Aurigny debuts Embraer 195

In a process that took just nine months, from selection to service introduction – on 3 July – Aurigny entered the jet age with its first Embraer 195 on the Gatwick to Guernsey route.  The Islanders' airline, the States of Guernsey is the owner, has been operating since 1968, and marked the occasion with a hangar party for Guernsey dignitaries, stakeholders, travel trade, regular flyers and media, supported by Embraer, who have assigned a technical representative to the airline for a year to ease the introduction. 

Alison Chambers represented BTN and will be supplementing this report with an ON TOUR soonest.

Aurigny had to move fast following Flybe's decision to sell off its Gatwick slots (to easyJet), meaning seats on the important lifeline route to Guernsey would be severely reduced.  Aurigny now offers two ATR72 and four Embraer daily with a total of 320,000 seats annually, just shy of the 350,000 on offer with Flybe as the second carrier.

Embraer’s 195 is fitted with 122 high density seats, very comfortable for what is a 35-minute ‘in air’ sector.  Flybe participated in crew training and also route proving.  www.aurigny.com

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