How come Jersey managed to resurface their runway and taxiways/stands without closing the runway during the day? Surely Guernsey could do the work overnight?

Why Guernsey is different fromJersey!
 

Jersey's work involved only resurfacing an existing runway...similar to that recently performed at Bristol, a much simpler task. The proposals for GCI involve a basic re-positioning of the runway (to the west) and "shaving off" the high ground at the west threshold. It may be called resurfacing but it is really construction of a new runway (capable of extension to 5200 feet in the longer term) and able to serve Guernsey air traffic for the next 50 years. The inconvenience of closure, due to the need for provision of cross runway drainage, for a few days over the next 2/3 years pales into insignificance. What would you prefer..... a 3500 ft runway and all GCI travellers flying to Jersey first and then having to catch an interconnecting flight/boat to travel on to Guernsey?

I THINK NOT!!

If the runway was extended would there be any chance of seeing the likes of Thomson, easyJet and Flybe 195s at Guern?

The short answer is no, no and yes.

Thomson and easyjet will look at the projected pax figures and run a mile.
You will always struggle to fill a 150 seater aircraft except at peak summer times.

Surely with a bit of marketing Guernsey could achieve as well as Jersey? What with easyJet from Liverpool and formerly (:O) Thomson from Coventry e.t.c.?

Aeromad, there is a market at GCI for the likes of Easyjet & Thomson all be it a limited one. The market is bringing people in to the island, not flying the small population out. With the right marketing & routes it could work. However Blue & Aurigny would squeal like pigs at the thought of a big player arriving on their patch. Flybe would I am sure welcome the competition.

:} yeah right :}

Jerbourg

are you talking about the same flybe that is squealing like a pig and throwing all of its' toys out of the pram because it has not been given the opportunity to buy Aurigny and wipe out the comptition on the Gatwick route?

The last thing flybe welcomes is competition, their whole strategy is to live under the low cost radar, using smaller aircrat on niches that avoid competing with them, and using their weight to "compete" with the smaller competition like Blue Islands/Eastern/ASW/Aurigny.

Open your eyes.

Fog
 

Shocking day yesterday, dozens of flights cancelled. I heard a whisper that the backlog of pax stuck in LGW, GCI and beyond might not be cleared til Weds. Anyone with more info? :(

Aurginy got me out today, they even brought Titan 146 in to do some of the work :D

whats the latest thoughts on the Aurigny/BI saga. Will it go to BI, will GR stay independant or will BE be allowed to bid and really spoil the party?

Just to note, Air Berlin will launch weekly Saturday flights from Dusseldorf and Hannover to Guernsey. Direct flights to Dusseldorf begin on 21st May, Hannover on 16th April via Jersey. I suspect the latter is supported by the German tour operators and will replace the CityJet charter.

It is good to see new routes for Guernsey and certainly Air Berlin has been successful on its route from Dusseldorf to Jersey over the last two summers. I travelled on the route during the summer with AB/LH and loads were strong with tourists – I was the only Jersey person onboard. But I hope the new German departure tax does not affect demand for the route too much.

Noted that Aurigny has a token-operated hot beverage machine in the departure lounge as a shock & awe retaliation strategy against Blue Islands executive lounge (liked the sign on the glass wall next to the entrance to the gents that explains what sort of land of milk and honey is behind the tinted glass :-) ). Alas, how does one obtain a token? I was not offered one on check-in - do you have to ask for it?

Tokens available from the Aurigny check-in desk. However once you've had one cup out of that machine, you will never want another. Seriously has to be the worst coffee I've ever tasted. :yuk::yuk::yuk:

Re the airberlin flights, DUS-GCI will be - unsurprsingly - on a Q400, whereas DUS-JER will be on an A319 (IIRC, they have used an Airbus 319 in the past to cover peak demand instead of the Q400)

Runway and Apron works
 

An interesting new press release on the proposed works is at http://www.guernsey-airport.gov.gg/E...ment_final.pdf

The Pie Chart at the end is enlightening - where the money is going...a surprising small percentage to the runway. Does anyone have the same fear as me that the EMAS camp may get the works put back AGAIN.

On another topic..has anyone else noticed that the Plymouth flight is shown as Eastern Airways on the airport arrival screen. Looks like the ASW name has not got long!
Pete

The airberlin Q400s will be on the ground at GCI on saturdays as follows:

1150 GCI 1225 (from Hanover to Jersey, starts 16APR)
1540 GCI 1615 (from Dusseldorf to Dusseldorf, starts 21MAY)

Has someone made an assumption that ASW no longer exists and its now simply Eastern?

With AirBerlin building up a range of routes quite successfully now in the islands, will they perhaps consider launching year round multiple weekly services to some of their destinations DUS, TXL?

I really doubt it. It is strictly seasonal leisure traffic. They are serving lots of "exotic" islands destinations during the summer like Bornholm, Gotland, Jersey and Guernsey. Even Sylt, the German north sea island, only has a very limited winter schedule compared to the summer flights.

Where did you see this? Was it just on the website or in the actual terminal building in GCI?

The original ASW flights are now operating with both SZ and T3 flight numbers, the T3 being a codeshare (they certainly are from JER and BRS anyway). It may be that the FIDS used on the Guernsey Airport website will only show the one flight number (which happens to be the T3 one), where as on the screens in the terminal building it will flick between the two... Just my guess!

Eastern have stated that ASW will retain its identity for the foreseeable. I doubt it'd be the best idea to get rid of the ASW branding and alienate many loyal pax in the region...