Red Arrows pull out of Guernsey show as Jersey appearance remains on
The Red Arrows have cancelled their scheduled appearance at the Guernsey Battle of Britain Air Display, but organisers in Jersey say they are still expecting the RAF aerobatic team to take part in Thursday's event.
The team had been due to open the 2026 Guernsey display in St Peter Port on Wednesday evening.
However, the Red Arrows said problems involving aircraft and engineering resources meant they were unable to deploy the seven jets planned for the show. The team apologised for the late announcement and acknowledged the disappointment it would cause people in Guernsey.
The cancellation has not, so far, affected plans for the Jersey International Air Display at St Aubin's Bay.
Jersey organisers said they had not been informed of any problems that would prevent the Red Arrows from appearing on Thursday.
"Had there been a known problem affecting their Jersey appearance, we would have expected to have been informed by now," organisers said in a social media statement.
They added that, as with all aviation events, the display remained dependent on weather conditions, aircraft serviceability and operational requirements.
"However, if anything changes, we will let you know as soon as we do," they said.
The Red Arrows, based at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire, have already been forced to withdraw from several major events this summer after being delayed in Canada by severe weather.
In Guernsey, event organiser Natalie Davidson had previously described the Red Arrows as central to the show's plans. Following their withdrawal, organisers have revised the evening's programme.
Despite the change, organisers said they remained enthusiastic about the event and the alternative line-up.
The revised Guernsey schedule is:
18:30 BST – Team Raven
18:50 – Navy Wings Swordfish
19:05 – Hurricane
19:15 – Navy Wings Seafire
19:30 – Jet Provost
19:45 – Airborne Pyrotechnics
The Red Arrows' planned appearance at the Jersey International Air Display remains subject to the usual operational and weather conditions.
