Passengers camp out at Guernsey Airport

Monday 09 September 2024

Nine passengers on an evening flight to Jersey were left stranded overnight in Guernsey Airport.

The Blue Islands SI4432 from Guernsey to Jersey was cancelled at 21.30 on Saturday due to “thunderstorms over Jersey”, according to a statement from Guernsey Ports.

The airport had initially extended opening hours to help airlines complete their schedules, but then staff had to roll out the camp beds, air mattresses, and sleeping bags, as hotels were full. 

Although bottled water was handed out, passengers had to use the vending machines for food, however the Landside Cafe opened earlier than usual on Sunday morning.

On the same day, Guernsey Ports Chief Operating Officer Ross Coppolo released a statement praising his staff.

“I would like to thank our teams and the Civil Protection volunteers for their hard work late on Saturday night," he said.

“Our teams acted quickly to make sure these passengers were well looked after and had a safe place to rest overnight. A few members of our team had to stay at the airport overnight themselves, for safety reasons, and others did not return home until after midnight. I would like to personally thank them for their dedication and duty of care in challenging circumstances.”

A Blue Islands' spokesperson says they tried everything they could to find rooms, but the circumstances of the cancellation was out of their control:

"The inter-island service on Saturday evening (7 September) was disrupted due to severe thunderstorms over Jersey at around the time of the departure from Jersey to Guernsey.

“Hotels in Guernsey were full, our airport representatives explored other options with local authorities, however no alternative accommodation options were available. We thank Guernsey Airport for keeping the terminal open and providing provisions for passengers. Disruption is the last resort, however safety of our passengers, crew and aircraft is always our number one priority.  While these circumstances were out of our control we apologise for the inconvenience.”