After 10 years of operating its sole Embraer E195 regional jet between Guernsey Airport (GCI) in the Channel Islands and London-Gatwick Airport (LGW), Guernsey Government owned carrier Aurigny has sold the aircraft to US-based aircraft leasing firm Azorra.
Acquired by the airline in June 2014 to be predominantly used on its lucrative flagship route between the island of Guernsey and Gatwick, the aircraft (appropriately registered G-NSEY) was put up for sale in November 2023 (as reported by AeroTime here) after the airline said it would focus on the ATR72 as the basis for its future operational strategy.
Operating a single jet aircraft as complex as the E195 had become something of a headache for the carrier. Requiring its own spares inventory, fully trained pilots and engineers, and ongoing regulatory approval all proved costly for the carrier, particularly as the carrier has struggled to operate profitably as a company for years.
Additionally, on the occasions when the Embraer suffered technical issues and was unable to operate, the airline was forced to bring in alternative aircraft via expensive lease agreements to cover its flights, as it had no aircraft of a similar capacity within its own fleet.
Earlier in 2024, the CEO of Aurigny, Nico Bezuidenhout, commented that the E195 was simply too expensive for the airline to sustain, adding that the carrier was not using the plane efficiently enough to make the best use of its economics. Additionally, filling the 122 seats profitably on every flight had proved to be an ongoing challenge for the carrier
The aircraft was being utilized by the form to operate up to six rotations a day between Guernsey and Gatwick (in the summer peak) – all short sectors which increased wear-and-tear on the airframe, thrust reversers, and landing gears while not giving the aircraft much time in the cruise – its most efficient phase of operations from a fuel burn perspective.
“The Embraer E195 is a very good aircraft that has served Islanders and visitors well over the last decade,” said Bezuidenhout on July 16, 2024. “Fleet simplification is, however, a key ingredient to improving the sustainability and resilience of Guernsey’s air connectivity, and as such, the decision to exit the Embraer from Aurigny’s fleet.”
The aircraft was officially withdrawn from Aurigny’s Guernsey-London service in April 2024 but was used throughout May as a backup aircraft across the airline’s network. It was then ferried from Guernsey Airport to Exeter Airport (EXT) on May 31, 2024, for storage and maintenance.
On July 9, 2024, it operated an air test from Exeter to Guernsey, presumably also as a handover/acceptance flight for its new owner. Lastly, on July 11, 2024, the plane was ferried back to Exeter Airport before being leased onwards by Azorra.
The Embraer’s departure leaves Aurigny with a fleet of just three ATR72s and two Dornier 228s, although the carrier is also currently leasing an ATR42 from Jump Air (Lithuania) and a Saab SF340A from RAF-Avia (Latvia) for seasonal coverage.
According to Azorra, the Florida-based firm currently owns and manages a fleet of over 100 aircraft and leases them to 38 operators in 32 countries. It also has total commitments for another 160 aircraft, including orders for new Airbus A220s and further Embraer E190 and E195-E2 series passenger planes.
“The E195 continues to be in high demand and this opportunity to assist Aurigny is complementary to supporting the capacity needs of our existing Embraer customer base,” said Michael Davis, Chief Marketing Officer of Azorra.
