The Board of Aurigny said it had taken the decision to end the route, at the beginning of January, based on a number of key factors.

These include: 

• A lack of demand on the Dinard route in 2018, with under 1,500 bookings, representing a load factor of less than 50%.
• An 80% decline in passenger numbers over the last 10 years.
• A need to focus the Dornier resources on the Alderney operation and service levels required by the Public Service Obligation, should Aurigny be successful in being awarded it.

"There were a number of key reasons behind our decision, including the lack of demand on the route," Mark Darby, Aurigny CEO, said in a statement, as he was not available for interview. 

"We also need to focus our attention on the Alderney operations and the PSO that has just been released by the Committee for Economic Development. This is not a decision the Board has taken lightly, but unfortunately, it just no longer makes commercial sense for us to operate the route.

"Of course, the way is open for another operator to operate the route should they believe that it would be viable."

Pictured: One of Aurigny's Dorniers.

While the PSO tender has been launched, it is not certain that Aurigny will be awarded it. One idea behind the move would be to get a third party private airline to run the lifeline routes to take the financial pressure off Aurigny. This is because, at present, the airline blames roughly 75% of its losses on routes to the Northern-most Isle. 

The Alderney and Dinard routes are the only ones which Aurigny use its Dornier fleet for. It outright purchased these aircraft some years ago, meaning they will now only be used for flying between Guernsey and Alderney and Alderney and Southampton. 

The last flight to Dinard will take place on Sunday 6 January.

Pictured top: Mark Darby, Aurigny's CEO.