Guernsey Airport and Harbours staff have been involved in months of preparation as the island prepares for the NatWest International Island Games.
With just over a week to go before the Opening Ceremony along the Seafront officially launches the 19th edition of the Games, final preparations for the activities in and around St Peter Port Harbour are taking shape.
Harbourmaster Captain David Barker said: “Guernsey Ports has worked with stakeholders from across the community in preparing for the Island Games.
“We’ve worked with the Island Games Committee, Bailiwick Law Enforcement, Guernsey Border Agency, Traffic & Highways, the local sailing clubs, Condor and other organisations both in the planning and in the execution so that everything runs smoothly.
“We know that it’s going to entail greater numbers of passengers to the island than usual, however we have prepared extensively for that and we welcome the opportunity for Guernsey to host such an important celebration of local sport.”
The Opening Ceremony on Saturday 8th July will take place on the Town Seafront, with entertainment starting from 5pm, including the parade of around 2,000 athletes from North Beach to the Albert Pier.
Meanwhile, Guernsey airport is expecting one of its busiest weeks of the year, as thousands of competitors and supporters from the 23 participating teams arrive for Guernsey’s first home Games since 2003.
The first significant wave will be in the days before the official opening, and the airport will stay open until 10pm on Friday 7th July to accommodate extra flights.
Its operating hours will also be extended for departures on Saturday 15th July, when it will be open from 5:50am to 10pm as the teams head back home.
Head of passenger operations & aviation security Steve Langlois said there is a busy schedule of extra flights and passengers to accommodate in a small timeframe: “We have put a lot of effort and energy into preparing for the different aircraft that will be arriving, the passenger numbers we’re expecting during peak times and managing our resources to best accommodate this.
“No stone has been left unturned and that is testament to the hard work and commitment of our staff.”
Guernsey Ports’ head of airside operations Matt Capazario said: “We have a number of different airlines making their first visit to Guernsey Airport.
“We have worked closely with those airlines to make sure that their aircraft are compatible with our airport.
“There is a substantial amount of work involved in that, liaising with the airlines for their performance data and with crews about any specific aerodrome requirements.”
“It has been a pleasure to work with some well-known airlines from across Europe and we look forward to welcoming them to Guernsey.”
