| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 22/05/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 49 |
| Copyright: Other |
Transport update by Jane Archer
Prices fall on island routes
Airlines and ferries increase capacity
THE cost of flying to the Channel Islands is falling in the southeast as airlines try to fend off competition from low-cost carriers.No low-cost airlines operate to the islands – EasyJet has a licence to fly from Luton to Jersey but has never used it – but passengers who are undecided on where to go on holiday need to be tempted by low fares to lure them from other destinations.
Ian Taylor, general manager of British European (formerly Jersey European Airways) said: “The person who chooses Nice for guaranteed sun is unlikely to be also considering Jersey.
“But as it becomes more of a short-break destination, we have to make sure we offer attractive prices, flexibility and accessibility.”
He added that the market to Jersey is already competitive as airlines battle to fill existing seats and new routes open.
British European plans to start flying between London City and Jersey on June 12, giving it flights from three London airports (see panel). Initially there will be two weekly Jersey-London City flights, increasing to three in September.
Meanwhile, Aurigny launched a Guernsey-Manchester service on April 26, operating twice-daily Monday to Friday and daily on Saturday and Sunday.
Aurigny marketing manager Ian Le Moigne said forward business for the Manchester service, which competes with British Regional Airlines, is good, as are bookings on the Stansted-Guernsey route started last year when KLM UK pulled all its Channel Islands routes.
Le Moigne added that an extra frequency is being put on the three-times-daily service from Stansted in the peak to meet demand.
KLM UK’s decision to quit the Channel Islands has left Jersey without a Stansted service. British European applied to operate it in tandem with the Southampton-Jersey route but the latter was won by British Regional. Interest in a Jersey-Stansted link then declined.
British Regional commercial director Mike Bathgate said the Jersey-Southampton route, launched last November, has proved very popular, most probably because of the Farecracker promotion which offers guaranteed low fares on one flight a day.
In March, the airline carried 12,141 passengers on the route – a 48% increase on the previous year when the service was operated by KLM UK.
“Farecracker has worked well for us from Southampton but we are not planning to extend it to our Manchester flights because there is no evidence that they are losing bookings to other destinations,” said Bathgate.
The carrier’s current Farecraker fare is £76 return including taxes.
The sea transport market between the UK mainland and Jersey and Guernsey has seen the return of a traditional roll-on, roll-off ferry to run alongside the fast ferries.
The ship, Commodore Clipper, a combined freight and passenger vessel, was brought into service by Condor Ferries to make sure the islands have a link to the mainland during bad weather when fast ferries cannot run.
It has capacity for 500 passengers and operates from Portsmouth to the islands. Crossing time to Guernsey is 6hrs 30mins, while the journey to Jersey takes 10hrs 30mins, including a 2hr stop in Guernsey. The return crossing is overnight from Jersey, getting into Portsmouth at 6.30am.
Condor Ferries managing director Robert Provan said: “The overnight crossing to the mainland is well timed as it gets passengers into Portsmouth early in the morning. It is a useful alternative to the fast ferries, not a substitute.”
Islanders managing director John Penson said some of his clients were transferred to the ship last winter when bad weather halted the fast ferries.
“There was not too much adverse comment but it is not so convenient for passengers if they have to transfer to Portsmouth,” he added.
The fast ferries, Condor Express and Condor Vitesse, operate from Poole and Weymouth.
Aurigny:looking at extra service to cope with peak-season demands
Condor Ferries: have added a traditional roll-on roll-off ferry on the Channel Island routes to ensure there is still a link with the mainland when the weather is bad
Factfile
lowest return faresBritish European
Belfast-Jersey £176.50
Belfast-Guernsey £171.60
Birmingham-Jersey £120.70
Birmingham-Guernsey £118.80
Edinburgh-Jersey £155.30
Edinburgh-Guernsey £150.40
Exeter-Jersey £115.10
Exeter-Guernsey £113.20
Glasgow-Jersey £150.30
Glasgow-Guernsey £147.40
Leeds/Bradford-Guernsey £141.30
Gatwick-Jersey £69.30
Gatwick-Guernsey £67.40
Luton-Jersey £52.00
Southampton-Guernsey £62.80
British Airways
Heathrow-(Jersey) £79.70
CityFlyer Express
Gatwick-Jersey £68
Gatwick-Guernsey £68
British Midland
Birmingham-Jersey £158.20
East Midlands-Jersey £140.90
East Midlands-Guernsey £140.90
Leeds/Bradford-Jersey £158.70
Teesside-Jersey £159.40
Manx Airlines
Cardiff-Jersey £120.10
British Regional Airlines
Southampton-Jersey £77
Manchester-Guernsey £99
Manchester-Jersey £99
Brymon Airways
Bristol-Jersey £97
Bristol-Guernsey £97
Plymouth-Jersey £89
Plymouth-Guernsey £89
Aurigny
Stansted-Guernsey £65.50
Manchester-Guernsey £98
VLM
London City-Jersey £58
n Fares are for return flights and include taxes