Warnings that air fare rises in Alderney threaten the island's tourism and economy

People in Alderney fear air fare increases will have a significant impact on their community and economy. Credit: ITV Channel

Air fare rises on flights to Alderney will threaten tourism, the economy, and the viability of the Bailiwick, according to islanders.

The cost of a ticket is set to rise by around £25 to £30 from January 2025.

It's the result of a States of Guernsey decision to cut taxpayer spending on flights to the island.

Currently, the government is committed to a subsidy on flights to Alderney of £2 million for 2024.

However, the Policy & Resources Committee (P&R) announced on Thursday 14 November an expected £600,000 overspend.

To combat this overspend, P&R has implemented an immediate £5 increase to prices and a reduction of the subsidy to £1.5 million for 2025.

Whilst there are reassurances that Guernsey-Alderney route will be protected, the Southampton service will be hit most significantly; a return flight could cost as much as £400.

This compares, however, favourably to prices for return trips of similar lengths:

There are concerns that Alderney's government was not consulted on the change.

Further, people who depend on the service have shared their frustrations, with some regular fliers suggesting the Bailiwick is no longer functional.

Resident Barbara Benfield says: "Maybe Alderney ought to put pressure on the British government, because it's clear that the relationship and the Bailiwick itself is no longer working properly."

Islanders fear ticket prices will prohibit people from visiting for events such as Alderney Week Credit: ITV Channel

Other islanders fear the increased air fares will discourage people from considering the island as a holiday destination.

Vicky Chandler, Alderney Week leader, worries the prices will jeopardise the biggest tourist event in the calendar, with ramifications for the island's economy.

She says: "If people aren't coming to Alderney Week, people are not going to be spending in the shops [and] they're not going to be spending in the restaurants.

"It's going to have a huge knock-on effect for everybody."

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