Blue Islands
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Blue Islands
Does anyone in the know have any info on what's happening at Blue Islands? Have heard rumours that things aren't well internally. Are they still looking for a buyer?
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Not heard anything specifically about them either way for a while other than the normal "typical Blue Islands" comments with their customer services.
They picked up some ex-Flybe people during Covid so don't know if they are still around, locally they have been advertising for cabin crew (rumours a few weeks back that they had a crew shortage, however equally that could of been a crew shortage due to staff having Covid possibly).
The ceasefire with Aurigny on GCI - SOU should help them as capacity is pretty much half of what it was summer 2019 but 2022 looks like it will be a large number of routes (+ x2 weekly Dutch and x1 weekend Swiss charter) with only 5 aircraft still - it feels like they are spreading themselves very thinly
They picked up some ex-Flybe people during Covid so don't know if they are still around, locally they have been advertising for cabin crew (rumours a few weeks back that they had a crew shortage, however equally that could of been a crew shortage due to staff having Covid possibly).
The ceasefire with Aurigny on GCI - SOU should help them as capacity is pretty much half of what it was summer 2019 but 2022 looks like it will be a large number of routes (+ x2 weekly Dutch and x1 weekend Swiss charter) with only 5 aircraft still - it feels like they are spreading themselves very thinly
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Rumour from Jersey is that ISLH (their last ATR 42 and the only aircraft they don't lease) has been sold to try and generate some cash, so their fleet could be as low as 4. I note that their S22 schedule seems to have been massively cut back, especially from JER, and now only needs 4 aircraft (not including a back-up aircraft). All flights appear to be showing as operated by an ATR 72.
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Rumour from Jersey is that ISLH (their last ATR 42 and the only aircraft they don't lease) has been sold to try and generate some cash, so their fleet could be as low as 4. I note that their S22 schedule seems to have been massively cut back, especially from JER, and now only needs 4 aircraft (not including a back-up aircraft). All flights appear to be showing as operated by an ATR 72.
Brother and family were on the evening SOU - GCI booked through Aurigny. on 29/12 which returned to Southampton due to fog. Long story cut short - Blue Islands (their ground agents in Southampton) told all the passengers they had to rebook themselves online via the Blue Islands website (regardless of which airline the original booking was done through) for a flight the following day (but didn't give them the code which would of allowed them to rebook without being charged). Aurigny meanwhile had someone log in and rebook all their own passengers onto the same plane so brother effectively ended up with x2 booking for all 4 of them - the original Aurigny booking which included x2 free tickets his partner won in a competition and then the Blue Islands one that cost £300 on the same plane.
Blue Islands are not refunding the passengers as they say it wasn't their fault their ground agents gave the wrong info out. Every time my brother phones Blue Islands the call centre staff are saying the refunds haven't been authorised by the management yet.
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When your brother booked his flight, his contract was with Blue Islands Ltd, not with any other company. Whether Blue Islands chooses to sub-contract aspects of its operation to another firm (i.e. a handling company) in order to fulfil its contractual obligations to passengers is immaterial. This argument would be very speedily dismissed in a court.
Blue Islands are not refunding the passengers as they say it wasn't their fault their ground agents gave the wrong info out.
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According to Blue Islands yesterday afternoon the payments have been authorised and went out on 26th January - but no money has arrived in my brother's account.
In other news I see they are offering Jersey - Majorca flights over Easter, £250 each way I believe
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Rumour from Jersey is that ISLH (their last ATR 42 and the only aircraft they don't lease) has been sold to try and generate some cash, so their fleet could be as low as 4. I note that their S22 schedule seems to have been massively cut back, especially from JER, and now only needs 4 aircraft (not including a back-up aircraft). All flights appear to be showing as operated by an ATR 72.
Yes that leaves them with only 4 aircraft but I wouldn't imagine its hard to find a ready to go 72-500, im sure leasing companies would bite their hands off to place an aircraft... or more.
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It would appear that Blue Islands have now also dropped their plans to serve Dublin and Manchester from Southampton. Source: SeanM1997 on a certain social media site...
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I didn't look in depth but presume that pretty much frees up an entire aircraft and does away having an aircraft sat overnight in Southampton.
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Not sure what the long term plan is for Blue islands by its owners, but it was mentioned in Guernsey press yesterday that Healthspan (flagship part of the organisation) have been sold off to another company by the Derek Coates estate, and last year they disposed of all the hotel properties they owned, or maybe they are planning more investment in the airline long term.
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I doubt anyone would buy the airline tbh, the routes operated aren't exactly the 'hottest tickets in town'.
Should Blue just vanish then Aurigny, Eastern, Flybe (if, when, ever) could easily mop up the few Channel Island routes the currently operate.
Should Blue just vanish then Aurigny, Eastern, Flybe (if, when, ever) could easily mop up the few Channel Island routes the currently operate.
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To be fair, some of their routes are pretty valuable, BI just seems to almost sour any market it touches.
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Blue Islands have been stopped operating direct JER-DUB due apparently to issues caused by Brexit, however Aurigny are operating GCI-DUB without an issue so seems a bit odd to me, any ideas out there what the licensing issue could be?
Blue Islands unable to fly direct Jersey to Dublin route | ITV News Channel
Blue Islands unable to fly direct Jersey to Dublin route | ITV News Channel
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Blue Islands have been stopped operating direct JER-DUB due apparently to issues caused by Brexit, however Aurigny are operating GCI-DUB without an issue so seems a bit odd to me, any ideas out there what the licensing issue could be?
Blue Islands unable to fly direct Jersey to Dublin route | ITV News Channel
Blue Islands unable to fly direct Jersey to Dublin route | ITV News Channel
EDIT - Just had an email from Aurigny that my flight on 14th April may also be affected. Aurigny have a temporary permit that ends on 10 April, and after this date the authorities will only allow them into DUB if they her a permanent permit, they will not issue another temporary one.
Last edited by KindaUnstuck; 28th Mar 2022 at 18:21.
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Both Aurigny and Blue Islands seem to (from local media / social media posts) have issues with their new routes to/from Dublin from the channel islands. Apparently to do with Brexit issues / operating licences. GR have a temporary licence until first week of April according to facebook posts, whilst Blue Islands weren't granted a temporary. Both flights appear to be operating / will operate into Belfast.
From social media posts Blue Islands seem to have handled the situation very well providing onward transport to Dublin from Belfast, and inbound to Belfast from Dublin.
From social media posts Blue Islands seem to have handled the situation very well providing onward transport to Dublin from Belfast, and inbound to Belfast from Dublin.
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Issues at Blue Islands again it seems...
G-ISLL has been parked up for 8 days now, I had noticed that Aurigny had been covering the evening GCI-SOU again recently.
Today GR are covering the early afternoon GC- SOU flight and an Air Alsie ATR 72 has operated RTM - GCI - JER before doing JER - EXT and JER - SOU this afternoon (returns back to Denmark tomorrow).
Even if G-ISLL had been operational it looks like they wouldn't have had enough aircraft with x3 Aircraft required for European charters (RTM, GRQ and FMM/NUE) plus one for GCI - Sou and one for JER- BHD.
G-ISLL has been parked up for 8 days now, I had noticed that Aurigny had been covering the evening GCI-SOU again recently.
Today GR are covering the early afternoon GC- SOU flight and an Air Alsie ATR 72 has operated RTM - GCI - JER before doing JER - EXT and JER - SOU this afternoon (returns back to Denmark tomorrow).
Even if G-ISLL had been operational it looks like they wouldn't have had enough aircraft with x3 Aircraft required for European charters (RTM, GRQ and FMM/NUE) plus one for GCI - Sou and one for JER- BHD.
