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Aside from its gorgeous scenery there isn’t much going on in Alderney, a tiny Channel Island with a population of just over 2,000. In order to get to sixth form, shop in a big supermarket, or even just find a chain you might recognise, you have to head off the island, but that might be soon get a lot harder. There are plans to close the local airport for refurbishments next year.
Alderney Airport was the first aviation hub in the Channel Islands when it opened in 1935. Since then, larger islands Jersey and Guernsey have both built their own airports, but Alderney’s remains key to keeping its people connected to the mainland and to its neighbours. However, the place is getting a little bit rundown, and its runway is in desperate need of some TLC.
Guernsey authorities are responsible for Alderney and its infrastructure. It has warned that in order to complete the works required ‘in the shortest time and in the most effective way’, they may need to close up shop for an ‘extended’ period.
The planned works would see the runway widened and re-tarmacked in order to bring it up to a standard that will allow larger aircrafts to land and take off.
But some residents are worried that this could leave them stranded. Although there are frequent ferry services to France and the other Channel Islands, flying remains the easiest way to access mainland Britain, with daily flights to Southampton and beyond. One local pilot, Chris Blythe, told the BBC that he thinks the runway closure could be ‘brutal’ for the community.
Blythe also expressed concern about the staff who would have to be brought in to carry out the maintenance works, saying that ‘there's going to be a whole load of workers... who are going to be trapped on the island with us’. Despite this, he did recognise that the airport needed an upgrade, saying ‘the main runway in Alderney is not very good… [this] was always going to be the only option’.
Meanwhile, the council is standing behind the possibility of closing the terminal in order to complete renovations faster. Lindsay de Sausmarez, who is the president of the Guernsey policy and Resources committee recognised that it will cause ‘some disruption’ for the islanders, but argued that the project is a ‘vital’ step in ‘maintaining Alderney’s connectivity for the benefit of the island’s community’.
There is still a chance that there will be an alternative solution. This would see the airport remain open throughout construction, with a final decision set to be made after a public consultation in February.
April 2027 has been suggested as a tentative date for the works to begin, with a view to get the runway operational by December of the same year. Authorities have assured that in the event of a closure, alternative transport measures, including for emergency services, will be arranged nearer the time.
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