Competition on UK flights part of Alderney vision from Healthspan
Saturday 29th January 2011, 2:29PM GMT.
BLUE ISLANDS wants to compete with Aurigny on the Alderney-Southampton route.
Airline boss Derek Coates has outlined his plans, which also include more scheduled flights between Alderney and Guernsey as well as a summer link with Cherbourg.
States members, business leaders and civil servants were invited to the private meeting, which was titled Healthspan’s Vision for Alderney.
Aurigny has already said there is room for only one carrier on the route, while States members appeared cool on the idea of opening up the link to competition.
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If there is more room for more flights then let Aurigny add addional slots to their timetable.
I am not a fan at all of opening up to other providers. This does not work out in the best interest of Aurigny, which needs to stay the main carrier to make the best revenue opportunity to service the routes that the Island’s can not afford to loose.
Aurigny was bought by the States to preserve Gatwick, but that sentiment should extend to all links that Aurigny services.
The more profitable Aurigny is the less the tax payer supports it. So think long term, do not open up to other providers on the routes that are still (thank fully) in Aurigny’s sole position.
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I’m afraid I can’t understand Mr Coates’ philosophy of wanting to take on another route that is already being flown by another operator. The Alderney-Southampton route is more than adequately covered by Aurigny, who already add on additional flights when required, i.e. during Alderney Week. If I lived on Alderney I’d much rather Blue Islands start up a route from Alderney to somewhere that Aurigny don’t already fly to. No, this idea smacks of sour grapes!
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I totally agree with the above. Aurigny always provide extra flights at peak times, school holidays, bank holidays ect. Why does Mr Coates just want to keep on challenging Aurigny on their routes? Is he so determined to try and take this route to ruin Aurigny so that he can force the Sts of Gsy into selling him Aurigny? Sounds like a record, but remember Bournemouth,Shoreham,Jersey, St Brieuc? Blue Islands was the sole operator on these routes but they stopped them all. Alderney does not want to be reliant on Mr Coates “Vision”. We have heard it all before! Think the record has got stuck Mr Coates! Ald states members- please do not listen to the Coates spin! We do not need him to run Alderney for us. Let him take his wealth and his “Vision” elsewhere.
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Coates seems intent on purging anything Aurigny does, he has had to suffer defeat on his ideas of buying Aurigny now he is trying to disrupt them in other ways. The Islanders let him know last time what they think of him and his selfish ideas and they will do so again !
Aurigny needs all the help it can get not people trying their best to down them.
All Coates is interested in is getting cheaper flights to his Alderney Hotel.
Blue Islands would/could never match the Service of Aurigny ground Staff at both Southampton and Alderney Airports, we have personally never such helpful and obliging Ground crew anywhere.
Once again Coates is only interested in one person ?
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Considering Healthspan is up for sale, I would think their vision might be a bit fuzzy in the long term.
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Here we go again. I’m somewhat surprised that ‘intelligent’ people turned up to hear Mr Coates after the last debacle in the Island Hall – perhaps there was a free lunch?
Are not these people able to see that Mr Coates is of the type that must get their way, at almost any cost?
Such a person will never be able to balance the needs of Alderney’s population, or economy, with his own ‘Vision’. On previous behaviour, the ‘Vision’ lasts as long as it suits him and then changes into something completely different.
We will pray for you, Mr Coates
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How ironic that competition is part of his vision for Alderney, and yet he tried to wipe out competition earlier this year… :/
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