British Isles 'Airports: No 10: Jersey Airport
by David H. Kirkman
(Flightlines International)
The first 15 years of the post-war era had been a period of great expansion for Jersey Airport, notable developments having been the laying down of a tarmac runway and improvements to the passenger terminal facilities. The original runways were all grass; north to south, 580ft; north-east to south-west, 2,160ft; east to west, 2,940ft; and south-east to north-west, 2,160ft. As early as 1952 the present runway (09/27) had been established with an initial length of 4,200ft.
The resultant increase in traffic was almost meteoric and in the ensuing seven years several runway extensions were completed, these increasing the length of 09/27 to 4,350ft (1956), 4,550ft (1958), 4.850ft (1959) and 5,100ft (1960). A further 200ft was added in 1965/66.
Significant, when compared with the runway extensions, are the passenger figures which had increased to 500,000 per year by 1957 and topped the one million mark in 1966. By 1978, Jersey was handling an annual total of 1.5million passengers.
Continuous improvements to the airport have been made since the mid-sixties. The passenger departure lounge now covers an area of over 12,000ft2, new taxiways and hardstands have been added or enlarged, and additional hangars and offices appeared. The air traffic control facilities were considerably expanded to meet the demand of the Jersey traffic, and the installation now controls all the air traffic up to 20,000ft within the Channel Islands Control Zone - an area of some 3,400 sq miles.
Amid the large growth of passenger traffic stemming from the tourist boom, there was also an increase, more gradual, in freight movements. To meet this demand a new 14,500ft2 freight terminal and apron area was completed in 1966.
Many famous airline names operating scheduled services have been seen at the airport through the past 30 years. Amongst these have been Cambrian, BEA, Dan-Air, Northeast, Aurigny, Rousseau, British Island Airways, British Caledonian, British Midland, Air Anglia, Air Safaris, Eagle Airways, British Eagle, British Airways, Autair. Channel, British United, Morton Air Services, Silver City, BKS, British Air Ferries and Intra.
However, only the last of this significant list has ever used Jersey as its sole base. Although planned to operate an inter island air service, hence its name, Intra specialised instead in charter work to France after its formation on 1 January 1969. Soon it was able to pick up routes dropped by others, to Staverton, for example, in 1971 and to Cambridge in 1972, both these sectors having been relinquished by British Midland. After purchasing another Jersey based operator in 1972, International Air Charter - an air taxi firm. Intra progressed well with an all Dakota fleet.
Particularly lucrative has been the freight work, including a scheduled all-cargo service to Bournemouth (Hurn) which began in December 1972. The last remaining DC-3 in passenger configuration, G-AMRY, was converted to freighting use towards the end of 1979 and for passenger flights a single Viscount and leased Heralds from Express Air Services (CI) were employed.
In the interim, 1 November 1979 saw the start of operations by a new company, Jersey European Airways (JEA), which took over the former activities of Intra Airways and Express Air Services (EAS).
The owners of JEA are EAS, itself a member of the Field Aviation/Hunting Group, and the locally-based Aviation Beauport air-taxi company. JEA's aircraft fleet includes two Embraer Bandeirantes, employed on short-haul services to Northern France, as well as Heralds, Viscounts, DC-3s. Islanders and Navajos.
During 1979 other operators on scheduled services were British Midland (Viscount and DC-9), British Island (Herald), British Airways (Viscount and One-Eleven, with a TriStar on one occasion), British Caledonian (One-Eleven), Dan-Air (One-Eleven, 748 and Viscount), Aer Lingus (Boeing 737), Air Anglia (F27), Brymon (DHC6), and Aurigny (Islander and Trislander).
Series charters were operated by foreign airlines including Cimber (F28), Maersk (Boeing 737). Delta, Belgium (FH227), Busy Bee (F27), and Linjeflyg (F28) with more or less frequent visits being made by British Air Ferries, Southern International, Guernsey Airlines, Alidair, Bretagne Air Services, Uni-Air, Air Anjou, Air Alsace, TAP, Inex Adria, Transeuropa, TEA and Martinair.
Including the inter island routes to Alderney and Guernsey, direct passenger services from Jersey in 1978 operated to 31 UK, 2 Irish, 1 8 French and 21 other European locations. Exclusive of local traffic, total aircraft movements in that year amounted to nearly 66,000, the greatest number in any one day being 476 on 5 August.
Many famous airline names operating scheduled services have been seen at the airport through the past 30 years. Amongst these have been Cambrian, BEA, Dan-Air, Northeast, Aurigny, Rousseau, British Island Airways, British Caledonian, British Midland, Air Anglia, Air Safaris, Eagle Airways, British Eagle, British Airways, Autair. Channel, British United, Morton Air Services, Silver City, BKS, British Air Ferries and Intra.
However, only the last of this significant list has ever used Jersey as its sole base. Although planned to operate an inter island air service, hence its name, Intra specialised instead in charter work to France after its formation on 1 January 1969. Soon it was able to pick up routes dropped by others, to Staverton, for example, in 1971 and to Cambridge in 1972, both these sectors having been relinquished by British Midland. After purchasing another Jersey based operator in 1972, International Air Charter - an air taxi firm. Intra progressed well with an all Dakota fleet.
Particularly lucrative has been the freight work, including a scheduled all-cargo service to Bournemouth (Hurn) which began in December 1972. The last remaining DC-3 in passenger configuration, G-AMRY, was converted to freighting use towards the end of 1979 and for passenger flights a single Viscount and leased Heralds from Express Air Services (CI) were employed.
In the interim, 1 November 1979 saw the start of operations by a new company, Jersey European Airways (JEA), which took over the former activities of Intra Airways and Express Air Services (EAS).
The owners of JEA are EAS, itself a member of the Field Aviation/Hunting Group, and the locally-based Aviation Beauport air-taxi company. JEA's aircraft fleet includes two Embraer Bandeirantes, employed on short-haul services to Northern France, as well as Heralds, Viscounts, DC-3s. Islanders and Navajos.
During 1979 other operators on scheduled services were British Midland (Viscount and DC-9), British Island (Herald), British Airways (Viscount and One-Eleven, with a TriStar on one occasion), British Caledonian (One-Eleven), Dan-Air (One-Eleven, 748 and Viscount), Aer Lingus (Boeing 737), Air Anglia (F27), Brymon (DHC6), and Aurigny (Islander and Trislander).
Series charters were operated by foreign airlines including Cimber (F28), Maersk (Boeing 737). Delta, Belgium (FH227), Busy Bee (F27), and Linjeflyg (F28) with more or less frequent visits being made by British Air Ferries, Southern International, Guernsey Airlines, Alidair, Bretagne Air Services, Uni-Air, Air Anjou, Air Alsace, TAP, Inex Adria, Transeuropa, TEA and Martinair.
Including the inter island routes to Alderney and Guernsey, direct passenger services from Jersey in 1978 operated to 31 UK, 2 Irish, 1 8 French and 21 other European locations. Exclusive of local traffic, total aircraft movements in that year amounted to nearly 66,000, the greatest number in any one day being 476 on 5 August.
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