This year has been significant for Blue Islands. Four new routes have launched starting with London City in April, Bristol in May and most recently Manchester and Bournemouth. We have worked hard this year to build a network to best suit the needs of our rapidly expanding customer base.

Double daily flights to London City and Bristol have made commuting to these destinations much easier. The Manchester flight offers an alternative flight time and the Bournemouth offers another south coast destination. Plus, an extra Saturday flight on a Zurich service means ski lovers can make the most of the slopes, don't forget this is the perfect way to access the Austrian resorts.

The Blue Islands product now provides the discerning traveller with more choice than ever and our welcome difference offering has been extended to a wider audience. 2011 will see our passenger numbers increase by 23%, and we now operate over 400 flights per week from a choice of ten destinations. Blue Islands are 'bucking' the industry trend and showing growth in an extraordinarily tough climate. Clear, honest and transparent pricing prevails.

December sees us bid farewell to the Trislander aircraft. I travel between the islands most days and these smaller, noisier aircraft were not the most popular with the majority of passengers, so it was important that we listened and responded to this feedback. I am delighted that we now offer a premium product on this route with the larger, more comfortable turboprop aircraft - the ATR and Jetstreams.

We have strong belief in the product that we offer and the benefits of flying with Blue Islands. No card charges, no baggage charges and free ticket changes. We know that this is why we have loyal passengers. What is interesting is that our competitors are now offering the same benefits as limited offer promotions, the difference is, this is our core brand philosophy and it always has been.

The redesigned blueislands.com website is now focused towards making the online experience efficient and providing relevant destination information. Our partnership with Superbreak means passengers can now book accommodation in over 5,000 hotels plus events in our destinations, all via blueislands.com.

There are lots of exciting events taking place in 2012 for which we have already seen bookings - the London City route is proving popular for the Olympics, landing right on the doorstep of Stratford, it is the ideal airport. Plus the new Manchester route caters for those who wish to avoid the capital and enjoy the Olympic football at Old Trafford. The Queens Diamond Jubilee River Pageant in June is attracting a surge of visitors to the capital. Whatever takes your fancy in the New Year, I hope Blue Islands is your airline of choice.

As I reflect on the year, it is with a great sense of pride for the Blue Islands brand and the staff that make it all happen. I look forward to being able to share our plans for the coming year as we continue to develop our offering to you, including a frequent flyer scheme, quite like no other in true Blue Islands fashion.

Merry Christmas and my very best wishes for 2012.