Guernsey Ports gears up for University and College students returning to the Bailiwick for Christmas

Preparations are well underway at Guernsey Ports as the Bailiwick welcomes back returning students from the UK as part of the States of Guernsey’s ‘Operation Jingle Bells’ plan.

Additional flights from a variety of UK destinations and sailings have been scheduled through December with arriving passengers expected to peak on Friday 4 December 2020.

Head of Passenger Operations & Aviation Security – Ports Steve Langlois said:

“We want the arrivals process to run as smoothly as possible for returning passengers to the Bailiwick by air and sea. A considerable amount of planning and preparation has gone into making the arrivals process at the harbour and airports as straightforward as possible. However, due to the latest, predicted passenger numbers, processing times may be slightly longer, and we would ask arriving passengers at the Ports for their patience and understanding at this time. Anyone due to travel to the Bailiwick by air or sea should register their journey in advance by using the States of Guernsey’s Travel Tracker service prior to travelling to the Bailiwick whenever possible.”

Those collecting passengers at the Ports should arrive in good time. This is to ensure those passengers being collected are not in the terminal buildings waiting for their onward journey. This also reduces the risks to all other port users.

Guernsey Ports has been working with the States of Guernsey’s Public Health Services team and has developed advice and guidance to ensure any possible risk of transmitting COVID-19 is kept to a minimum.

This guidance, alongside other advice and information has been published on the States of Guernsey’s website: https://covid19.gov.gg/guidance/travel/general

The forecourt area in the front of the Guernsey Airport terminal should not be used as a waiting area to collect passengers arriving into the Bailiwick and we would want to discourage families waiting in the terminal to collect their arriving passengers. However, departing passengers can still use the drop off area.

Steve Langlois added:

“Due to space limitations at the harbour and airport terminals once arriving passengers have been processed and, following advice from Public Health Services, we would ask those collecting passengers not to wait in the terminal buildings. Social distancing requirements for passenger processing is in place to protect frontline staff who work with arriving passengers. Anyone collecting passengers from Guernsey Airport should do so from the car parks. On Friday 4 December 2020 the main car park will be designated as a collection point for returning students.  Passengers and students arriving into Guernsey and then transiting to Alderney should proceed directly to check-in, make their way through security and onwards to the departure lounge and wait for their connecting flight in the designated seating area. We will ensure we have additional staff available on our busiest days to help and advise families/friends who are collecting their loved ones.”