On Sunday, 7 June 2026, a UK domestic flight heading from Guernsey to Manchester was forced to make an emergency landing. A cracked windscreen was reportedly the cause of the diversion.
Aurigny flight GR678 took off from Guernsey at 5:17 pm on Sunday, 7 June 2026. Expected to land at Manchester approximately one hour later, the ATR 72 aircraft suddenly made a U-turn when flying near Basingstoke in Hampshire and made an emergency landing at Southampton airport shortly after.
According to the British news outlet The Independent, the short-haul propeller plane experienced a mid-air windscreen cracking, forcing it to cut its flight short.
“In line with standard operating procedures, the flight crew carried out a precautionary emergency landing. Passengers and crew are safe and well,” Guernsey-based Aurigny said in a statement.
The carrier also added that a bus had been arranged in order to take the on-board passengers from Southampton to Manchester. While it is unclear how many passengers were flying on the aircraft at the time of the incident, the ATR 72 aircraft has a maximum capacity of 72.
A different plane was made ready by Aurigny to make the return journey from Manchester to Guernsey, a self-governing British Crown Dependency located in the English Channel. At the time of writing in June 2026, Aurigny was operating a fleet of seven active aircraft, including five ATR 72-600 regional turboprops.
@theinfrequentflyers Can you believe this island is less than 1 hour from London?! ✈️ So now you know about Guernsey, how do you get here? 🛫 BY AIR – fly with one of two airlines, @Aurigny – route maps and time tables can be found on their respective websites @British Airways – flying daily from London Heathrow ⛴️ BY SEA – sail with @Brittany Ferries from France, Poole or Portsmouth. You can even bring your car if you want to brave the tiny lanes 👀 Either way, the journey is half the fun – sailing past the neighbouring islands or flying in over the golden beaches… the arrival is worth the trip alone (that’s if it’s not foggy, ofc). If you’re planning a trip, or just curious about life on a small island, drop your questions in the comments 👇🏼 Follow along for more content about Guernsey, other travel destinations and recommendations. #guernsey #islandlife #thatislandfeeling #guernseyci #channelislands @Islands of Guernsey ♬ original sound – Ben & Ty | Travel ✈️
Aurigny throughout 2026
2026 has been an eventful year for Aurigny. On 26 March, approximately one month after the start of the U.S.-Israel war on Iran, the airline announced it had made some schedule and capacity adjustments on selected routes and dates between mid-April and early June 2026. Flights to and from London City airport were reduced, services to and from South-West England were to be combined between Exeter and Bristol, and many of the flights to and from Paris were pushed back until June.
“Amid heightened global instability, bookings for travel during this period have been slower than anticipated at a time when some travellers may be reassessing their immediate travel plans. At present, bookings for May are approximately 13% below last year, when comparing routes the airline has operated during both years”, the carrier explained at the time.
However, since then, Aurigny and Visit Guernsey launched a joint campaign to promote Guernsey as “The Simplest Way to Feel a World Away” on 1 May. A similar initiative in 2025 had already proven to be effective, causing a 12% in air travellers in 2025 compared to 2024.
“Having a national airline working in close partnership with a national tourism marketing organisation is a rare combination, and one that provides a strong recipe for success – something clearly demonstrated by our 2025 results. We see Visit Guernsey as an extension of our own team, united by a shared ambition to deliver for the islands,” said Sam Talbot, Head of Marketing for Aurigny.
Finally, on 12 May 2026 and despite the global jet fuel crisis, Aurigny announced the strengthening of its Southampton base through the growth of its local operations. Overall, 18 Aurigny staff members have covered all aspects of customer service and ground handling at Southampton Airport.
