Aurigny predicts change of fortune in 2011

Wednesday 25 November 2009

Guernsey airline Aurigny is bracing itself for another year of loss before its fortunes revive, the company's managing director has said.

The States-owned airline suffered a £1.5m loss in 2008 and does not expect to make a profit this year or next.

Malcolm Hart said he expects the first months of 2010 to be particularly hard after a downturn in business traffic.

He predicted a change of fortunes in 2011 when he expects to turn a profit as longer-term plans come to fruition.

Mr Hart said: "In the UK domestic travel is down about 16 to 17% and Guernsey hasn't been down at all this year, which is a fantastic achievement, but that's mainly been driven by the excellent tourism season we saw in the summer.

"Now we're seeing the ravages of the business market being shown in their colours and it's not very nice to see at all."

The airline took delivery of two ATR 72-500 in March and this year launched services between Guernsey and East Midlands, Guernsey and Grenoble and Jersey and London Stansted.

Mr Hart said the two new planes would be cheaper to maintain.

"The second thing is the three new routes we've started this year will grow so that will have matured and we hope that those two factors will play a big part in returning us to figures in the black."