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Guernsey's Chamber of Commerce has suggested six ways the island's air transport woes could be alleviated.
The proposals - explained up by Chamber Director James Ede-Golightly - include adopting a new Air Policy Framework, pooling Channel Island resources, and merging various services and businesses including Blue Islands and Aurigny, the town and airport fire services, and air traffic control services.
Chamber is also suggesting Guernsey airport is upgraded with the installation of Engineered materials arrestor system (EMAS) - something politicians have been wrangling over for more than a decade.
Pictured: Mr Ede-Golightly's suggestions for improving air travel connectivity were published last week and have sparked debate in the business community since.
As a Director of the Chamber of Commerce, Mr Ede-Golightly has insight into matters affecting the business community.
Writing for the Chamber of Commerce he acknowledged that "over the last few months, there has been increasing heat around travelling to and from Guernsey. Fuelled by frustrations around delays, cancellations and poor communication, with the anger pointed towards Aurigny."
While he notes that "its not all within Aurigny’s gift to resolve" he describes a set of events that are reflective of recent complaints around Aurigny's lifeline and wider services.
"People have been calling for changes in management, fleet strategy, timetable, destinations, strategy, shareholder reviews. Everyone has a different view on what needs to change but also on what we are aiming to achieve. Is it reliability? Is it ‘cheap’ flights? More airlines? More destinations? Less destinations? Less flights? Bring back the jet?"
With Aurigny's work under a period of review, Mr Ede-Golightly said Chamber felt it was the right time to speak up about its concerns over how air travel is affecting the business community.
"Unfortunately for Guernsey Plc and Aurigny, there has been a perfect storm of events this year alongside the change in business approach. Global shortage in parts, some of the most pervasive fog on record, unscheduled maintenance requirements, and act of god related fleet capacity constraints, all resulting in resilience/capacity issues outside the normal operating parameters.
"So, its not all within Aurigny’s gift to resolve .
"But something needs to change, the status quo isn’t supporting our community and businesses as needed.
"Now that STSB are conducting a review, we feel the time is right to comment on the changes we, the Chamber Executive, feel are needed."
Pictured: Statistics compiled by the Chamber of Commerce.
The Chamber of Commerce has made six specific recommendations in its comments around air travel currently.
Mr Ede-Golightly said it was the right time to comment and that the recommendations "are worthy of careful consideration as some may bring benefits irrespective of the conclusions of the review and others will inform the content of the review".
Chamber's suggestions are as follows:
1. New Air Policy Framework
The current Air Policy Framework for the operation of Guernsey’s airlinks is no-longer fit for purpose. It was implemented in 2021 to support Aurigny in a time of crisis during Covid and in any event expires in 2026. In advance of the adoption of a new Air Policy framework we advocate the formation of a focus group to prepare a future framework focused on delivering recommendations for the delivery of air connectivity needs of the Bailiwick as a whole and avoid repeating past mistakes.
2. Pool Channel Island Control Zone revenues across Channel Islands for the benefit of pan Channel Island air connectivity
The arrangement made in the 1930’s wherby all revenues from directing international traffic over the Channel Islands accrue to Jersey Ports. It should be reformed to benefit the Channel Islands as a whole, especially given Guernsey’s obligation to support Alderney airport. At £6m per year, these revenues are material.
3. Merge Air Traffic Control (ATC) services with second airport and install remote control tower capability
A remote control tower is operation at London City Airport. (London City is first major airport controlled by remote digital tower – City Matters). This would provide additional resilience while either reducing the pressure of sourcing ATC staff locally or enabling ATC staff to support the revenue generating activity of directing CICA traffic (see point 2).
4. Merge Guernsey’s airport and regular fire services
The availability of staff at the airport fire station is a point of vulnerability. The experience in August this year shows that the island is constrained by the availability of critical staff to provide cover out of hours. Pooling the management and staffing of the two fire services may improve resilience and deliver efficiencies.
5. Upgrade Guernsey airport with the installation of EMAS (Engineered materials arrestor system)
Operators may be challenged in operating into major international airports by the length runway. This runway length may have been appropriate when first attained in 1960, but its retention today places a real restriction of on which planes and operators can service the island.
EMAS is a bed of engineered materials built at the end of a runway to stop an aircraft overrun with no human injury and minimal aircraft damage. The concept is similar to the runaway truck ramp or race circuit gravel trap, made of gravel or sand. It is intended to stop an aircraft that has overshot a runway when there is an insufficient free space for a standard runway safety area.
EMAS will enable larger craft to operate out of Guernsey airport.
6. Integrate Aurigny and Blue Islands and expand their mandate to create regional airline with resilience and scale centred on the Channel Islands
This creates scale opportunity for the merged airline without detracting from the ability to deliver critical air connectivity for the Bailiwicks of Guernsey and Jersey to the extent required.
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