New plane joins Blue Islands fleet

The CEO of a Channel Islands airline has apologised to customers for service disruptions whilst introducing a new plane to its fleet.

Blue Islands said its new aircraft G-ISLP, its first ATR 72-600, was "ready to welcome" passengers on board this summer.

The company removed 28 flights from its summer schedule in May due to a damaged plane and the new aircraft being delayed.

Rob Veron, CEO of Blue Islands, said in a social media post that the past few months had been "challenging for our passengers".

He said: "I know many of you feel let down. Aircraft maintenance issues, delayed parts, and weather damage all hit us simultaneously, causing last-minute cancellations and disruption.

"On top of that, this new aircraft, meant to solve these problems, was delayed by supply chain issues, which only added to the problem."

Jersey's government said in May that it might take action against the airline if its services did not improve, with particular concern for islanders travelling to hospitals in the UK for health issues.

Mr Veron said as an islander he understood the importance of reliable transport.

"I'm genuinely sorry for the frustration and inconvenience this has caused," he said.

"Whether you missed important business meetings, family gatherings, or medical appointments, I know our service disruptions had real impacts on your lives.

"The good news is this new aircraft is now here and ready to help us earn back your trust."

The new aircraft has additional capacity, Mr Veron said, and the airline was committed to keeping on schedule in future.

"Over the coming weeks, you can expect fewer cancellations, better resilience, and the dependable service that connects our island communities with each other, the UK and Europe."

Follow BBC Guernsey on X and Facebook. Follow BBC Jersey on X and Facebook. Send your story ideas to [email protected].