Aurigny Air Services

Infobox_Airline
airline=Aurigny Air Services
logo=GRLogo.pnglogo_size=150
fleet_size=12
destinations=9
IATA=GR
ICAO=AUR
callsign=AYLINE
founded=1968
headquarters=Guernsey, Channel Islands
hubs=Guernsey Airport
focus_cities=
key_people=
website= http://www.aurigny.com/

Aurigny Air Services Limited is an airline based in Guernsey, Channel Islands, and wholly owned by the States of Guernsey. It operates passenger and freight services between the Channel Islands, western France and England. The airline also carries overnight mail for the British Royal Mail. Its main base is Guernsey Airport, with hubs at Jersey Airport and Alderney Airport.cite news | title= Directory: World Airlines | work= Flight International | page= 80 | date= 2007-03-27]

Its name “Aurigny” comes from the French/Auregnais name for Alderney, whose local language was made extinct by an influx of people from England.

History

Aurigny Air Services was founded by Sir Derrick Baily and started operations on 1 March 1968. In July 1971 Aurigny became the first commercial operator of the Britten-Norman Trislander and the airline remains the world’s largest operator of the type. During the first year of operations the airline carried 45,000 passengers between Guernsey, Jersey and Alderney. Ownership of the airline passed from Aurigny Aviation Holdings to Close Brothers Private Equity on 23 May 2000, but was wholly acquired by States of Guernsey on 15 May 2003. It employs 300 staff in the Channel Islands, France and U.K.. Aurigny also operates charter services and is a handling agent for Lufthansa which operates seasonal services to and from Hannover, Dusseldorf and Munich.

In June 2006 a survey by market researchers islandopinion.com showed that Aurigny is the most popular airline flying out of Guernsey.

On 21 June 2007 Aurigny got permission from its sole shareholder, the States of Guernsey, to raise a private loan to purchase two new ATR 72-500 aircraft, to be introduced in March 2009.

In 2008 Aurigny was voted 4th best short-haul airline in a poll published in the consumer magazine Which?In a survey of 30,000 Which? members, the publication looked at 71 airlines and asked readers to rate each carrier for check-in, cabin staff, cleanliness, food and entertainment. In the short-haul category Aurigny had an overall score of 72%, while the airlines main rival Flybe finished 14th with a score of 59%.

Aurigny celebrated its 40th year serving the Channel Islands on 1 March 2008.

Destinations

Aurigny Air Services serves the following destinations (at May 2007):

*British Crown Dependencies
**Alderney (Alderney Airport)
**Guernsey (Guernsey Airport) Hub
**Jersey (Jersey Airport)
*France
**Dinard/Saint-Malo (Pleurtuit Airport)
*United Kingdom
**England
***Bristol (Bristol International Airport)
***London
****(London Gatwick Airport)
****(London Stansted Airport)
***Manchester (Manchester Airport)
***Southampton (Southampton Airport)

Fleet

The Aurigny Air Services fleet includes the following aircraft (as of 11 September 2008): [ [http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=60&pagetype=65&appid=1&mode=summary&owner=Aurigny UK Civil Aviation Authority aircraft register] ] [ [http://www.ch-aviation.ch/aircraft.php?search=set&airline=GR&al_op=1 CH-Aviation - Airline News, Fleet Lists & More ] ]

External links

* [http://www.aurigny.com/ Aurigny Air Services]
* [http://www.ch-aviation.ch/aircraft.php?search=set&airline=GR&al_op=1 Aurigny Air Services fleet]

References