Blue Islands - ceases trading

[Watershed]

Or an Emerald ATR72, given the relationship between Emerald Airlines and BA’s parent IAG. This years summer schedule had this arrangement on the Glasgow <> Gatwick route

It's scheduled as an A319

 

[Ted633]

What about a full one from Heathrow?

Because the fuel it needs is a lot less.

I've flown on an A319 from Athens to London Gatwick so even an A319 can pack some range.

The fuel thats needed for London Heathrow to Guernsey would be a mere percentage of that for Athens to London Gatwick.

If not just block off all middle seats and only fill the windows and the aisles.

When Aurigny have hired in an Airbus to operate their flights, they had to be careful it wasn’t full. Otherwise people got turfed off!
Reading up on it, the runway needs extending to 1700m (from 1463) to enable full operation of A320 & 737 Classic aircraft (737NG cannot use the airport at all)

 

[AlastairFraser]

Jersey will not want a stake in a Guernsey airline. Same reason why the Isle of Man didn’t get into bed with Aurigny after the collapse of Flybe v1.

Why wouldn't they? The 2 islands are pretty close together and have similar interests

 

[DelW]

Why wouldn't they? The 2 islands are pretty close together and have similar interests

There's quite a strong rivalry between them though.

There was also some disagreement during last year's retendering of the ferry contracts, which ultimately resulted in each island going with a different operator - DFDS on Jersey routes, Brittany Ferries on Guernsey routes. Previously both had been principally served by Condor (latterly owned by Brittany Ferries).

 

[AlastairFraser]

There's quite a strong rivalry between them though.

There was also some disagreement during last year's retendering of the ferry contracts, which ultimately resulted in each island going with a different operator - DFDS on Jersey routes, Brittany Ferries on Guernsey routes. Previously both had been principally served by Condor (latterly owned by Brittany Ferries).

I heard about the ferry arguments. DFDS seem to have got off to a bumpy start, but I think they'll settle down over time.
I also acknowledge the strong rivalry - but, in light of the perilous situation facing both of the islands, wouldn't it be wise for both jurisdictions to work together on one strong Channel Islands focused airline, rather than the unsustainable position of several competing Channel Islands focused airlines?

 

[DelW]

I also acknowledge the strong rivalry - but, in light of the perilous situation facing both of the islands, wouldn't it be wise for both jurisdictions to work together on one strong Channel Islands focused airline, rather than the unsustainable position of several competing Channel Islands focused airlines?

As an outsider I do agree, but these rivalries are deeply rooted. Some decades ago I regularly worked in Jersey, where my employer had a subsidiary, and locals talked of Guernsey as if it was a wholly foreign place. Obviously there is co-operation, but possibly less than one might expect when seen from afar.

My rough analogy might be Yorkshire and Lancashire - they have similar qualities and difficulties, they'll work together if they need to, but they still see themselves as very different from each other.

 

[daodao]

I heard about the ferry arguments. DFDS seem to have got off to a bumpy start, but I think they'll settle down over time.
I also acknowledge the strong rivalry - but, in light of the perilous situation facing both of the islands, wouldn't it be wise for both jurisdictions to work together on one strong Channel Islands focused airline, rather than the unsustainable position of several competing Channel Islands focused airlines?

The 2 jurisdictions have separate governments and significant differences, with Guernsey being smaller in several ways, including total population and the length of the runway on the main island. Guernsey also administers several smaller islands, one of which (Alderney) has a tiny airport with a very short runway. Therefore, air service options and requirements differ.

Routes to Jersey, other than that to Guernsey, can mostly be provided by A320/321 and Boeing 737 aircraft operated fully commercially by British Airways and low cost carriers such as Easyjet. Thus Jersey doesn't need its own airline.

Lower demand and operational limitations mean that services to Guernsey need smaller planes such as the ATR72; essential routes are likely to need PSO subsidies. The Bailiwick of Guernsey also needs to oversee air services to Alderney. It already owns Aurigny.

It is therefore preferable and simpler to keep air service operations for Jersey and Guernsey/Alderney largely separate.

 

[AlastairFraser]

As an outsider I do agree, but these rivalries are deeply rooted. Some decades ago I regularly worked in Jersey, where my employer had a subsidiary, and locals talked of Guernsey as if it was a wholly foreign place. Obviously there is co-operation, but possibly less than one might expect when seen from afar.

My rough analogy might be Yorkshire and Lancashire - they have similar qualities and difficulties, they'll work together if they need to, but they still see themselves as very different from each other.

Makes sense.

The 2 jurisdictions have separate governments and significant differences, with Guernsey being smaller in several ways, including total population and the length of the runway on the main island. Guernsey also administers several smaller islands, one of which (Alderney) has a tiny airport with a very short runway. Therefore, air service options and requirements differ.

Routes to Jersey, other than that to Guernsey, can mostly be provided by A320/321 and Boeing 737 aircraft operated fully commercially by British Airways and low cost carriers such as Easyjet. Thus Jersey doesn't need its own airline.

Lower demand and operational limitations mean that services to Guernsey need smaller planes such as the ATR72; essential routes are likely to need PSO subsidies. The Bailiwick of Guernsey also needs to oversee air services to Alderney. It already owns Aurigny.

It is therefore preferable and simpler to keep air service operations for Jersey and Guernsey/Alderney largely separate.

I am aware of the different air service needs that the islands have, but some of the more profitable operations to/from Jersey could help subsidise weaker demand and limitations on plane type/size operating into/from the Bailiwick of Guernsey. This would be a great plan to reduce the burden of Aurigny operations on Guernsey taxpayers and provide Jersey with more reliably operated regional links that the likes of easyJet or BA aren't interested in.

 

[takno]

Makes sense.

I am aware of the different air service needs that the islands have, but some of the more profitable operations to/from Jersey could help subsidise weaker demand and limitations on plane type/size operating into/from the Bailiwick of Guernsey. This would be a great plan to reduce the burden of Aurigny operations on Guernsey taxpayers and provide Jersey with more reliably operated regional links that the likes of easyJet or BA aren't interested in.

Why would residents and travellers to Jersey want to subsidise flights to Guernsey and outlying tax havens through higher fares?

 

[FinsburyPark]

The only resolve could be an airline (maybe not exaclty the right word) thats 100% run by Government of the States of Guernsey. This is the only true resolution as all other airlines, including Aurigny* are for profit businesses.

*Even though Aurigny is heavily subsidised.

In reality its heavily unlikely this would happen as it would be a loss maker for the States of Guernsey government and many would say, a drain on the tax payer

 

[daodao]

The only resolve could be an airline (maybe not exaclty the right word) thats 100% run by Government of the States of Guernsey. This is the only true resolution as all other airlines, including Aurigny* are for profit businesses.

*Even though Aurigny is heavily subsidised.

In reality its heavily unlikely this would happen as it would be a loss maker for the States of Guernsey government and many would say, a drain on the tax payer

Aurigny has been 100% owned by the States of Guernsey since nationalisation in 2003.

 

[AlastairFraser]

Why would residents and travellers to Jersey want to subsidise flights to Guernsey and outlying tax havens through higher fares?

It's not necessarily a case of higher fares, it's a case of keeping some regional routes from Jersey viable at all since Blue Islands has gone under (e.g CDG off-season, Dublin, Exeter etc.)

 

[daodao]

It's not necessarily a case of higher fares, it's a case of keeping some regional routes from Jersey viable at all since Blue Islands has gone under (e.g CDG off-season, Dublin, Exeter etc.)

Jersey's government has lost about £10 million in bad loans and lost landing fees due to the collapse of Blue Islands. They will be wary of subsidising any air services in future, and don't need to do so if key routes, in particular from Jersey to London and Southampton, can be run commercially. Other air services from Jersey, e.g. to Dublin, Exeter and Paris, are not essential and don't merit subsidies.

 

[AlastairFraser]

Jersey's government has lost about £10 million in bad loans and lost landing fees due to the collapse of Blue Islands. They will be wary of subsidising any air services in future, and don't need to do so if key routes, in particular from Jersey to London and Southampton, can be run commercially. Other air services from Jersey, e.g. to Dublin, Exeter and Paris, are not essential and don't merit subsidies.

I don't think it would necessitate any form of ongoing subsidy, I would propose Jersey taking a permanent stake in Aurigny via a one-off investment that allows Aurigny to buy more ATRs and operate more routes.
I agree that it would be a hard sell with Jersey's losses due to the Blue Islands collapse, but it's not completely untenable.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Why wouldn't they? The 2 islands are pretty close together and have similar interests

Aurigny is 100% owned by the States of Guernsey government. Guernsey wouldn’t want to relinquish that control, especially not now after years of huge losses they’ve finally got Aurigny on a largely even keel financially. And Jersey don’t want to do things where they’re not in control.

There’s a certain arrogance to the Jersey government which rubs people up the wrong way too. It shouldn’t matter, but it does.

Worth noting, too, that Jersey has open skies (as we do in the Isle of Man) but Guernsey does not. As Loganair have just found out.

They will be wary of subsidising any air services in future, and don't need to do so if key routes, in particular from Jersey to London and Southampton, can be run commercially.

The issue is that these routes can’t all be run commercially. Or, more to the point, can’t all be run commercially all that round and at a useful frequency.

The likes of EasyJet will send loads of capacity in the summer, especially on weekends, but won’t so much in the winter. We see the same thing in the Isle of Man, you can’t move for EasyJet flights during the summer and especially during TT. In the winter they don’t want to know.

It’s a big issue in the Isle of Man, the smaller airlines can’t sustain the frequency without the higher yields of the summer and the weekends, but easyJet will come in and hoover up the summer and the weekend passengers. So the smaller airlines withdraw from the market. It’s why we no longer have direct flights to Belfast and it’s why Loganair only run twice daily to Manchester and to Liverpool rather than the 3-4 times daily that Flybe used to.

A couple of years ago Loganair tried to base a third aircraft here to run three times daily to both Liverpool and Manchester. EasyJet started running Manchester daily and Liverpool twice daily in response. Loganair cut back as they couldn’t compete on price with easyJet. Now easyJet only fly to Manchester on weekends and there are weekday gaps in service to Liverpool between January and March.

All of this is a problem when easyJet don’t want to fly but we need regular daily flights to places like Liverpool or Manchester in order for us to get the specialist medical treatment which isn’t available on the island.

 

[Watershed]

All of this is a problem when easyJet don’t want to fly but we need regular daily flights to places like Liverpool or Manchester in order for us to get the specialist medical treatment which isn’t available on the island.

Then perhaps the IoM can spend some of the money it's saving by not having those facilities on the island, by subsidising daily flights year-round.

It can hardly come as a surprise that unsubsidised flights only operate during the busier times of year (or days of the week).

 

[Tetchytyke]

Then perhaps the IoM can spend some of the money it's saving by not having those facilities on the island, by subsidising daily flights year-round.

Loganair receives subsidy for its London flights and holds the government contract for patient transfers to the UK. Loganair operates twice daily to Manchester and Liverpool.

We also don't "save money" by not having the specialist facilities on the island, we pay the UK NHS for it. It's just that for some services you have to go away to a major treatment centre.

My point was in response to the poster who stated that they think that the islands' governments don't need to subsidise flights because there's a commercial alternative.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Nov 2025 ==

It can hardly come as a surprise that unsubsidised flights only operate during the busier times of year (or days of the week).

It doesn't, but that wasn't my point either.

A high yield on the weekend/summer flights means that an airline can offer a year-round offering. The high yield and high margin on the weekends means that the midweek/winter flights can operate on a lower yield.

EasyJet coming in and trashing the weekend/summer yield means that a route may well become unviable for the smaller operator. And so, when EasyJet can't be bothered anymore, we're left with no alternative.

It's a real problem with regional aviation. Airlines like Loganair spend ages building up a market and then EasyJet come in and run them off it. Glasgow-Southampton is a great example of it, and also of EasyJet's retrenchment once they do run the other operator off of a route.

 

[daodao]

Loganair receives subsidy for its London flights and holds the government contract for patient transfers to the UK. Loganair operates twice daily to Manchester and Liverpool.

We also don't "save money" by not having the specialist facilities on the island, we pay the UK NHS for it. It's just that for some services you have to go away to a major treatment centre.

My point was in response to the poster who stated that they think that the islands' governments don't need to subsidise flights because there's a commercial alternative.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Nov 2025 ==


It doesn't, but that wasn't my point either.

A high yield on the weekend/summer flights means that an airline can offer a year-round offering. The high yield and high margin on the weekends means that the midweek/winter flights can operate on a lower yield.

EasyJet coming in and trashing the weekend/summer yield means that a route may well become unviable for the smaller operator. And so, when EasyJet can't be bothered anymore, we're left with no alternative.

It's a real problem with regional aviation. Airlines like Loganair spend ages building up a market and then EasyJet come in and run them off it. Glasgow-Southampton is a great example of it, and also of EasyJet's retrenchment once they do run the other operator off of a route.

My comments regarding subsidising air services were primarily about Jersey, which has been affected by the collapse of Blue Islands. Commercial air services are likely to be viable without subsidy from Jersey to the key destinations of London and Southampton. The same is not necessarily true for Guernsey/Alderney, from which essential air services to these 2 destinations may need financial support.

Air services from the Isle of Man to Liverpool/Manchester are clearly also essential, and are also desirable direct to London, so if not viable commercially will require some form of government support.

Air services from all these islands to other destinations in the UK are primarily to carry tourists visiting these islands. They should be left for commercial operators to provide if/when there is sufficient demand, which by its nature likely to be seasonal and/or confined to certain days of the week.

 

[FinsburyPark]

Can't easyjet apply for some sort of subsidy for operating IOM in off peak season.

It can be about 40% or something like that.

Maybe it would be 2 flight daily or something.

I'm just putting the idea out there

 

[DelW]

Some further information on Blue Islands' financial history, and Jersey's views on other operators:

https://www.itv.com/news/channel/2025-11-25/aurigny-bid-to-succeed-blue-islands-rejected-after-funding-concerns

Guernsey States-owned airline Aurigny put itself forward to take over from the stricken operator Blue Islands but was deemed to be too much of a risk, Jersey's Treasury Minister has revealed.

It comes as the full extent of financial troubles at Blue Islands has been laid bare by the Government of Jersey for the first time since the airline entered liquidation.

Government officials held an initial meeting with Scottish airline Loganair on 12 June, followed by more detailed talks with its Chief Executive Officer and co-owner on 3 November.

Ministers also explored the possibility of Loganair taking over the running of Blue Islands and even considered bringing the airline into government ownership, before ultimately deciding to end all future funding and let Loganair chart its own course.

By this time, the Government had agreed to loan Blue Islands up to a further £2.7 million, with the company drawing down £1.7 million before it ceased trading.

Blue Islands now owes Ports of Jersey £3.2 million in unpaid landing charges and £9.1 million to Jersey's government - most of which is not expected to be recovered.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Some further information on Blue Islands' financial history, and Jersey's views on other operators

Jersey's comments on Aurigny are pretty much what I'd have expected. "Too much of a risk" translates very much as "We don't want to rely on an airline owned by Guernsey." There is a surprising amount of antipathy between Jersey and Guernsey.

Letting Loganair do their own thing and providing a subvention when required is probably the most sensible way forward though.

As for the speed at which Loganair took over, it is well known that certainly under Hinkles Loganair had prepared plans for what they would do if any of their competitors went bust. They moved just as quickly when Flybe v1 went bust.

 

[AlastairFraser]

Aurigny is 100% owned by the States of Guernsey government. Guernsey wouldn’t want to relinquish that control, especially not now after years of huge losses they’ve finally got Aurigny on a largely even keel financially. And Jersey don’t want to do things where they’re not in control.

There’s a certain arrogance to the Jersey government which rubs people up the wrong way too. It shouldn’t matter, but it does.

Worth noting, too, that Jersey has open skies (as we do in the Isle of Man) but Guernsey does not. As Loganair have just found out.

True, even a 20 percent stake that still gave Guernsey some control would make sense, but if the Jersey Council of Ministers is too arrogant to consider investing and securing reliable regional links, then I guess they make their own bed.
Guernsey not having an open skies agreement makes some sense for Guernsey with the general likelihood of new airlines applying to operate routes into the Bailiwick.

Jersey's comments on Aurigny are pretty much what I'd have expected. "Too much of a risk" translates very much as "We don't want to rely on an airline owned by Guernsey." There is a surprising amount of antipathy between Jersey and Guernsey.

Letting Loganair do their own thing and providing a subvention when required is probably the most sensible way forward though.

As for the speed at which Loganair took over, it is well known that certainly under Hinkles Loganair had prepared plans for what they would do if any of their competitors went bust. They moved just as quickly when Flybe v1 went bust.

I think that Skybus may have a bigger role to play for some less profitable Channel Islands & SW regional routes too. Their Twin Otters could be very useful on some routes.

 

[daodao]

True, even a 20 percent stake that still gave Guernsey some control would make sense, but if the Jersey Council of Ministers is too arrogant to consider investing and securing reliable regional links, then I guess they make their own bed.
Guernsey not having an open skies agreement makes some sense for Guernsey with the general likelihood of new airlines applying to operate routes into the Bailiwick.

I think that Skybus may have a bigger role to play for some less profitable Channel Islands & SW regional routes too. Their Twin Otters could be very useful on some routes.

The Jersey government is not being arrogant. It doesn't need to support airlines to operate the island's essential air routes from Jersey to London and Southampton.

The air routes from Alderney to Guernsey and Southampton are already being operated by a Skybus-owned Twin Otter on behalf of Aurigny.

 

[AlastairFraser]

The Jersey government is not being arrogant. It doesn't need to support airlines to operate the island's essential air routes from Jersey to London and Southampton.

The air routes from Alderney to Guernsey and Southampton are already being operated by a Skybus-owned Twin Otter on behalf of Aurigny.

1) It's not about just essential routes, it's about regional connectivity that will boost its economy and improve travel options for residents. It is often quite inefficient to have to travel through the UK to reach long and medium haul destinations from the Channel Islands.
2). I am aware of Aurigny's lease on some of the Skybus Twin Otters, I was suggesting a few more regional routes from Guernsey directly operated by Skybus (perhaps Newquay to Nantes/Rennes via a stop at Guernsey would be a good route to trial).

 

[daodao]

1) It's not about just essential routes, it's about regional connectivity that will boost its economy and improve travel options for residents. It is often quite inefficient to have to travel through the UK to reach long and medium haul destinations from the Channel Islands.
2). I am aware of Aurigny's lease on some of the Skybus Twin Otters, I was suggesting a few more regional routes from Guernsey directly operated by Skybus (perhaps Newquay to Nantes/Rennes via a stop at Guernsey would be a good route to trial).

Such air services, particularly international ones, don't warrant government financial support. They are unlikely to be commercially viable, otherwise they would probably already be provided, and aren't essential.

 

[Tetchytyke]

The Jersey government is not being arrogant. It doesn't need to support airlines to operate the island's essential air routes from Jersey to London and Southampton.

It does need to support airlines to operate these routes, though, which is why it gave so much money to Blue Islands.

You really do not seem to understand the reality of living on an island, commercial operators don't give the frequency you need for essential public services.

True, even a 20 percent stake that still gave Guernsey some control would make sense, but if the Jersey Council of Ministers is too arrogant to consider investing and securing reliable regional links, then I guess they make their own bed.

Jersey will invest to secure the links, because they have to. But Jersey will do so on their own terms, they will not be beholden to anyone else. So they've gone with Loganair.

Guernsey, on the other hand, seem to have seen it as an opportunity to further cement Aurigny's position in Guernsey and Alderney. Both decisions make perfect sense to the respective governments.

1) It's not about just essential routes, it's about regional connectivity that will boost its economy and improve travel options for residents. It is often quite inefficient to have to travel through the UK to reach long and medium haul destinations from the Channel Islands.

There is always going to be a certain amount of inefficiency living on an island.

For long haul, the inefficiency isn't that much worse than living in somewhere like Newcastle; you still have to connect through a hub to fly long haul.

For short and medium haul, the problem is that business requirements would be at least a daily flight but the islands are unlikely to generate enough traffic to a specific destination (other than London) to justify such a frequency.

For leisure requirements, it is a PITA to have to connect through the UK when going on holiday, but that is why the Islands Travel Group have a successful business in arranging weekly charter flights from Jersey, Guernsey, and the Isle of Man to your usual sun destinations. What Islands Travel Group offer meets most of the requirements in the islands.

 

[AlastairFraser]

Such air services, particularly international ones, don't warrant government financial support. They are unlikely to be commercially viable, otherwise they would probably already be provided, and aren't essential.

It doesn't have to mean ongoing subsidy or other direct financial support, it could mean an investment in the company or infrastructure to enable such routes.

Jersey will invest to secure the links, because they have to. But Jersey will do so on their own terms, they will not be beholden to anyone else. So they've gone with Loganair.

Guernsey, on the other hand, seem to have seen it as an opportunity to further cement Aurigny's position in Guernsey and Alderney. Both decisions make perfect sense to the respective governments.

Fair enough

There is always going to be a certain amount of inefficiency living on an island.

True, although the Channel Islands are quite wealthy, of course, and therefore there are a lot of high net worth individuals which results in the demand for longer distance travel per capita being considerably higher than most of the other Crown Dependences.

For long haul, the inefficiency isn't that much worse than living in somewhere like Newcastle; you still have to connect through a hub to fly long haul.

Newcastle has decent land and rail links to the nearest hub, so it's not quite as comparable as it would seem on paper.

For leisure requirements, it is a PITA to have to connect through the UK when going on holiday, but that is why the Islands Travel Group have a successful business in arranging weekly charter flights from Jersey, Guernsey, and the Isle of Man to your usual sun destinations. What Islands Travel Group offer meets most of the requirements in the islands.

Fair point. I must say that I am slightly surprised that leisure sun sea and sand flights are covered, but some links important to business are a less of a priority.

 

[Tetchytyke]

True, although the Channel Islands are quite wealthy, of course, and therefore there are a lot of high net worth individuals which results in the demand for longer distance travel per capita being considerably higher than most of the other Crown Dependences.

The real HNWIs have their own aircraft, or at the very least charter them.

I must say that I am slightly surprised that leisure sun sea and sand flights are covered, but some links important to business are a less of a priority.

The charter flights operate commercially, and very useful and popular they are too. There’s something very nice about getting on a plane in Ibiza or Tenerife and getting off the plane at home.

Makes sense really. Very few residents need to travel very often on business. I’ve never flown off the island on business. Most of my colleagues haven’t either. I think my wife has done it twice in five years. But I go on holiday at least once a year.

Newcastle has decent land and rail links to the nearest hub, so it's not quite as comparable as it would seem on paper.

It’s more of a faff than where there’s a land link, but not that much more of a faff. Having lived in Newcastle and now living in the Isle of Man, it’s not actually that much more of a faff.

The biggest risk is the weather, irrespective of whether you’re getting to the UK by plane or by ferry. Usually you have to travel the day before to the UK and stay in a hotel, which is what I’m doing when I go to Dubai next month. But that’s also on Loganair to Manchester with an interline ticket with Emirates, which goes to show that it isn’t just BA and it isn’t just Heathrow that offer these links to the islands.

 

[AlastairFraser]

The real HNWIs have their own aircraft, or at the very least charter them.

Fair point

The charter flights operate commercially, and very useful and popular they are too. There’s something very nice about getting on a plane in Ibiza or Tenerife and getting off the plane at home.

Makes sense really. Very few residents need to travel very often on business. I’ve never flown off the island on business. Most of my colleagues haven’t either. I think my wife has done it twice in five years. But I go on holiday at least once a year.

Although the Isle of Man's economic profile is slightly different from the Channel Islands (I'm not sure that the IoM provides such an easy environment for the gambling industry to operate in).

It’s more of a faff than where there’s a land link, but not that much more of a faff. Having lived in Newcastle and now living in the Isle of Man, it’s not actually that much more of a faff.

Driving down to London from Newcastle, you can leave home at any time.
Even with a train, you have many more options and many more airport hubs that you can get to with relative ease.

The biggest risk is the weather, irrespective of whether you’re getting to the UK by plane or by ferry. Usually you have to travel the day before to the UK and stay in a hotel, which is what I’m doing when I go to Dubai next month. But that’s also on Loganair to Manchester with an interline ticket with Emirates, which goes to show that it isn’t just BA and it isn’t just Heathrow that offer these links to the islands.

I'm sure the Loganair interline partnerships are useful, but your point about the weather proves that regional links that require a transfer aren't necessarily all that reliable.

 

[Tetchytyke]

In a move that shocks absolutely nobody, Guernsey’s government have denied Loganair permission to operate to Guernsey. This is, apparently, because competition would make the route “unviable”. I’m sure the owners of Aurigny will be pleased

Loganair bid to operate Guernsey lifeline air routes denied

The airline had applied for operational licenses for the routes after the collapse of Blue Islands.

www.bbc.co.uk

Loganair 's bid to operate routes to Southampton and Jersey from Guernsey has been provisionally denied by Guernsey's Transport Licensing Authority (TLA).

Licences are needed to operate on routes designated as lifeline by the States of Guernsey. The airline had bid for operational licenses for two routes following the collapse of Blue Islands.

In a statement – Loganair said it would now focus on "delivering an exemplary, reliable service for islanders, starting in Jersey".

TLA President John Gollop said "both applications had been carefully considered in line with the requirements of the Air Transport Licensing Law".

He said: "In reaching this decision, the authority considered a wide array of submitted information and representations received as part of a public consultation process."

Deputy Gollop said: "As required by law, the authority gave Loganair a period of 14 days in which to respond to its proposed decision. However, Loganair has subsequently withdrawn its applications.

"The Air Transport Licensing Law and the Air Policy Statement set out the factors to be considered by the Authority when making a decision to either grant or to reject a licence application.

"On this occasion, evidence suggested strong competition on these routes would likely lead to it being unviable for all operators in the longer term."

Luke Farajallah, chief executive of Loganair, previously said it was important to have multiple operators on the route.

He said: "We'll show in Jersey what our customer first approach looks like - reliable schedules, clear communication, and care when plans change."

"If we do our job well, we hope Guernsey will soon enjoy the same standard of service."