A new partnership between UK regional airlines Loganair,
Aurigny and Blue Islands will begin in 2022, with the carriers planning to
widen their relationships to offer connections across their respective route
networks.
Existing partnerships between Blue Islands and Aurigny and
between Loganair and Blue Islands will be strengthened, while a new agreement on
connecting flights on the networks of Loganair and Aurigny will be introduced.
According to the carriers, this expanded agreement will open
up a range of connections to and from the island of Guernsey, in particular new
connections to the north of England, Scotland and the Isle of Man at airports
including Manchester, Bristol and Birmingham, where the airlines’ networks
meet.
Existing links between the Loganair and Blue Islands
networks, which currently focus on Southampton and Manchester, will also be expanded.
The trio said an early objective of the partnership is to
align their individual frequent flyer programmes so customers can earn and
redeem benefits across all three airlines’ services.
Between them, the carriers operate a total of 54 aircraft
and maintain services for regional communities across the Channel Islands,
Shetland Islands and the Isle of Man.
In addition to connecting their route networks, the airlines
will cooperate on technical and purchasing matters. All three carriers operate
fleets of ATR turboprop aircraft and say there is the potential to collaborate
on matters such as maintenance checks, purchasing of aircraft spares and the
training of pilots and engineers. Such cooperation can provide operational and
cost efficiencies, according to the trio. They will also use their
collective buying power in other areas, such as fuel purchases and ground
handling.