Guernsey's Bailiff officially opened the airport terminal

But a leading States member said that a 49% reduction in continental air travel should not be a cause for concern.

Deputy Roger Berry, President of the Board of Administration, said overall air travel figures were up by 9% during December.

Bailiff Sir de Vic Carey declared the �9m building open at a special ceremony.

Band fanfare

Mr Berry said: "The vast majority of people who come to the island still come from the UK .

"And if you look at the overall figures they have been showing increases for the past four years.

"The continental air travel figures are minute - the overall figure was about 5,000 last year - so you are talking very low numbers compared with nearly 900,000 total."

More than 100 invited guests had a brief tour of the terminal before the arrival of the Bailiff and the Lieutenant Governor, Sir John Foley.

They were welcomed by a fanfare from the Guernsey Concert Band.

More than 20 Guernsey schoolchildren raised the flags of Guernsey's 10 parishes on the forecourt outside the terminal.

The occasion was also marked by a surprise flypast by a Nimrod from the island's adopted 201 Squadron from RAF Kinloss in Scotland.

The new terminal will be open to passengers on 19 April.