Ports of Jersey make £7.2m profit for 2023 as passengers numbers continue to rise

Ports of Jersey has published its annual report for 2023 - which is the first full year without pandemic restrictions in place.

It shows 1.46 million airline passengers passed through the airport which is a 10.5% increase when compared to the previous year.

Around 97,000 more ferry passengers used the harbour, which is 26% more than 2022.

Chair of Ports of Jersey, Jeff Hume, says he is pleased with the report's results: "We are continuing to make rapid progress on rebuilding Jersey’s air connectivity.

"We have long-term agreements in place with each of our airline partners, which provides the foundations for growth, more choice for islanders and support for our economy."

Ports of Jersey saw a turnover of £50.5m for 2023, an increase of £5m on the year before.

The company also saw an operating profit of £7.2m - that amount was £1.8m in 2022.

Matt Thomas, the Chief Executive Officer, believes things are on track to getting back to pre-pandemic levels: "Passenger numbers have increased by almost 150% over the last two years, and Jersey Airport was one of the fastest airports in the UK and Crown Dependencies to recover from the impact of the pandemic.

"The resulting improvement in our financial performance is vital to enable us to deliver our essential investment plans.

"Our connectivity continues to grow, with easyJet adding Birmingham to its network, British Airways providing flights to both Heathrow and Gatwick, Jet2 running an inbound tourist service and Blue Islands securing our regional connectivity.

"In 2024 we will have services to 15 European destinations, including direct flights to Madeira, Tenerife, Ibiza, Faro, Majorca, Split and Lanzarote."

It comes as the contract for a ferry company to service the Channel Islands from 2025 is currently out to tender.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...