Emergency designs prepared for weekend health care flights

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Southampton Airport will be closed at weekends from 6 February right until the middle of March

Unexpected emergency health care flights from the Channel Islands will be in a position to land in Bournemouth although Southampton Airport is shut on Saturdays and Sundays.

Designs are in spot in mild of the airport’s partial closure till mid-March, the governments of Jersey and Guernsey mentioned.

Flights will be also be capable to land on British isles military bases if essential.

A HM Coastguard helicopter can entry Southampton Standard Healthcare facility directly far too, equally governments confirmed.

The airport declared it will be shut at weekends from 6 February in gentle of a 90% slide in passenger quantities, started by the collapse of Flybe last March and exacerbated by coronavirus journey restrictions.

It said “important lifeline services”, like those people to the Channel Islands, would carry on Monday to Friday.

‘Established contingency plans’

The planned closures would “not substantially impression emergency flights”, with obtain to Bournemouth and helicopter transfer, the Authorities of Jersey reported.

It explained: “In any situation where none of these solutions are obtainable, we can think about military services help.”

The States of Guernsey mentioned “well established contingency plans” were in area in put to deal with the unavailability of Southampton airport.

It verified any people demanding non-unexpected emergency transfer for professional medical good reasons in excess of the weekend will be flown on Fridays and delivered with lodging.

He stated: “For any healthcare flights that are required at weekends, we have 24-hour accessibility to Bournemouth Airport as effectively as arrangements with the armed forces to land at some of their sites if required.

“Individuals would then be transported from the landing internet site to Southampton Typical Healthcare facility by ambulance.”

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