Air Display organiser Deputy Mike Higgins has now said that he has started drawing up contingency plans, which could include booking a French or Italian display team instead.
If the Red Arrows are not able to visit, it will be only the second time in over 50 years that the squadron has not come to the Island.
Meanwhile, the Guernsey Air Display – which takes place on the same day as Jersey’s – has confirmed the Reds will not feature in their 2019 programme.
In 2017, the Baltic Bees – a Latvian display team – were booked in place of the Red Arrows after the RAF unit was ordered to take part in a diplomatic mission in Pakistan.
Deputy Higgins said that although the Red Arrows had not yet drawn up a complete schedule for next year, it appeared that the diplomatic tour could stop them
appearing in Jersey’s display.
‘I only know what has been put out in the media at this stage, but I understand that they are going to be doing a tour of the US and Canada, starting at the end of July, for nine weeks, which could bring it into our display,’ he said.
‘I am now going to work on the basis that they are not coming – but if they do then that will be great.’
Deputy Higgins added that if the Red Arrows were not able to perform, he hoped that the French Air Force’s Patrouille de France – which last featured in the display in 2012 – would come instead.
‘I am hopeful we will get the Patrouille de France, but I will also be contacting other display teams if we cannot,’ he said.
‘The Red Arrows do not do many air shows in Europe and so the European display teams do not tend to do many air shows in Britain, so it might be difficult.
‘But I am drawing up contingencies and we will have an aerobatic display team.’
Despite being disappointed that he might not be able to secure a performance by the Reds, Deputy Higgins said he understood the reasons why they might not be able to attend.
‘They are a national asset and it is quite natural that they are being used to show-off Britain and drum up business,’ he added.
‘We obviously have Brexit coming up and the last one they did was in the Middle East and Pakistan, where they did the same sort of thing.’
