The flight is operated by an Airbus A319, according to major media reports. It departs from Heathrow Terminal 5, with return fares starting from £96 including taxes. The captain and four cabin crew members have roots in Guernsey or close family ties to the island, major media reports indicate. According to The Independent - Main, Stef Loveridge described the launch as a special day for Guernsey and British Airways, noting some crew are returning to serve the island after more than 40 years.
Historically, British Airways left the route in 1980. In 2019, Guernsey's States launched a daily service to Heathrow, the first such link in over 20 years, but it was subsidised with £825,000 in funding before ceasing in March 2020, coinciding with Flybe's collapse, according to major media.
This is a special day for Guernsey, for British Airways, and also for some of us on board as we are returning to serve the island after more than 40 years.
The new route is expected to significantly boost the island's tourism industry, major media reports suggest. It enhances connectivity compared to Jersey, which already has multiple daily flights to Heathrow. Within a couple of hours of arrival at Heathrow Terminal 5 from Guernsey, passengers can connect to destinations like New York, Los Angeles, Delhi, and Mumbai, according to major media. Aurigny offers six daily flights to Gatwick, but it is unclear how the schedule compares in timing and frequency. According to The Independent - Main, Sarah McGreevy described the Heathrow connection as a gamechanger for accessing the rest of the world. According to The Independent - Main, Zoe Gosling described consumer choice as everything.
It's really nice to have the connection going to the rest of the world. Going in and out of Heathrow is a gamechanger.
For the consumer choice is everything.