| Guernsey Airport | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Guernsey Airport Terminal | |||
| IATA: GCI – ICAO: EGJB | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Public | ||
| Operator | States of Guernsey | ||
| Serves | Guernsey | ||
| Location | Forest, Guernsey | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 336 ft / 102 m | ||
| Coordinates | |||
| Website | |||
| Map | |||
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EGJB
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| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| m | ft | ||
| 09/27 | 1,463 | 4,800 | Asphalt |
| Statistics (2010) | |||
| Passengers | 923,683 | ||
| Passenger change 09-10 | 1.4% | ||
| Aircraft Movements | 55,557 | ||
| Movements change 09-10 | 3.6% | ||
| Sources: UK AIP at NATS[1] Statistics from the UK Civil Aviation Authority[2] |
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Guernsey Airport (IATA: GCI, ICAO: EGJB) is the largest airport in the Bailiwick of Guernsey and is the only airport on the island of Guernsey. It is located in the Forest, a parish in Guernsey, 2.5 NM (4.6 km; 2.9 mi) west southwest of St. Peter Port.[1]
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The airport was officially opened on 5 May 1939. However, regular air services only commenced in October 1946. By 1948, BEA were operating a daily service to Southampton using Douglas DC-3 aircraft. From 1951, Jersey Airlines flew BEA associate scheduled services to Southampton at weekends using Rapide eight-seat biplane airliners.[3]
In 1960 there were four grass runways, with lengths ranging from 2,040 ft (622 m) to 3,060 ft (933 m). 1960 also saw the construction of a new tarmacked runway of a length of 4,800 ft (1,463 m). In early 2000s alongside the work on the new terminal, Commerce and Employment claimed an extension was necessary to allow use of larger aircraft such as the Boeing 737, or other larger jets for trans-European flights.
Aurigny Air Services has its head office on the airport property.[4] At one time the Channel Islands subsidiary of British United Airways had its head office on the airport property.[5]
Work started on a new terminal building in 2002, which became operational on 19 April 2004. The old terminal was demolished in May 2004 to make space for additional aircraft stands and a passenger walkway from the new terminal. The new terminal was designed to be able to handle about 1.25 million passengers per year. In 2010, 923,683 passengers used the airport, with 55,557 aircraft movements.[2]
Flybe are unable to operate their Embraer 195 aircraft into Guernsey due to the low strength of the runway, and elected to operate the smaller de Havilland Dash 8s.[6][7] In 2008 business leaders and deputies were arguing the case for an extension from its current length of 1,463 m (4,800 ft) to 1,700 m (5,577 ft).[8] Following several years of debate it was announced on the 2 October 2009 that Guernsey's airport runway and apron will be extended and repaired at an estimated cost of £81m.[9]
The proposal is to add runway safety areas, RESAs, extend the take-off section by 120 m (390 ft), and displace the landing section to the west, the first of a two phase runway extension. The extension has mixed support, with some islanders and politicians campaigning against it, while others support it. The issue is still to be settled by the island's government, and the Engineered materials arrestor system (EMAS) is being considered to save space.
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Air Berlin | Seasonal: Düsseldorf, Hanover |
| Aurigny Air Services | Alderney, Bristol, Dinard, East Midlands, Jersey, London-Gatwick, London-Stansted, Manchester Seasonal: Grenoble |
| Blue Islands | Jersey, Southampton |
| Cityjet | Seasonal charter: Rotterdam, Frankfurt |
| Flybe | Birmingham, Exeter, Jersey, London-Gatwick, Southampton Seasonal: Norwich Seasonal charter: Palma de Mallorca, Mahon, Malaga |
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Atlantic Airlines | Post and Newspapers |
| Aurigny Air Services | Parcels |
Atlantic Airlines operates two services each morning from Bournemouth carrying newspapers for the island, as well as the majority of the post. Aurigny Air Services carries some other post and also parcels on behalf of carriers including Fedex and UPS.
A large number of single and twin-engined light and business aircraft are based at the airport. These, and numerous visiting general aviation aircraft, are serviced by based aviation engineering firms located in several hangars located at the southwest and southeast portions of the airport.
Main article: List of aviation accidents and incidents in the Channel Islands
On 7 December 1997 an F-27 (registration: G-BNCY) operated by AirUK arriving from Southampton overshot the runway while landing in high cross winds. The Fokker Aircraft aquaplaned on standing water, left the runway end and slid on the wet grass. The aircraft nosed into the cross wind, ending up some 100 m (330 ft) off the centre line in a field to the south of the runway. There were no fatalities among the 50 passengers and 4 crew members, although the aircraft was damaged beyond repair and subsequently written off.[1].
On 12 January 1999 a F-27 (registration: G-CHNL) operating a cargo flight for Channel Express arriving from Luton crashed short of runway 27 after deploying full flap on approach. As the flap deployed, the cargo moved aft and exited the aeroplane's mass and balance limits, the flight crew initiated a go-around which further exacerbated problem by raising the gear and applying power. The aeroplane pitched up uncontrollably and stalled which resulted in the aircraft impacting the conservatory of a house located under the flight path. Fortunately no one on the ground was injured, however both flight crew were killed by the resulting fire which engulfed the aircraft. The investigation concluded the aeroplane was not loaded in accordance with the loadsheet. [2].
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