An independent review is to be carried out to assess whether Aurigny’s fleet of aircraft can deliver the reliable and resilient air links that the island needs.
The review is being commissioned by the States’ Trading Supervisory Board (STSB), which acts as shareholder of Aurigny on behalf of the States of Guernsey.
STSB president, Deputy Peter Roffey, said the review will be conducted by someone with considerable experience of the commercial aviation industry. The terms of reference are already being finalised, and will be published once approved. The timing will then depend on how quickly the Board can appoint someone with the necessary expertise, and how soon they can carry out the work.
The review follows a period of disruption, partly as a result of the airline’s fleet rationalisation, as it sold the Embraer jet to focus on servicing its core network using predominantly ATR aircraft. Aurigny’s own board of directors approved those changes in fleet, as well as the plan for managing the transition.
Deputy Roffey said Aurigny’s reliability and performance had suffered significantly during the spring and again more recently. That was the result of various factors, some of which have been completely unrelated to the fleet rationalisation.
Despite assurances that appropriate action was being taken, the airline has continued to be impacted by an ongoing periodic lack of resilience.
Islanders, visitors and businesses needed reassurance the planned fleet will be adequate to provide the island with reliable and resilient air links. The review will also examine whether some of the issues that have impacted Aurigny during the transition could have been foreseen.
“I think we all agree that in terms of reliability and resilience, Aurigny’s performance in recent months has, at times, fallen well below the standard that islanders have a right to expect. The airline itself acknowledges that.
“The Board of Aurigny signed off the fleet transition as well as the plans for how it would be managed. The recent experience raises questions as to how good that plan was, and more importantly how well-equipped the airline will be going forward to deliver the island’s lifeline air connectivity, which is vital for islanders and for the economy.
“The review will therefore focus firstly on whether the current timetable can be reliably delivered using five ATRs, with a high degree of resilience. Secondly why the fleet transition process has led to periods where that resilience has fallen well below the levels Guernsey has a right to expect.
“The STSB expects the full engagement of the Aurigny’s Board of directors with the inquiry. They are accountable for the airline’s performance, and as part of this review we want to understand the board’s effectiveness in the decision-making and approvals process. I met with the Chairman of Aurigny yesterday, and he has given me assurance of his Board’s unreserved co-operation.”
An Aurigny spokesperson said: “Following a challenging six months, Aurigny is pleased to share that we are working closely with our shareholder to participate in an independent review of Aurigny’s fleet transition.
“We understand the importance of providing islanders, visitors, and businesses with reliable and resilient air links. This independent review aims to ensure just that. “We hope this review will reassure the Guernsey public that we are doing everything we can to provide them with a resilient and dependable service that is fit for purpose.”
