights have operated, with 2% of flights being cancelled due to technical issues, 6.5% being due to weather and 1.5% being operational reasons including some due to lack of availability of pilots. 75% of all flights have operated on time, compared to 77% for the whole Aurigny network year to date. By way of comparison, British Airways on time performance is around 74% and easyJet’s around 70%.

4. The airline policy for assistance in the instances of disruption is more supportive than that provided by many other commercial airlines. This is a deliberate policy of the airline to provide a service to our customers above and beyond the norm in the interests of both Guernsey and Alderney. Our customer feedback supports this policy and we believe is much appreciated by our customers. This comes at a cost and this cost is continually reviewed and assessed in the broader context of the States objectives for the islands’ image.

The airline is tasked with delivering an efficient, safe and reliable airline service for the islands. The board and management has set itself a challenging budget for 2018 which substantially reduces the losses on the operation of its Guernsey-UK routes and a reduction of overall losses. We will continue to work with the States of Guernsey and Alderney to deliver airline services under the existing MoU. Our performance is scrutinised by our shareholder on a regular basis and is subject to external audit.

It must be remembered the Alderney routes are:

l Expensive to operate;

l Very prone to weather disruption;

l Require specialist aircraft given the short runway and lack of facilities;

l Serve a very small community.

The States of Guernsey has recognised this and will shortly be putting the Alderney route to tender in the form of the Public Service Obligation.

All suitably qualified and experienced airlines will be able to tender for the contract.