Local airline Aurigny Air Services has faced increasing criticism since the beginning of 2024, particularly due to frequent cancellations and delays that have significantly affected the reliability of the service.
The States' Trading Supervisory Board (STSB), the responsible committee of the Government of Guernsey, has now decided to read the riot act to the airline's management. In a recent meeting, the committee called on Aurigny Air Services to improve the "unacceptable level of service" and to build "full resilience within the fleet". The problem is mainly attributed to the lengthy maintenance of the fleet, and the pressure on the airline is growing.
Criticism and challenges
The STSB has strongly criticised Aurigny Air Services for repeated delays and cancellations in recent months. Peter Roffey, president of the STSB, acknowledged that the airline had taken active steps to improve at the start of 2024, but the problems have resurfaced. The cancellation of a flight from Exeter last week was particularly serious and highlighted the fleet's ongoing problems.
Roffey said: "It is to Aurigny's credit that they took proactive action when they were hit by disruptions in the early months of the year. June and July saw a significant improvement and reliability and performance was in line with what we have been used to in the past. Unfortunately, the events of the last week have shown once again that the fleet is still not fully resilient."
To address the existing problems, Aurigny Air Services took delivery of the first of two newly leased ATR2024-72s in early August 600. These new aircraft are part of the airline's strategy to modernize its fleet and optimize operating costs. The ATR72-600 aircraft will replace the previously sold E195 jet and are intended to increase the number of available aircraft. The airline plans to take delivery of another ATR72-600 by the end of August, bringing the fleet to a total of five of these aircraft.
In addition, Aurigny Air Services operates two Do228-212(NG), which are mainly used on local routes from Guernsey to Alderney and Southampton. The introduction of the new ATR72-600 aircraft is expected to help improve the airline's reliability and optimise the service for passengers.
Long-term impacts and perspectives
The ongoing problems at Aurigny Air Services raise questions about the airline's long-term strategy and ability to provide a reliable service. The STSB has set clear expectations for management: the fleet must be able to meet passenger demands without repeated disruptions. The measures taken since the beginning of the year do not seem to have been sufficient to fully resolve the problems.
This may mean further inconvenience for passengers if the airline is unable to implement the necessary improvements quickly. The coming months could be crucial in determining whether Aurigny Air Services can stabilize its operations and meet government and customer expectations.
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