91Èȱ¬

Guernsey Airport has offered to pay for a system of "nose-in" plane parking during a refurbishment project.

Colin Le Ray, airport director, said it would lead to more efficient use of the space beside the terminal.

The building was designed with this type of parking in mind, but airlines have not adopted it as they see it as costly and of no benefit to passengers.

The airport has estimated the annual cost at about £300,000 and has offered to pay the figure for two years.

Mr Le Ray said: "We are committing to pay for it for the first couple of years of the refurbishment because we can save money.

"It means we can free-off bigger areas of concrete to redevelop."

Ian Taylor, general manager for Flybe in the Channel Islands, said his company would be happy to comply during the work.

However, he said the long-term use of the system was not supported by the airlines.

He said: "We have always been against the introduction of nose-in, push-back parking because we see no benefit and only additional cost."

The redevelopment project, which is expected to cost £81m, has been designed to improve the airport's runway, safety areas and aprons.