A new partnership between UK regional airlines Loganair, Aurigny and Blue Islands will begin in 2022, with the carriers planning to widen their relationships to offer connections across their respective route networks.

Existing partnerships between Blue Islands and Aurigny and between Loganair and Blue Islands will be strengthened, while a new agreement on connecting flights on the networks of Loganair and Aurigny will be introduced.

According to the carriers, this expanded agreement will open up a range of connections to and from the island of Guernsey, in particular new connections to the north of England, Scotland and the Isle of Man at airports including Manchester, Bristol and Birmingham, where the airlines¡¯ networks meet.

Existing links between the Loganair and Blue Islands networks, which currently focus on Southampton and Manchester, will also be expanded.

The trio said an early objective of the partnership is to align their individual frequent flyer programmes so customers can earn and redeem benefits across all three airlines¡¯ services.

Between them, the carriers operate a total of 54 aircraft and maintain services for regional communities across the Channel Islands, Shetland Islands and the Isle of Man.

In addition to connecting their route networks, the airlines will cooperate on technical and purchasing matters. All three carriers operate fleets of ATR turboprop aircraft and say there is the potential to collaborate on matters such as maintenance checks, purchasing of aircraft spares and the training of pilots and engineers. Such cooperation can provide operational and cost efficiencies, according to the trio. They will also use their collective buying power in other areas, such as fuel purchases and ground handling.