Flying to Jersey

Q: We are hoping to travel to Jersey in the Channel Islands in mid to late October this year and would like to know the best airport to use, Heathrow or Gatwick, for convenience of most direct connections from South Africa and the approximate cost of the tickets from London to Jersey. - Keith Gales

A: Most flights from South Africa arrive at Heathrow Airport, especially the major carriers on the SA-UK route, SAA, BA and Virgin. However, to fly from Heathrow to Jersey you would have to fly to Manchester (with BA or BMI) and then catch a low-cost carrier, such as Flybe, bmi baby or Aurigny, from Manchester to Jersey. Alternatively, four airlines fly directly from Gatwick to Jersey - British Airways, Flybe, Aurigny and VLM. So, unless your airline arrives at Gatwick, your best bet is to catch inter-airport transport from Heathrow to Gatwick and fly from there to Jersey. The return fare from Gatwick to Jersey depends on demand and availability, but it seems to range from 85 British pounds to 305 British pounds (including taxes). There are plenty of departures, so your schedule should not be a problem. To check all airlines flying a route use the www.skyscanner.net website. (17 May 2009)