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The Channel Islands' newest airline is finally welcoming passengers half-a-decade after setting up.
Air Alderney is still without the licences necessary to fly scheduled services, but on Monday evening it announced that it is "now operating, offering charters" and said that "very soon" it will be "offering on-demand services".
Air Alderney's initial charter services are between Alderney, Jersey and Brighton’s Shoreham-by-Sea airport.
It hopes to reconnect Alderney to Jersey with direct flights between the two islands for the first time in many years.
Air Alderney was set up in January 2017 and has spent the years since then attempting to gain the relevant licences to fly passengers.
In November, Air Alderney announced that it was on the verge of starting passenger services to the UK and Jersey, but hours later the States of Alderney said the airline still had no route licences.
Andrew Eggleston, the President of the Alderney Chamber of Commerce, yesterday told Express that it was encouraging finally to see progress after the airline “coming across blocks over an inordinate amount of time".
Pictured: Andrew Eggleston has served as President of the Alderney Chamber of Commerce for over 15 years.
Mr Eggleston acknowledged that the airline still cannot provide scheduled passenger services and is limited to offering charter services for the time being.
“They’ve got their air operator’s certificate, but they still haven’t applied for the route licences,” he said.
“They need to sort out the licences with the States of Alderney.”
Mr Eggleston said that Air Alderney's proposed routes between Alderney, Jersey and Shoreham-by-Sea were “an interesting triangle".
"The Jersey reconnection would be welcomed by the people of Alderney," he said.
He also recalled previous attempts by small, start-up carriers to fly routes in the Channel Islands - for example, Waves, which was unable to secure route licences and ultimately went into voluntary liquidation.
The States of Alderney were approached by Express but were unable to comment by the time of publication.
Air Alderney "very near" to finally taking off (9 November 2021)
Delays ground Alderney-Jersey air link (30 December 2019)
Take-off scheduled for new Alderney air links (5 December 2019)
Angry ‘taxpayers’ blast Air Alderney entrepreneur's political past (20 February 2017)
New link planned between Jersey and Alderney (7 February 2017)
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