Alderney leaders want flights reliability answers

Alderney's politicians have stepped up pressure on Guernsey airline Aurigny after days of cancellations and delays left passengers frustrated and unsure when they could travel.

The Policy and Finance Committee said it had had written to the Guernsey States Trading and Supervisory Board (STSB) demanding answers over the reliability of flights operated by Skybus under contract to Aurigny.

The committee said people had come forward in increasing numbers to complain about last‑minute disruption, patchy communication and a service many felt they could no longer depend on.

Aurigny said some cancellations had been caused by a technical issue with the Twin Otter aircraft currently based in Guernsey.

Some islanders have questioned whether there was enough back‑up in place when aircraft developed faults, and whether the current system was robust enough for an island that relied so heavily on its air link, said the committee.

Aurigny said that, under its contract with Skybus, two Twin Otters were meant to be permanently based in Guernsey to give Alderney stronger resilience, but one aircraft was currently being used for pilot training, leaving a single plane available.

Philip Saunders, Aurigny's chief commercial officer, said cancellations had fallen by nearly 8% and passenger numbers had risen since the Twin Otter was introduced in 2025, despite severe winter weather.

The States' Trading Supervisory Board said concerns raised by the States of Alderney about recent air connectivity were a matter for the Policy & Resources Committee.

STSB president Deputy Mark Helyar, said: "Despite this breach of protocol, we do acknowledge and understand frustration in Alderney at the end of a long winter.

"The STSB had already raised with Aurigny management the need for more timely and accurate information to passengers during periods of disruption and fleet changes, and we continue to review and challenge performance levels as Aurigny's shareholder.

"However, the generalised criticism was disappointing given the data, which has already been provided to Alderney politicians, does not support the assertions made.

"The services going forward provide for two Twin Otter aircraft, additional resilience from the Skybus fleet, and further ability to call on an Islander aircraft for medevac if required.

"By any reasonable measure this is a significantly more resilient strategy than relying on just two aircraft, of a single, rare aircraft type, for both passengers and medevac services, as was previously the case."

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