New Channel Islands Link from Manchester

UK regional carrier Blue Islands is to offer a new service between Manchester and Jersey this winter with onward connections to Guernsey on the same aircraft, enhancing links between the UK mainland and the Channel Islands. The new flight will operate on a daily basis from October 31 and will complement existing links by Flybe to Jersey and Aurigny to Guernsey – bmibaby also currently offers flights between Manchester and Jersey, but it will suspend the route when it closes its base at the northwest UK airport at the end of the summer.

“Manchester is a key UK destination for Channel Island passengers who use the airport as a gateway to the North of England, therefore it is important that this route remains to serve the market demand,” said Rob Veron, Managing Director, Blue Islands.

Flybe currently offers up to nine flights a week between Manchester and Jersey, while Aurigny has a twice daily non-stop link to Guernsey. An estimated 101,000 O&D passengers travelled between Manchester and Jersey in the past year, with around 59 per cent of these passengers using the soon to be discontinued bmibaby service. Around 73,000 O&D passengers travelled between Manchester and Guernsey during the same period.

“The Channel Islands are very popular destinations and we know that our passengers will be pleased that these remain part of our network,” added Andrew Harrison, Managing Director, Manchester Airport. “Blue Islands brings ‘welcome differences’ of no baggage or card charges, which will make a real impact. I’m sure that this service will be very successful and I look forward to working with Blue Islands.”

Founded in 2006, Blue Islands connects the Channel Islands to a number of UK and European destinations including Southampton, Zurich, Geneva, Isle of Man and more recently London City, Bristol and now Manchester.