Passengers of the regional airline Aurigny were delayed by heavy fog in the English Channel islands of Guernsey (GCI) and Alderney (ACI). The weather change on Feb. 21 resulted in a two-day disruption that left the airport scrambling, leading to several grounded flights. Four ATR 72-600s that were set to make the return trip were delayed due to the low visibility.
Chaos in the Mist
The disruption has caused tensions between the passengers and the airline. 25 flights were cancelled on Sunday, with Alderney Airport extending its opening hours beyond the standard 07:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. – yet it saw no flights that day.
Matthew Newman, a passenger travelling from Manchester to Guernsey, spoke to the BBC, saying, “There’s absolutely nothing, so we’re just stuck here, really.”
According to Aurigny, four of their ATR 72-600s were delayed by a sudden weather change, so the crew could not return to the island despite numerous attempts to land due to low visibility caused by fog. The airline said they “had no choice to remain outside of Guernsey” until the heavy fog passed.
Measures Taken
Many passengers were vexed by the airline’s inability to adapt to the weather, with Matthew Newman going as far as to call its communication strategies “appalling”. A statement from Aurigny said:
“We sincerely apologise and understand how frustrating the wait can be.”
The airline advised passengers to allow for at least 45 minutes to check in from the scheduled departure times and that “due to limited availability”, some passengers affected by the cancellations would have to wait longer to be able to rebook their flights.
Has your journey been affected by the sudden heavy fog this week? Tell us in the comments below.
