Crumbling runway keeps new planes out

By Nigel Baudains

MAJOR investment is needed to bring Guernsey’s airport runway and aprons up to standard, it was revealed yesterday. Airport director Colin Le Ray said that UK engineers had just completed a report that the Public Services Department would soon discuss.

A department report would go to the States later this year.

‘It is one of those investments that is required,’ said Mr Le Ray.

‘The only question is to what degree the opportunity is taken to improve facilities,’ he said.

Construction work is expected to take two years and it will have to be carried out around the airport’s existing requirements.

Mr Le Ray said that the States’ resolution of 2003 obliged Public Services at the same time to report to the House on the options for extending the runway.

Flybe is withdrawing its BAe146 jets at the end of March but cannot operate the replacement 108-seat Embraer 195 into the island with full loads because of the condition of the runway.

Flybe general manager market development Ian Taylor said the problem was not specific to his airline. It was a major issue for the island and the States should have acted earlier.

‘Guernsey has known about this for two years, so to be talking about a report going to the States later this year is concerning,’ he said.

‘This is not about extending the runway but the deterioration of the weight-bearing capability of it and the apron areas.’

He said the problem would not be resolved before 2011 - if all went to schedule.

The situation could also affect ’such mundane issues’ as how the Sunday papers were brought in, he said.

‘We are incredulous that £20m. was budgeted for a new airport terminal while the runway and aprons were allowed to deteriorate to such an extent that modern aircraft might not be able to land.’

Public Services minister Bill Bell said he would speak on the matter today.

Mr Taylor said that as long ago as 1995, when Air UK stopped using the 146 on the Guernsey route, some States members had voiced concerns about how the island could compete with other financial centres when it did not have a jet link with London.

But despite the problems, Flybe, the biggest carrier into and out of Guernsey, was still fully committed to the island, he said.