Securing link to Heathrow is vital for Guernsey’s future economy

The exciting and long-awaited news that the Committee for Economic Development is in detailed discussions with British Airways on re-opening the Heathrow-Guernsey route, has come with some rather negative responses from a senior deputy and some members of the public.

The Guernsey Aviation Action Group would like to highlight how vital it is for Guernsey’s future economy to secure this vital air connectivity to Heathrow.

British Airways services to and from Heathrow will offer the following:

• Interlining capability at the largest airport in Europe with around 1,300 flights a day and the ability to book through tickets and luggage onwards to any airport on the extensive BA network, with just one application of the pricey airline passenger duty.

• Significantly lower fares to mirror those on the Jersey route to Heathrow, thus creating a new demand for travel to and from the island. This will no doubt come as very welcome news for Guernsey people and their friends and families in the UK.

• Flying on modern, reliable and comfortable Airbus 320neo aircraft.

• Easy and convenient access to central London via the new Elizabethan line.

In addition, Guernsey will benefit from the massive world-wide advertising and marketing capacity that British Airways will provide at no cost to the island, with valuable inclusions in the British Airways Holidays packages. This is bound to be a very welcome stimulus for our tourist industry.

Comment has been made that British Airways will require a subsidy to fly here. However, any subsidy is normally made by adjusting the landing fees as happens in Jersey and other airports.

Additionally, there will be no requirement for Guernsey to pay for empty seats, as the 320neo is able to land and take off with a full load of passengers. It should be noted that there is still a need to install EMAS in the future which will enable other aircraft types to operate from Guernsey with a full load.

There is no longer any concern about the Guernsey runway not being strong enough to allow modern jets to operate here.

Without any doubt, establishing regular Heathrow services to and from Guernsey will be of major benefit to our economy, at a time when this is very much needed. The business community in Guernsey has been crying out for better air connectivity and they will no doubt be delighted by this news. Jersey has a five-year agreement with British Airways to provide services to and from Heathrow. Oxford Economics has calculated that this alone is worth £123m. of annual growth in Jersey’s GDP! This is something that Guernsey desperately needs to emulate, as it would, in time, help to deal with our current funding crisis.

Once British Airways commences services to Heathrow, there is every possibility that easyJet, using their own A320neos, could start to provide regular services to Gatwick offering significantly lower fares to that London Gateway as well.

These new services to Gatwick and Heathrow will grow and develop with the advent of low fares, which will without doubt create a greater demand to travel to and from Guernsey both for business and leisure.

It is worth bearing in mind that although Guernsey has a smaller population than that in Jersey, just under half the passengers travelling through Jersey airport are non-residents, who have been attracted to visit Jersey by the low fares and superior air connectivity. There is no reason why Guernsey should not see a similar rise in passenger numbers in the future, which in turn will provide much-needed revenue for Guernsey airport.

Barry Cash
Chair, Guernsey Aviation Action Group