UK and Channel Islands Airports Extend Hours Amid Christmas Eve Fog Disruptions

To facilitate passengers reaching their Christmas destinations, airports across the UK and the Channel Islands are extending their operating hours, following widespread disruptions caused by fog on Christmas Eve. Earlier in the day, flights serving Jersey and Guernsey experienced delays, diversions, or cancellations due to dense fog conditions persisting throughout the day. According to Guernsey’s airline Aurigny, Exeter and Southampton airports have consented to prolong their operational hours, alongside the two primary Channel Islands airports, to allow for an improvement in weather conditions. Aurigny stated its commitment to doing “everything possible to get everyone to their loved-ones this Christmas,” concurrently, Jersey Airport announced its intention to remain open “as long as possible” on Christmas Eve. Personnel at Jersey Airport recommended that passengers proceed with normal check-in procedures, anticipating that airlines would provide updated information. The Ports of Jersey reported that 860 individuals were attempting to depart from Jersey, while 1,368 were scheduled to arrive. Aurigny issued a statement: “We are currently experiencing low visibility in Guernsey that is causing slight delays on our services today. We understand how important travel is on Christmas Eve, and we recognise how frustrating the weather disruptions are – especially today of all days.” The airline also confirmed a partnership with Avanti Air to supply extra aircraft and had arranged ferry transport for passengers traveling to and from Alderney. Ross Coppolo, the managing director of Guernsey Ports, which operates the airport, expressed being “hopeful” that the weather would improve by the afternoon, enabling flights to recover their schedules. Sarah Louise Stubbs, head of customer operations at Jersey Airport, indicated that weather improvement was anticipated for Guernsey around 16:00 GMT and for Jersey around 19:00. She stated: “There is no place for us to open tomorrow, but we will be remaining open for as long as possible this evening to make sure that all our passengers are with their friends and family where they should be for Christmas.” She added: “All I can ask is that all passengers check in on time and to work closely with the airline for any advice that they’re giving.” Luna Pinto Baker reported that her Tuesday morning flight from Jersey to Gatwick had been cancelled, but she was optimistic about departing in the evening on an alternative flight to Heathrow. She commented: “It wasn’t my Christmas Eve plans but I’m feeling fine. They’ve done a good job to do what they can. They can’t really control the mist and that’s bad luck that it arrived today, but that’s the way it is.” Andrew Evans, whose flight from Jersey to Manchester was scheduled for 09:00, experienced a delay, with the new departure time set for 18:40. He stated he was “pretty optimistic” about still reaching Manchester. He added: “I’ve been checking the weather forecast and you can see the fog lifting a little bit, hoping that that’s right and eventually we’ll get off the island.” Richard Benn, another passenger on the same Manchester-bound flight, mentioned booking an alternative flight to Liverpool for Tuesday evening as a contingency against cancellation, remarking “that’s just Jersey” concerning fog-related problems. Mike Ralston reported that he had planned to have lunch with his brother and family in Leeds on Tuesday but was stranded at Jersey Airport until the evening, at which point he aimed to travel to Manchester. He commented: “We’re trying to work out what flight to get, whether we can get a different one, but it’s going to be difficult.” Samuel Oakley and his wife Samantha face an additional drive of approximately 75 miles (120km) to Shrewsbury after their eventual arrival in Manchester. “It’s one of those things. You can’t change anything about it,” Mr Oakley stated. Mrs Oakley further added: “I grew up in Jersey, so I’m used to fog.” For updates, follow BBC Guernsey and BBC Jersey on X and Facebook. Story ideas can be submitted to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding its external linking policy is available.