With more departures plus a brand-new destination for 2027, C.I Travel Group director Alex Devlin tells Emily Moore why there has never been a better time to fly direct from the Island for your next getaway
THERE is nothing quite like the feeling of switching on your out-of-office, dragging the suitcase down from the attic and preparing for a blissful few days away from the Island.
But while the sparkling seas and sandy coastlines of the Mediterranean may be irresistible, some of the joy and excitement associated with that much-needed holiday can be tempered by the prospect of joining hordes of other travellers at one of London’s bustling airports.
This, says C.I. Travel Group director Alex Devlin, is where skipping that stage and flying direct to the destination of your choice can make all the difference.
“Travellers will be only too aware of the many challenges facing the industry at the moment,” he said.
“Even in the past few weeks, there have been several headlines about difficulties in the UK airspace and a number of Islanders have been affected by the disruption.
“We therefore consider ourselves very fortunate to be able to operate a direct service, which removes the stopover, the risk of missed connections, the cost of layovers and the stress associated with that.”
Indeed, Alex says that these are just some of the factors behind the “increased demand” which FlyDirect has seen for its flights and holidays.
“This summer, we welcomed 12,000 passengers from Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man on board our flights and, having extended both the destinations on offer and the number of travel dates for next summer, we very much hope to carry even more people next year,” he said.
While Faro, Ibiza, Malaga and Palma remain on the programme, Alex says that, for the first time, FlyDirect will offer a direct route from both Jersey and Guernsey to Olbia in Sardinia.
“This is a very exciting development as it is the first time that we have been able to offer an Italian destination,” he said.
“Sardinia is a stunning Mediterranean island, and Olbia is often regarded as the gateway to Costa Smeralda, which includes Porto Cervo, Porto Rotondo, Golfo Aranci and Liscia di Vacca.”
Explaining why FlyDirect had selected Sardinia for its first foray into Italy, Alex added: “With its crystal-clear turquoise waters, sandy beaches and high-quality product offerings, Sardinia is very much in keeping with the FlyDirect holiday portfolio.
“It has gorgeous beaches, beautiful rolling hills and a stunning mountainous landscape, as well as delicious Italian fayre, bringing a different flavour to our clients.”
Referencing the “huge amount of work” that had gone into curating the Sardinia offer, Alex said that the initial idea had been inspired by customer feedback.
“We take our leads from market research and client feedback,” he explained. “In all our market studies, when we have asked Channel Island residents where they would like to go, Italy has appeared high up on the list.”
But as he explains, knowing which countries appeal to customers and launching a route are two very different things.
“In line with customer demand, we always look for sunnier climes, interesting heritage and culture and a great range of both high-quality product and good-standard accommodation for those who are more budget-conscious,” he said.
“But it is not just about the offer at the destination itself; there are also operational factors to consider, as we have to work with our airline partners to understand which new routes are both logistically and commercially viable.”
For the summer 2027 programme, that airline partner is BA Cityflyer, with whom FlyDirect has flown for the past six years.
“We are very happy with the service they have provided,” said Alex.
“The routes are operated using an Embraer E190 aircraft, which offers a comfortable on-board experience for clients.”
As well as adding a new destination to next summer’s programme, Alex says that the company has increased its service to many of the company’s “returning favourites”.
“Across Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man, we’re expanding the choice available to Islanders next summer,” he said. “We are extending our Ibiza programme from Guernsey and our Palma programme from the Isle of Man, while also adding more Palma departures from both Jersey and Guernsey.
“This growth in destinations and dates is very exciting for us, as it shows the strength in the market and reflects that increased demand for direct travel.”
And while some people may think that flying direct is more expensive than travelling through a UK hub, Alex stresses that this is not necessarily the case.
“We have done a lot of work analysing our price competitiveness, and I think people may be surprised by just how closely our prices compare with the indirect options,” he said.
“I would encourage people to look at the full cost of travelling indirectly. Once you factor in luggage, overnight stays and meals, particularly when travelling as a group, those extra costs quickly add up.
“It’s important to make a genuine like-for-like comparison.”
“We also recognise the importance of family holidays, and therefore, in 2027, we are pleased to offer a discount of up to £200 on all children’s flights, including those which operate during the summer holidays. This is something which is important for us, as we aim to offer families an equitable product and service at a reasonable price.”
Meanwhile, recognising that those without school-age children often prefer to travel outside the school holidays, Alex says that the newly expanded programme offers greater choice of departure dates.
And it is not just the dates which have been extended, as the team has also been focusing on the accommodation offer in each destination.
“We put a lot of work into curating the inventory for our package holidays and have a great team vetting all the accommodation, checking the reviews and visiting the areas when possible, so that we can offer the right selection for our clients,” Alex said.
This focus on the personal touch also follows through, he says, to the firm’s customer service.
“We have an office at Heron House, near the Airport, where clients are very welcome to come in and talk to our advisers and book a holiday face-to-face if they prefer that to booking online,” he said. “This is very important to us, as we are a people-led business.”
In fact, that is one of the key elements that attracted him to the firm which he will be leading next year.
“Over the past year, I have been working closely with current C.I. Travel Group managing director Robert Mackenzie,” Alex explained.
“He is due to retire in January and I am very excited to be stepping into that role. He is hugely experienced in this industry and has been a great mentor to me over the past 12 months.”
Saying that he has “very big shoes to fill”, Alex added: “The most important thing for me is to keep delivering the high levels of service that Robert has focused on for so many years and to continue delivering programmes which appeal to our clients. It has been very exciting launching summer 2027, and early indications are that the programme has been well received by our market.
“My priority now is to strengthen our customer offering, using technology and quality data to guide how we develop our services, enhance the customer experience and better recognise our repeat customers.”
Meanwhile, in addition to launching next year’s programme, Alex and the team are looking forward to the winter service, which will begin on 24 October with the first airBaltic flight to Tenerife.
