Chat to Skybus to learn from their experience of serving the Isles of Scilly
IN THE recent article by Matt Fallaize about the continuing uncertainty about Alderney’s runway, he referred to an earlier rejected proposal from Deputy Burford. That was for a smaller scale runway refurbishment and the re-establishment of the old CI routes with smaller aircraft.
I don’t pretend to know anything about running an airline, but I recently read an article (Airliner World, August 2024) about Isles of Scilly Skybus.
It appears that Skybus do know what they are doing as they celebrated their 40th anniversary last year. The airline exclusively serves the Isles of Scilly (population 2,000) from Exeter, Lands End and Newquay with a fleet of four (17-seat) DHC-6 Twin Otters and 3 BN-2 Islanders. The article also talks about the new terminal which opened in 2013 ‘with a log burner, cafe, comfortable seating and Gluelam beams’.
Alderney with its slightly larger population and weather appears to have a lot in common with the Isles of Scilly. Those islands however are clearly able to support a larger and more robust aircraft fleet flying passengers, freight and carrying out medivac duties, from an airport appropriately sized for the task at hand.
In all the discussions and research that has been presumably undertaken by all the interested parties, I would hope that some conversations have been had with Skybus to learn from their experience, but if not, may I suggest it may be a good idea if somebody did, and sooner rather than later?
PAUL LE POIDEVIN
St Peter’s