The true customer for Guernsey’s air services is the island itself

Having lived in Guernsey for some years and now returning each summer from the USA, I’m always struck by the familiar mix of change and inertia. The island continues to wrestle with enduring challenges – taxation, housing, island-wide voting, and the functioning of the States Assembly. Among these is an issue that consistently provokes public frustration, and not just locally: Guernsey’s air transport system.

The criticisms of Aurigny and the airport are well rehearsed, even if not always fully deserved – unreliable service, an antiquated booking system, high fares, financial losses, poor communication, and inflexible baggage policies. The aspiration, by contrast, is clear: a reliable, affordable air service that supports both residents and visitors and underpins the island’s connectivity.

In my professional life, I was privileged to work on airport strategy in two very different contexts – first in Manchester and later in post-Apartheid South Africa. Despite their differences, both experiences taught me the same core lesson: airports and airlines are not merely transport providers – they are strategic enablers of economic growth.

In Manchester, commercialisation transformed the airport from a council-run department into a thriving international hub. One pivotal change, introduced by CEO Gil Thompson (later Sir Gil), was to redefine the airport’s customers. The airport’s customers were not the passengers he maintained, but the airlines. By focusing on what the airlines needed, service quality improved, passenger experience followed, and the airport grew into the single most important economic engine in the Northwest.

In South Africa, the challenges were more complex. Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), encompassing Johannesburg, Cape Town and seven regional airports, had to balance financial sustainability with urgent national priorities – creating jobs for black South Africans, engaging local contractors and expanding access to air travel. Here too, the concept of the ‘customer’ expanded to include the government and local communities. Regional airports aligned themselves with the development needs of their communities – one supporting emerging seaside tourism, another development as a private pilot training centre, for example.

Guernsey faces no less important a challenge – albeit on a smaller scale. But the island is unique in that the States of Guernsey owns both the airport and Aurigny. That ownership structure is unlikely to change – but the strategic mindset can.

What if we reframed Guernsey’s economy as the primary customer of its air services?

If supporting the island’s prosperity is the central goal, then air strategy should prioritise economic outcomes over traditional metrics. This could mean fewer, but more impactful routes – to key UK cities, seasonal tourism destinations, and business hubs – chosen not just for passenger demand but for their value to the local economy.

Guernsey’s fleet would also reflect this purpose. As current aircraft age, replacements would be selected for reliability, short-haul efficiency, and resilience in local weather. Operational stability – including reserve capacity to avoid disruptions – would become central to planning.

In this model, passengers are no longer just customers – they are economic agents. Every inconvenience they face – from rigid baggage policies to outdated booking platforms – represents a drag on productivity and growth. Streamlined booking and check-in, simplified and more competitive fares and improved digital services aren’t luxuries; they are strategic necessities.

And what of finances? If Aurigny cannot consistently operate as a self-sustaining commercial airline, perhaps it’s time to treat it more like a public utility. Performance-based subsidies, tied to measurable economic outcomes – such as tourism spend, inward investment or business connectivity – would make far more sense than reactive loss coverage. The return on investment wouldn’t appear on Aurigny’s balance sheet, but in the broader health of Guernsey’s economy.

In short, aligning Guernsey’s air services with its economic priorities would require four key shifts:

• Thoughtful, targeted route planning

• A reliable and future-ready fleet

• Passenger improvements that support economic goals

• A financial model based on public value, not just profit

This kind of transformation won’t be easy – but the lessons from Manchester and South Africa show it is possible. It begins with a bold but simple idea: the true customer for Guernsey’s air services is the island itself.

Guernsey has long sought to future-proof its economy. Perhaps it’s time to stop viewing Aurigny and the airport as problems to be managed – and start treating them as strategic assets. If done right, our air services could become the very foundation of the island’s next era of prosperity.

Dick Bunning
Vale