Unprecedented weather behind delays - airline

An airline has said it faced "unprecedented meteorological challenges" after the weather caused "widespread delays" to passengers at the weekend.

States of Guernsey-owned Aurigny said all four ATR aircraft made several attempts to land on Saturday night but they had to turn around due to heavy fog in Guernsey and Alderney.

The airline said this winter would be remembered for "extreme weather events" after storms and fog caused issues.

A spokesperson said the airline "fully respects its mission to get people home however challenging the circumstances".

Matthew Newman, who was travelling from Manchester to Guernsey with his wife and baby at the weekend, said his original flight was cancelled and his rebooked flight was delayed by up to five hours.

He said Aurigny's communication had been "appalling" and he was frustrated by an instruction to arrive early at the airport for a delayed flight.

An Aurigny spokesperson said its staff did their "utmost to provide customers with updated information and arrange alternative travel solutions wherever possible".

"Both the airline's operational and commercial teams undertook all possible measures to get passengers home as quickly as possible in extremely challenging circumstances, compounded by high demand marking the end of the school half-term holidays," they added.

It said its alternative arrangements included the organisation of travel by ship for nearly 450 passengers from Poole to Guernsey, a Titan Airways' Airbus 320 deployed to bring back all customers stranded in Grenoble, France, and bus services laid on for customers to enable travel by air to London and then on to Manchester.

Aurigny said: "This winter will long be remembered for its extreme weather events, including severe storms, and now fog.

"Throughout this period and despite unprecedented meteorological challenges, Aurigny has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with our communities to provide safe services by air and maintain connectivity with the UK mainland."

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