Planes have been refuelling at Guernsey Airport

The current facility near the harbour was closed because it did not meet strict health and safety guidelines.

Alderney States has agreed to pay for a new depot on a different site.

But the island's fuel supplier, Cyma Petroleum, says it will take legal action unless it gets the site it claims it was promised 10 years ago.

Long-term solution

Planes have been unable to refuel in the island since last week when the present storage facility was closed on health and safety grounds, meaning they have had to fill up at Guernsey Airport instead.

Andreas Michaelides, of Cyma, claims he agreed a fuel facility at the airport when he started his business in Alderney a decade ago.

He said the operation had been forced to move around the island three times and he would not reopen unless his original conditions were met.

He said his company would also be pursuing a legal claim for loss of earnings.

The States has pledged thousands of pounds to build a new storage site which meets health and safety regulations, but it is not located at the airport.

Interim measure

States chief executive David Jeremiah said an airport depot was the long-term solution, but in the short term it was up to Cyma Petroleum whether it took up the States' offer.

"The airport site has not been brought to fruition in the sense of a full fuel supply site. That is what I call the longer-term proposal," he said.

"In the interim, until proper arrangements can be made at the airport, there has been an operation out of an off-airport site.