BLUE Islands is suspending its Jersey to Birmingham service this winter after claiming competition with another airline “undermined” its ability to operate the route profitably.
The suspension will take effect from 2 November and last until March, when the service will be resumed ahead of the summer season.
The Jersey-based airline took over the route in 2020 following the collapse of Flybe and later increased the frequency of its Birmingham flights to up to two per day.
But in a statement yesterday, it said that “the arrival of competing easyJet services from Summer 2024” had “undermined Blue Islands’ ability to serve the route profitably”.
The statement continued: “easyJet is able to fly between Birmingham and Jersey using aircraft slots left vacant between its core routes on which it earns its keep.
“In contrast, Blue Islands has to recover the full cost of its aircraft and crews employed on the Birmingham route, yet can no longer do so.
“The two business models cannot viably co-exist, as has been proven elsewhere in the UK market in recent months.”
The airline said that Blue Islands customers with bookings on flights between Jersey and Birmingham on or after 2 November until March 2025 have been contacted about the route’s winter suspension, and given a choice of re-booking on its Jersey to East-Midlands flights or a full refund.
“Should competitive changes lead to an opportunity in future to fly to Birmingham on a year-round basis, Blue Islands will happily review the situation at that time,” it added.
The JEP has asked easyJet for comment.
