Aurigny welcomes Alderney to Southampton route decision

Image caption, Mr Hart said the biggest issue to consider was long-term sustainability

Aurigny hopes a decision not to open the air route between Alderney and Southampton to competition will be made permanent in the future.

Alderney's Policy and Finance Committee decided Blue Islands proposed start date in March did not allow enough time for its impact to be investigated.

Malcolm Hart, Aurigny's managing director, said: "I hope that it leads to a decision that's no, not ever."

He said competition during the summer months would seriously damage trade.

Mr Hart said: "It's very good news that at least this summer we won't have something coming in and creaming off the decent months whilst we've been living with the less good months of the winter.

"In the fullness of time they should be looking at sustainability."

He said there was already competition on the route in other ways, adding: "If charges are simply too high then demand just falls away.

"That is the constant balance we have on something like the Alderney-Southampton route.

"It's an incredibly expensive route to operate, in term of the infrastructure charges per mile it is certainly the most expensive route we operate."

Blue Islands said following the committee's decision it was considering its options before it responded.