Yes, Aurigny will be ticketless by spring, but that doesn't mean you have to give up your ticket desk. Flybe, Easyjet, Ryanair are all ticketless airlines but still retain sales desks at airports....

The real reason for closing the ticket desk is the Airport authorities will be using the area concerned for a new coffee bar and toilets when they revamp the terminal. The entry to security search area will be moved close to the check-in desks. The ticket desk is in the way and there is no where else to put it!! The staff will be ticketing from the check-in area and also using an office airside for online and fax bookings.

Ticket Desk?
 

GBALU53 makes a very good point there.
Aurigny's main competitor on the inter-Island route doesn't have a ticket desk and they are going from strength to strength.
Perhaps It's just a sign of the times, rather than impending doom.
I do feel for the people who may lose their jobs though.:hmm:

Will lose their jobs.

New Year Questions

Has AURIGNY been successful and got the two mail contract for next year??:)

Will they also be after the Paper contract to the islands with Air Contractors ATR fleet dwindling??:ok:

There has been talk of another ATR72 about to join the company is this going to be the Atlantic aircraft G-HERM when it finishes on the 15th of January when the Stansted service finishes??:)

This aircraft should be operating down in the islands as one of the smaller Channel Islands is HERM which is just off the east coast of Guernsey.:)

Lets hear some good news for all in the Islands instead of doom and gloom. like the weather,:ok: :ok:

I think the gloom and doom will continue for Aurigny, it seems they haven't got any of those extra contracts they were after, but lost them instead, maybe this won't be Aurigny's year but another Airline's year in the Channel Islands maybe one with a "welcome difference"..... need i say more?

This mornings daily papers down to the Islands were by Atlantic ATPs so no luck there by the look of it, for Aurigny getting the Paper contract.

From what I can make out the daily newspapers were on the same aircraft as the mail as a combined charter so is this the same with the Atlantic ATP?

If so no Aurigny mail into Guernsey.

This afternoon the is a positioning flight out of Guernsey for the early moning flight down to Jersey tomorrow but how long will this be happening.

The Jersey mail contract might not have been fully dealt with so there might be hope there although it is pointing out to be a Atlantic Electra that might be doing this in the not to distant future.

If all this is correct the new year is not looking very good.

Inter-Island
 

More hot rumours flying yesterday about Aurigny's inter-island services going Blue. Anybody heard anything ?

No haven' heard anything, but I have noticed that this week Aurigny only have 6 flights a day between Guernsey and Jersey whereas BlueIslands are up to their full schedule each day.

Would the States of Guernsey be preparred to sell off the inter Island flight to Blueislands?

What is making money for the company the ATR fleet with a little help from the Trislander fleet?

Trislanders are getting a bit long in the tooth, when Aurigny operated the Twin Otter is was a step forward but not viable inter islands, the shed came on the scene and now dropped for a number of reasons, so the very big question is tis he inter islands worth keeping hold of??

With the dissapontment of not getting some of the contracts that they were going for will they be dropping the idea of getting three more ATRs two were for the mail contracts plus one other.

I think the answer has to be yes!

Considering recent events, Aurigny may as well take over Titan as it seems their aircraft are used far more than Aurigny's own ATR's. Aurigny do not seem to be cutting it anymore in the Channel Islands, I would still choose them (provided the flight is cheaper or the same price) over FlyBE on the UK routes, but now even if the price is higher, would much rather fly BlueIslands Inter-Island, much more comfortable and the staff offer a much more personal service. But FlyBE now that is a joke!! Aurigny all the way on UK routes!!

Expansion Of Ayline????????
 

Picked this little number up yesterday Aurigny will be getting two ATR 72 500 to operate on the currant schedule network especially on the Gatwick to compete with the Dash of Flymaybe.

If this is correct this will release the other two ATR 72s that operate these schedule and go and start doing new routes out of the Islands??

One of the routes could be the Jersey-Leeds that Britich Midland dropped a number of years back due to Thompson and Doncaster another route was the reintroduction of the Jersey-Stansted.

This could be all pie in the Sky we will have to wait and see.

I also understand there is connections between Aurigny-Ex Air Wales and Flightline management some thing like buddies together, so the connection with the two little ATR42s becomes some what clearer in the picture.

Profit ???
 

I nearly choked on my cornflakes this morning. On the local radio news they say that Aurigny made a profit last year ! Half a mil.
Anyone got any more info ? Well done Aurigny staff.

So, that's half a mil profit to AAS and Blue Island made...?

Profit?
 

Was the person interviewed and accountant or was it Mr H himself being a state owned they have to say to joe and his public look how good we are performing we mad so and so profit.
What about the staff that were put down the road could they tell a differant story which could be more correct?
Was the half million due to the mail contract?
There is no mail contract now this year they have cut back on a lot of staff in Jersey some to do with no mail contract and the other there is no ticket desk is this due to a lot more people using the internet to do bookinks?
The number of flights on some days have been cut back, is this due to the Blueislands Jersey-Guernsey-Jersey operation?
Interesting article in a local airport paper stating that interisland traffic increased by 12 percent has all the extra traffic gone to Blueislands?
Aurigny lost some big business when a certain company bought two Cessna Caravan aircraft one for freight and the other a passenger one to move there Managers between the islands which they do two or three flight a day monday to friday,these passenger used Aurigny up untill 18 months or so ago.

I doubt if anyone would get away with lying about making a profit for very long..... and Blue Island's profit/loss was... ? The point is you cannot make money running J31's inter-island and there's absolutely no point in wittering on about getting new aircraft and new routes if you're haemoraging (spelling, sorry) money with the old ones. Unfortunately there is no viable replacement for the Trislanders and Viscounts/Daks are museum pieces and cost an arm and a leg to operate.
Oh well, it all makes for interesting electronic debate but you still come back to the fact that there is a limited market in the CI and always will be. Incidentally there comes a point where if you as a company are spending a small fortune on airfares, it becomes viable to operate your own aircraft, particularly if you want to shift a lot of fresh produce around and there is limited freight capacity available.

The "profit" announced for Aurigny Air Services has to be looked at in the context of the whole group. With the two companies, AAS and ANAE, in the group, figures can be manipulated/spun how you like. AAS is charged by ANAE for work done; reduce the price for that and AAS profit goes up while ANAE loss increases, and vv. All legitimate stuff, but designed to obscure the real results.

The overall profit of the group is about half the announced profit, ie around £250K, and is a pathetic, virtually nil, return on the group turnover.

Manipulating depreciation is another way of reducing/increasing "proft", usually employed to minimise tax.

Ignore the upbeat publicity and look at the facts. The Aurigny Group is a financial basket case.

Is the Air Wales ATR-42 G-SSEA still due to join sistership G-CDFF at SEN on Aurigny's AOC?

Thats the plan, but it still languishes at GCI alongside the shed G-BPFN which was damaged in gales during the winter, they are both awaiting spares and space in hanger to start work on them.

That should read"hangar",, before the correctors wake up!!!!

Re Aurigny's announcement that it wants its owner, the Guernsey Government, to underwrite £19,000,000 worth of commercial loan so that it can buy more aircraft.
Channel News:-
Aurigny want Guernsey's States to act as guarantors on a loan of nearly 19 million pounds so it can buy new planes.
The company says it needs the two ATR 72-500s to replace older leased aircraft.
Aurigny was bought by the States in 2003.
It isn't asking taxpayers to stump up the money, but will instead borrow in the private sector.
If the money is borrowed commercially, but guaranteed by the Government, the lender has no risk whatsoever, while Guernsey States has ALL the risk. So it has to make provisions for this future possible/probable liability, and that ties up the taxpayers cash which cannot, under normal accounting rules, be used elsewhere. It must be kept in reserve, and if not Guernsey States may well be facing bankruptcy, in accounting terms.
So that's £19m worth of public service priorities taking second place to a very high-risk investment indeed. And if Aurigny gets into trouble, that's up to £19m, plus all the other money sunk into Aurigny (£10m+?), flushed down the pan. About £500 per taxpayer in Guernsey, I suspect, perhaps a lot more, and I'm one of them.
It's pure spin, worthy of Gordon Brown who does exactly the same with PFI schemes, to pretend that a guarantee by a Government is not using taxpayers money, by putting it at risk.
Let's hope that people in Guernsey are not taken in by this piece of b******t.
And then there is the little matter of fair competition; how can anyone compete with an airline that's funded in this way from the public purse. The loan will be much cheaper than on a commercial basis, precisely because there is no risk to the lender, while the risk is carried by taxpayers at no cost to Aurigny.

Is there more to come out of this?
Getting rid of two ATR72s which are Ex Gill Air if I remberber, and who was tied with Gill Air when the plug was pulled not the leasing company?
To replace them with newer ones is a good idea but who is behind the leasing companies?
Would the Guernsey States be the leasing company.

It appears to me that Aurigny want to buy the aircraft,(I smell a rat in that option) with the Guernsey States (Government) acting as guarantors on the loan -Not a good idea. Surely leasing would be a better option, although I would think a leasing company without in-house connections would be more favourable to the electorate.

New ATR's
 

Ok Aurigny's existing ATR's are awful, constantly going tech but why on earth do they need to buy two completely brand new ones. The states will eaither agree to this and Aurigny and the Island will go bust, or they'll put Aurigny up for sale (I think the second option is the best).

£19m - ie US$37m or so?

For 2 ATR's?

Who's kidding whom?

What's the real story?

Surely the risk is not the full value of the loan, it's the value of the loan less the residual values of the aircraft secured/mortgaged against the loan?

Commercial Capping
 

It's strange to see the States of Guernsey inviting competition from airlines to start new air services into/out of GCI.

Just a thought, but why doesn't the Guernsey government invest more money into Aurigny to kick start some triangular routes (via JSY) into nearby Europe as well as some into the UK. Crossair used to operate a successful ZRH service on that basis.

Alternatively, perhaps Aurigny could be sold to another operator who understands how to run an airline profitably. Governments aren't best placed to run commercial enterprises and at the present time Mr H and his team are to an extent, hands-tied.

Either, or. But set it free and let it fly!

I'm curious to know who the relevant Deputy is who might have the main say in seeling the company. Does anyone know?

Brighter horizons all............

Not very likely. They tried to expand their route network a few years ago and cut it right down again. If even GCI-AMS didn't work (despite AMS being such a major hub) I very much doubt they'd try destinations further afield. Guernsey doesn't get an awful lot of visitors from outside the UK, and with a population of all of 40,000 there isn't enough of a local market to fill lots of flights.

Two thirds right - its 65,000 - but still not a lot. One factor that might offer international routes more opportunities are the forthcoming changes to UK Tax residence rules - before April 6 2008, a two day transit via the UK did not count towards Tax residence - after then, it will count as two days - and the local finance boys are worrying that they could easily become tax resident in the UK.....

:hmm:

This is what has got them all so worried.......

Taxman to swoop on non-dom’s daily grind
By Jean Eaglesham and Vanessa Houlder in London

Published: February 19 2008 22:03 | Last updated: February 19 2008 22:03

Business travellers tempted to grab a quick coffee with a contact between flights should beware the tax inspector if they are among the thousands who enjoy the benefits of not being classed as a UK resident.

From April, HM Revenue & Customs will extend its remit to airport lounges as part of a series of tax reforms that include the contentious clampdown on non-domiciled residents.


When draft legislation for the new measures was published in January, the government initially said the days people spent travelling in and out of the UK would count towards the 91 days that qualify visitors as UK residents, making them liable for UK tax unless travellers stayed “airside” in parts of the airport not accessible to non-travellers.

However, after business lobbyists claimed the measure was too harsh, the Revenue came up with a partial reprieve. HMRC officials told tax advisers in meetings last week that anyone simply in transit through the UK would not have that day counted towards the 91-day tally, even if they left one airport and traveled to catch a plane at another.

But there is a sting in the tail. The Revenue says the reprieve will apply only if no work is done in the UK on the day in question.

“The example they give is of someone landing at Heathrow and then fitting in a meeting before catching a later flight from Gatwick,” said Andrew Tailby-Faulkes, a partner at Ernst & Young. But, he says: “What if you have a quick meeting with a colleague in Starbucks? Does sending e-mails from a laptop breach the new guidelines? And how will the rule be policed effectively?”

A Treasury spokesman said: “We are aware of the potential issues for some transit passengers and are considering this as part of the consultation.”

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The short answer is that the days of the financial adviser leaving the Channel Islands for the England on a Monday morning and returning on a Wednesday evening and logging the three days in the UK as one day are over. It remains to be seen what this does to the business passenger figures on Aurigny and anyone else operating a schedule between the Channel Islands and the UK.
One thing is for certain though and that is that the burden of proof will be upon the executive to prove that he did not conduct any form of business during his transit through the UK. Given that HMRC now have almost unlimited powers to tap into electronic correspondence and telephone lines, silence during transit is going to be the watchword.:yuk:

Aurigny are offering an ATR 42 and an ATR 72 for long term lease from April. What'll they run the thier schedule with if these go? back to SAAB 340?

No back up then?
More revenue for Titan!

Can't run the summer schedule with 2 x ATR72's. Need 3 !!!
So which route is to go ? :eek:

What nexrt?
 

Is the there any HEART left in the company, things seem to be slipping away?
It does seem very strange to put an ATR72 and 42 for lease when the company does need at least half an aircraft as back up.
Will Aurigny be drawing in on some of the schedules for the summer with only 2 ATR72s to keep going all summer?
The Trislanders are no good to back up an unservicable ATR on the routes they operate, it has been know for the Trislander to do the Bristol before now.

According to the Aurigny website, the summer schedule is merely a continuation of the winter one with regards to Guernsey-UK services, The GCI-MAN remains at twice daily and not three times as last summer, and there seems to be no extra flights to BRS or STN, the current winter schedule only requires two ATR 72's, however you do need to take into account that Aurigny's ATR's are getting on a bit now, and go tech very often. So should the two aircraft be taken on, they would have no back up. So Titan/Flightline, prepare yourselves for a fair few Guernsey flights in the coming months, its always nice to see a Titan 146 or 737 land in Guernsey.

do aurigny still operate the Air wales ATR as a back up. We often see it up here backing up EuroManx. :ooh:

Yes, the "Wales" liveried ATR42 G-CDFF is often to be seen operating for an tech 72. The Other 42 G-SSEA has been in the hangar for sometime so it may be the one going out on lease.....

I heard a few months back that there were to be fewer flights to BRS & MAN this summer compared to last.

When are the new -500s expected? Maybe they will get them before the leases of the -200s expire, hence the leasing out.

2010 if I remember corectly................