LGW-JER has 5 daily frequencies: all with the 737-500. I believe, as MarkL said, that this will change to A319 at some point. JER in particular is an important destination and the jewel in the offshore crown.
Despite runway length (and an improvement in this regard would really help Jersey) I don’t have any fears for the future viability of JER.
GCI does suffer from a short runway, but to be honest it shouldn’t bother them. Proximity to JER means most airlines won’t bother flying to both GCI and JER. Given that JER has a bigger airport, bigger population and more cachet, GCI is restricted to inter-island flights and regional flights to major UK centres as well as the odd French connection.
IOM: It’s not as major a desitnation as JER but has grown at a much faster rate over the last 5-10 years. IOM has the potential to overtake Jersey, in part due to the overcrowding of the Channel Islands and the restrictive visa regulations there – not to mention property restrictions. Right now, All 3: JER, GCI and IOM are in a downward trend economically. IOM still has notional full employment, but the reality is a bit starker. My house price and my wage here in the IOM looks good compared to the national average, but I certainly don’t feel very wealthy! The same applies to a lot (the majority) of people in the Channel Islands. The “West”, or more specifically the OECD, IMF and the US of bloody A, despise the British offshore centres and are trying to bankrupt us. It aint so easy though: per head of population, we’re crowed with clever accountants (moi!), bankers and lawyers and have a very innovative legal framework.
Summary:
JER looks safe but won’t go anywhere much without runway expansion.
GCI is a bit dodgier but still quite viable..
IOM is most at risk, but has the most potential. The runway IS being extended into the sea (just about anyway).
On a sidenote, the expansion at IOM has been a good thing to witness over the last few years. FlyBe and Eastern have arrived in force and new airlines like Emerald and EuroManx are starting to make a mark. BA has shrivelled, but the LGW and MAN flights ought to be viable, even with room to upgrade frequencies/eqipment. The BA flight to LTN is a mystery!
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