The continuing need to quarantine on arrival into the Bailiwick is clearly deterring travel to Guernsey, said Aurigny’s chief executive.
Despite the island currently trialling a new system of Covid-19 testing, potentially halving the current 14-day self-isolation requirement, there has not been the increase in demand for travel that the airline expected, forcing it to cancel some extra flights it laid on.
‘We put on a number of extra flights to and from Southampton in anticipation that there would be high demand, however it would seem that even a seven-day quarantine period is still a barrier for most to travel at this time,’ said Mark Darby of Aurigny.
‘It is certainly not that people do not want to travel as we have seen increasing demand on our Alderney service and our Isle of Man flights have been a massive success. We have been steadily increasing our Alderney services again adding further morning flights this week and the intended schedule to the Isle of Man has more than doubled.’
Residents from Guernsey can travel to Isle of Man without the need for isolation and 1,700 seats were initially scheduled for between the 22 July and 30 August. However, in response to the demand, an additional 2,300 seats were put on sale.
Aurigny has also scheduled extra flights to Alderney, starting from 13 July.
‘The demand for flights to Alderney and the Isle of Man has shown there is still a strong desire for air travel in the island and the staycation holidays offered in both islands are popular,’ said Mr Darby.
‘We are increasingly getting queries on when our Gatwick flights will be returning in addition to when our winter schedule is going to be published. We cannot wait to get back to normality here at Aurigny and return to operating a more normal schedule, protecting and maintaining the essential air links for the Bailiwick.’
(Feature image via Airport.gg)