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A new report commissioned by the States Trading and Supervisory Board (STSB) has revealed significant operational shortcomings at Aurigny Air Services.
The review highlighted several key issues, and brings the statistical data to back up their claims. This ranges from communication issues, to a shortage of pilots, and shortcomings on behalf of Guernsey Airport.
Conducted by PA Consulting, the focused on the airline's performance during the period of February to August 2024, which was marked by a series of disruptions, including flight cancellations, delays, and operational difficulties.
The inquiry was carried out by a former British Airways chief pilot and an ex-finance director of a European airline, working for the consulting group.
Pilot Shortage: “Aurigny faces a severe shortage of pilots, which has led to increased operational pressures and difficulty in maintaining a reliable service”.
The report states that part of the reason for this pilot shortage comes down to pay, as Aurigny pilots' salary starts at just over £40,000 per annum, rising to £53,000 after 10 years. This is lower than other airlines, which contributes to a high turnover rate among Aurigny pilots.
On the topic of staffing the report also indicates that training time for flight attendants has decreased, lasting just 2.5 weeks, as the crew now only operate ATR aircraft, but they state that a shortage of cabin crew doesn’t pose the same operational challenges. It also shows the airline is short of one engineer.
Fleet Transition: “The transition to a new fleet of ATR aircraft was not without its challenges, with delays and maintenance issues impacting operations”.
Some of the challenges faced during the switch to a fleet solely composed of ATR’s were addressed in an interview with the aircraft manufacturer earlier this week, and you can read more from Alexis Vidal, ATR’s Chief Commercial Officer HERE.
You can also find a round up of an exclusive series of interviews between Express and the States Owned Airline, on the issues facing Aurigny, HERE.
What the review states is that ATR aircraft have a limited range with their VHF radios and a lack of an Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) onboard, which does hinder communication between the Operations Control Center and the aircraft. It also points to Aurigny’s heavy usage of leased vehicles and services, during the transition period to ATR exclusivity, stating “particularly due to delays in aircraft deliveries and unforeseen maintenance issues”.
Schedule Resilience: “The airline's schedule lacked sufficient resilience, leaving it vulnerable to disruptions caused by factors such as adverse weather, technical issues, or air traffic control constraints.”
The data provided backs up these claims, pointing towards a deteriorating ‘On-Time Performance’ (OTP). Aurigny's OTP declined significantly during the review period, falling from 75.1% in 2023 to 64.9% in 2024. The report says this 10.2% decrease indicates a significant decline in operational reliability. Despite this, during the review period Aurigny actually increased aircraft movements by 9.2% and carried 2.9% more passengers through GCI.
When it comes to the schedule, there’s an increase in the number of flights requiring extensions to the 21:00 curfew at Guernsey Airport. That has risen by 36%, highlighting the impact of operational disruptions on the airport's schedule.
Pictured: The report advised that Aurigny needs to “work closely with Guernsey Airport to optimise operations and address issues such as curfew restrictions”.
The review says that Aurigny's flight programme is constrained by the Airport's operating hours, which limits aircraft utilisation.
The airport does not permit the movement of aircraft during the airport closure hours of 2100-0630.
This restriction is unusual and could be reviewed to improve Aurigny's on-time performance, says the review.
PA Consultancy say the regular closures for maintenance (up to 50 nights per year), is unusual and could also be improved.
It’s not all criticism, for the sake of criticism though, with several recommendations to address these issues, including the implementation of strategies to attract and retain pilots, such as offering competitive salaries and benefits.
The development of more robust schedules with built-in contingency plans to minimise the impact of disruptions and investment in advanced communication technologies to enhance coordination between the operations control centre and aircraft crews are also suggested.
And, the review states that Aurigny could work closely with Guernsey Airport to optimise operations and address issues such as curfew restrictions.
STSB say they welcome the review. Acting as shareholder representative for the States-owned airline, the committee President Deputy Peter Roffey said the findings should reassure islanders.
“Firstly, I would apologise again to anyone who has been affected by Aurigny’s reliability, which at times this year has fallen well below the standard that islanders have a right to expect," he said.
"It has had an impact on the travelling public, on businesses, on the local tourism industry, and on the island more generally, and clearly could not continue.
“Although the inquiry highlighted some ongoing challenges, these were not unique to Aurigny and islanders can take reassurance from the findings. In the opinion of the expert reviewers, once the fleet transition is complete, Aurigny should have sufficient aircraft to ensure a robust and reliable service throughout the year. In fact it will be more resilient than had the Embraer jet been retained, and better placed than it was this summer to recover following any operational issues, which inevitably will occur sometime.
“As well as reviewing Aurigny’s performance and fleet resilience, the inquiry has made a number of observations regarding airport operations, and suggests some changes that could help improve the resilience of the island’s air links. We will be engaging with the airport management, the airlines, the local regulator, and other interested parties to explore areas where improvements could be made and how we can achieve that.”
Pictured: Deputy Peter Coffey, President of the States Trading and Supervisory Board.
In a statement responding to the review, the States owned airline said it welcomes the findings of the PA Consulting report, which highlighted several operational challenges faced by the airline.
The airline has committed to addressing the various issues, particularly the shortage of pilots and supply chain disruptions. Aurigny said it recognises the importance of retaining experienced pilots and is taking steps to improve recruitment and retention strategies. Additionally, the airline wants to work closely with ATR to mitigate the impact of supply chain issues and ensure the availability of spare parts.
To enhance operational resilience, Aurigny said it will be releasing its summer schedule in a phased approach. This will allow the airline to refine its plans and optimize its network.
Despite the challenges faced, Aurigny remains committed to providing reliable air services to Guernsey. The airline has expressed its gratitude for the support of the Guernsey community and has attempted to assure passengers that it is taking steps to improve its performance.
Kevin George, the Chairman of Aurigny, concluded the statement by saying: “We completely understand the impact and consequences that Aurigny’s reliability challenges have had on the Guernsey community and unreservedly apologise for this.
"The management and employees of Aurigny have applied every effort to restore stability to our services, and based on the marked improvement in punctuality seen during October, I am confident that these efforts will continue to lead to improved service delivery”.
The full report can be found on the States Website HERE.
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