JERSEY Airport saw improvements in punctuality of flights and baggage delivery during the final quarter of 2022, Ports of Jersey has said in its quality of service report for the three months ending 31 December.
With the exception of weather-related delays, the proportion of flights arriving within 15 minutes of the scheduled time was 74.6%, up from 66% in both the second and third quarters.
Meanwhile, 73.7% of departing flights left within 15 minutes of the stipulated time, up from 67% in Q2 and 64% in Q3.
The percentage of flights for which the final bag was delivered to the baggage carousel more than 20 minutes after a plane’s arrival was 18% during Q4, down from 26% between April and June and 27.9% the following quarter. The figure for a final bag’s delivery after a wait of 45 minutes or more was less than 0.005%.
Despite this, Islanders were hit by baggage-handling chaos at the end of the year, with one passenger left with only winter clothing in Sri Lankan heat after bags were left at the Airport on Boxing Day when workers were unable to load them onto a flight.
The chaos came after Swissport took over BA’s ground-handling operations from Island firm Airline Services in December.
The report states that the figures ‘reflect the significant challenges of the ramp-up of operations as a result of the strong but peaky demand for travel’.
Improved airport figures, Ports of Jersey added, was a reflection of ‘the stabilisation of both demand and the associated airport operations’.
Meanwhile, Harbour data showed ‘consistently strong’ passenger numbers from the UK, but also the negative effect of Brexit on passengers from France. Ministers have pledged to seek a solution that would allow French nationals to come to Jersey without a passport.
