First of all, apologies to
Fabo.sk for plagiarising his title for this report but it describes perfectly this trip and a couple more planned flights next year.
In November this year, I flew with an airline called Aurigny Air Services, who are based in Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands. On that occasion, it was on an ATR72; you can read my trip report about it here:-
Day trip to Guernsey on Aurigny ATR72
While I was at Guernsey, I saw one of the two Aurigny Dornier 228s in their maintenance area and thought “that’s a type that I haven’t flown on before, must do that”.
The Dornier 228 with Aurigny shuttles it’s way between Southampton on the south coast of England and Alderney in the Channel Islands, as well as back and forth to Guernsey. It’s quite an expensive route, which is why I’ve not done it before.
These routes used to be flown by a Britten-Norman Trislander, a type that I never got to fly on as when it was operating, I couldn’t justify the expense.
Once home, I booked a return to Alderney from Southampton which would give me about 90 minutes on the Island, just enough time to take a taxi to the Roman Fort, grab a bit of lunch and taxi back for the return flight.
On the day of travel, my train from Reading to Southampton airport was cancelled by the operator and I had to reroute. Unfortunately for me, I arrived after check in had closed and was denied boarding. Lesson learned; never rely on the trains in the UK if you are going somewhere important, or want to be on time.
A call to the airline got me rebooked for the next day (with an admin charge to pay, of course) and this time, I drove the 60 miles (100 kilometres) to Southampton setting off from home 3 hours before my flight departed - wasn’t taking any chances this time.
Part 1 - Southampton to Alderney
Once parked up, it’s a walk of about 100 metres from my car to the terminal entrance.
It is 25 years since I last flew out of this airport, the year was 1999 and it was a British Airways Embraer 145 to Glasgow.
View from the car park exit
Departures this way
A view of the Air Traffic Control Tower from where my car was parked
Check in hadn’t opened when I arrived, so off to the Costa concession outlet for a coffee
An overpriced coffee Americano
Once the check in desk was open, I checked in and got my boarding pass for 1A. On-line check in wasn’t available on this route, it might be that the airline wants to control the baggage weight and hand baggage size as this is a small aircraft and even my really small carry on bag was weighed - 1.9 kgs.
Through security, which was quiet; friendly staff and efficiently on my way in about 2 minutes. That’s the advantage of flying from small, regional airports.
Might be a small airport but it has the inevitable duty free rat run
Out into the main departure lounge, which is just some seating and doors to the parking areas outside. There is also an upstairs bar area and The Spitfire lounge for those with access. Not only did I not have lounge access on this all economy flight but it was closed; only opens at peak times and as the morning rush was over, firmly shut.
I found a seat to sit on and read my book; the flight was subject to a delay and hadn’t even set off from Alderney.
Eventually, we were called to the gate. As there is no cabin crew on this flight, the safety demonstration is a video played at the gate before you walk out to the aircraft.
Safety demonstration via the video
Boarding is strictly by row number as there isn’t room onboard to shuffle around, being in row 1, I was first out the door and across the ramp to the waiting Dornier.
G-ETAC; Dornier 228
On board looking forward
Into seat 1A and there isn’t a lot of room;
JapesUK would not like this!
Seat 1C is unoccupied, my job to open the emergency door if required.
A look at the safety card.
Captain James gave us a welcome on board speech and then we started up and taxied out to runway 02
GR 502
Scheduled departure 1105
Actual departure 1137
Scheduled arrival 1150
Actual arrival 1211
Just the 10 passengers out of a possible 19 this morning, our flight was delayed as the aircraft and crew had to perform a MEDEVAC flight before leaving Alderney. Despite being cramped and noisy with no service on board, this has to be the best flight that I’ve taken in years, what I’d call “real flying”.
In-flight entertainment
Garrett TPE331 turboprop
Above the clouds at Flight Level 60 (around 6000 feet), heading 198 degrees with a ground speed of 220 knots.
All too soon, we began our descent into Alderney and landed on runway 08. A short backtrack on the runway and then taxied onto the stand. Alderney is a small island and consequently, the airport is small; a far cry from the likes of Gatwick or Heathrow.
G-ETAC on the ramp at Alderney
Arrivals; seems to be some work going with all the scaffolding present.
Baggage reclaim
As the flight had been delayed, there would be insufficient time for a look around, as the ground crew told me at check in that Aurigny planned to fly the next two sectors as quick as they could and get back on schedule. I decided that rather taking a look around the island and possibly missing my return flight, I’d just get some lunch in the airport cafe.
I got talking to two guys who were about to go flying in a light aircraft, a Piper Arrow; as a leisure pilot myself, who owns a share in a similar type, it was interesting to discuss the challenges of operating out of a small airfield in the English Channel, especially as there is no fuel available for any aircraft other than the Dornier.
I also spent some time talking to the lady who runs the cafe about Island life, I came to the conclusion that it wouldn’t be the life for me, too remote and isolated. Nice place for a holiday but wouldn’t want to live there.
Some photos of the check in area and airport cafe. I think that this is the second smallest airport with a scheduled air service that I have flown into, the smallest being on the Scottish Island of Barra in the Outer Hebrides, the one where the Twin Otter aircraft lands on the beach when the tide is out.
Part 2 to follow.