Aurigny and Loganair step in to rescue passengers

Airlines have stepped in to offer “rescue flights” for Blue Islands passengers after the company’s collapse.

The Jersey-based operator, which employed about 100 staff, announced on Friday it had ceased trading and cancelled all bookings.

Carl Walker, chairman of the Jersey Consumer Council, said he understood more than 1,000 passengers had been displaced and advice for affected customers has been issued.

Aurigny and Loganair have said they are putting on extra flights to help Blue Islands customers.

Loganair said it was putting on flights from Jersey to Guernsey, Exeter, Bristol and Southampton along with Guernsey to Southampton from Sunday, while Aurigny has added flights for the Southampton to Guernsey and Guernsey to Jersey routes “initially until Wednesday”.

Both airlines said special rescue fares were being put on the flights to assist passengers who needed to travel on any of the affected routes.

A Loganair statement said: “We understand this will be a worrying time for those hoping to travel to and from Jersey and in response we’re starting operations from Sunday 16 November.”

An Aurigny spokesperson said the airline was “deeply saddened” about Blue Islands ceasing trading and had taken “immediate action to assist Blue Islands customers across the Channel Islands”.

Luke Farajallah, Loganair chief executive, said Blue Islands had played a “vital role in the UK’s regional aviation market”.

“This is another sad day for regional aviation, coming so soon after the news about Eastern Airways,” he said.

Mr Farajallah said Loganair had acted immediately to introduce flights to and from Jersey and opened up the possibility of the airline being a long-term operator for the island.

In a statement discussing the extra flights, he said: “This will then lead to establishing a new permanent operating base in Jersey.”

Blue Island passengers John and Maureen Stranger said they had been due to fly home to Southampton on Saturday after attending a school reunion in Jersey.

Mr Stranger said they had managed to book onto a British Airways flight to Gatwick after seeing the news of Blue Islands’ collapse at 22:00 GMT on Friday while watching the news.

“It took me virtually three hours to sort out,” he said.

“I was gutted when I found out and the wife said – well, how are we going to get home?”

Mrs Stranger said the couple were “shocked and disappointed” about the collapse.

“We were helped greatly by the management of the hotel,” she added.

“They stayed up to help us.”

David and Anne Patterson, who have travelled to Jersey to visit a relative, said they were due to travel to Southampton on Tuesday with Blue Islands.

The couple said it was a “bit of a shock” to find out the airline had folded and were sympathetic to its employees.

Mr Patterson said they had managed to get booked on a flight with Loganair to Southampton on Tuesday as a replacement.

“It is actually getting us back to Southampton a quarter of an hour earlier than we were going to with the other airline,” he added.

“If my friend is watching this programme: John, I’m going to be earlier!”

A statement from Blue Islands said it had been told on Friday that Jersey’s government would be unable to provide further support.

A spokesperson said: “This has meant that we now need to suspend flying immediately whilst we consider the options available and how we can help our customers, staff and stakeholders.”

Blue Islands borrowed £8.5m from the Government of Jersey to help it secure its services during the Covid-19 pandemic.

A report in August revealed the outstanding capital balance in June was £7m.

Jersey’s Minister for Treasury and Resources, Elaine Millar, said it was very sad news for the island, but there was “a limit” on how much money the government could subsidise an airline.

Ports of Jersey said it was saddened by the news: “Blue Islands has been a valued operator at Jersey Airport for many years.”

“We recognise that this news will come as a disappointment to its passengers, employees, and the wider island community,” a statement said.

Guernsey Ports managing director Ross Coppolo said he hoped rescue flights with airlines such as Aurigny and Loganair would help minimise disruption.

“Our priority now is passengers who are affected over the coming days,” he said.

Southampton Airport advised passengers to not travel to the airport and visit Blue Island’s website for more information.

“It is with regret we have been notified that Blue Islands has suspended trading, meaning all flights it operated to and from Southampton have been cancelled,” the airport said.

Mr Walker, said issues with Blue Islands had been “bubbling under the surface for some time”.

He said along with problems surrounding DFDS’ ferry services, the Blue Islands collapse had left travel options for Jersey in a mess.

“It’s a diabolical situation that consumers find themselves in and especially at a really important time of year for families and for businesses,” Mr Walker said.

Jersey’s Chamber of Commerce said the suspension of Blue Islands’ services would have “immediate and significant implications” for the Channel Islands.

“Blue Islands has been the sole provider of inter-island air links and a vital connector to the UK,” it added.

The chamber welcomed Loganair’s “swift response in stepping in to provide essential air links”.

Travel journalist Simon Calder said it was “terrible news” to lose Blue Islands.

He said regional airlines in the UK were “not enjoying a particularly smooth ride” at the moment.

Mr Calder added: “Loganair clearly had advanced warning of this, which is why they have been able to step-in with links from Southampton to both Jersey and Guernsey, starting as early as Sunday – less than 48 hours after the failure.”