Blue Islands - Company History
A general sales agent is appointed in Switzerland as part of Blue Islands ongoing expansion programme into the Swiss market and in support of its increased capacity on the Southampton and Channel Islands routes to Geneva and Zurich. A dedicated Swiss reservations number and email address is available.
October 2008
Blue Islands winter schedule is announced with new routes from Southampton to the financial centres of Zurich and Geneva.
October 2008
Blue Islands announces new ‘Visitor Friendly’ flight times for the inter-island service operating between Guernsey and Alderney. The new schedule now links into the airline’s Southampton arrival and departures into Guernsey.
June 2008
Blue Islands introduces an additional twelve (middle of the day) flights per week to Southampton.
February 2008
Blue Islands increases its service to Zurich and Geneva from three days a week to five days a week. Blue Islands also launches a new online check-in service.
November 2007
Passengers can now fly between Guernsey and Jersey every weekday on the Blue Shuttle, the name given to the new hourly service flown exclusively by the airline’s fleet of two crew Jetstream 32 aircraft.
November 2007
Blue Islands launches a year-round scheduled air service to both Zurich and Geneva, with a 32 seater Dornier 328 aircraft, non-stop from Jersey, with connecting flights direct from Guernsey to Jersey.
July 2007
Blue Islands begins a twice daily service between Guernsey and Southampton. Additional flights are scheduled between Jersey and the Isle of Man, and from Alderney to Brighton City (Shoreham).
June 2007
A fourth Jetstream 32EP is added to the fleet.
May 2007
Blue Islands starts a service six days per week between Jersey and Paris Beauvais.
March 2007
Blue Islands receives approval for a licence to operate the Guernsey - Southampton route. Blue Islands increases the frequency of inter-island services, offering 108 flights per week between Guernsey and Jersey.
October 2006
Blue Islands makes all tickets fully flexible at no extra cost.
April 2006
Blue Islands starts its first regional service to the Isle of Man, from Jersey and Guernsey.
March 2006
Two further Jetstream 32EP aircraft are added to the fleet.
February 2006
The Healthspan Group acquires a 100% shareholding in Rockhopper and is re-branded as Blue Islands, acquiring the first of its 19-seat British Aerospace J32EP operating alongside the Trislander and Islander fleet. This marks the companys development into a regional airline. Paul Sabin is appointed Managing Director.
2005
Dedicated customer airport lounges open in Jersey and Guernsey offering complimentary facilities to our customers. Rockhopper is awarded the Jersey Tourism Excellence award for Enterprise.
2004
The Guernsey based Healthspan Group acquires a major shareholding in Rockhopper. Healthspan Chief Executive Derek Coates takes on the role of Chairman.
2003
Le Cocqs Air Link (established by Noel Hayes as Chief Executive in 1999) is re-branded as Rockhopper.