Aurigny cuts spring flights due to Iran war

A Guernsey airline is reducing some flights after a drop in demand linked to global instability due to the war in Iran.

Aurigny Air Services said bookings for May were around 13% lower than this time last year, prompting schedule and capacity changes on several routes between mid-April and early June.

Services to London City Airport will be reduced, while flights to south-west England will be combined between Exeter and Bristol. Some midweek services to Paris have also been pushed back until June.

A spokesperson for Aurigny said it was due to some passengers changing their plans amid ongoing global uncertainty.

The airline has also introduced a temporary £2 fuel surcharge on new bookings due to rising and unpredictable aviation fuel costs.

Wholesale oil and gas prices have soared since the war started, due to disrupted supply from the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's busiest oil shipping channels, and damage to oil and gas plants in the Middle East.

Despite the short-term dip, Aurigny said demand was expected to recover from July, with strong bookings for the summer.

Philip Saunders, chief commercial officer at the airline said the island was "not immune from the realities presented by the global travel ecosystem".

He added: "Unfortunately, we have to pass on some of the resulting costs to customers to ensure sustainable air services to and from Guernsey.

"Overall, despite all these challenges, we expect a positive year for the Guernsey travel market."

Follow BBC Guernsey on X and Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk.