Channel Islands carrier Aurigny is taking delivery of its first jet aircraft to protect the lifeline route between Guernsey and Gatwick.
A 122-seat Embraer E195, which made its first commercial flight yesterday, will offer the largest ever number of seats on the route with four flights a day in each direction.
The aircraft, which cost almost £25 million, was paid for by a loan guaranteed by the States of Guernsey.
With the loss of a significant share of the available seats on the route following Flybe’s withdrawal from Gatwick, Aurigny was requested by the Guernsey government to look at how it could replace the lost capacity.
Guernsey’s development as a global finance centre would have been thrown into doubt if the capacity could not be replaced.
Aurigny chief executive Mark Darby said: “This is a big step forward for the airline and for the island.
“For an island community of around 65,000 people to have its own E195 as well as a fleet of ATRs speaks volumes for the importance of Aurigny maintaining our business links with London and how far we are prepared to go to protect them.
‘It is a significant investment for us but it is extremely important for the prosperity of the island that both our business and tourism sectors have sufficient capacity and frequency on this route.”