+ + + FLYBE SERIOUS QUESTIONS

Early Saturday morning (28 January) Flybe ceased trading and went into administration. The timing was clever with most aircraft on the ground at their home bases.

The map below shows the planned network for summer 2023. 

The new Flybe lasted just ten months and was headquartered at Birmingham Airport with an engineering base at Exeter Airport. Most of its routes are covered by other airlines including Cornwall to Heathrow, the alternative Eastern Airways to Gatwick.  Chairman was Keith Hatton, a former Sales Director at British Airways, and Chief Executive Dave Pflieger, an American, said to have over 30 years in the airline and aviation industry.

A statement published on the Flybe website early on Saturday said that the High Court had appointed joint administrators for Flybe Ltd.

"Flybe has now ceased trading and all flights from and to the UK operated by Flybe have been cancelled and will not be rescheduled," it read.

"If you are due to fly with Flybe today [Saturday] or in the future, please do not travel to the airport unless you have arranged an alternative flight with another airline."

Malcolm Ginsberg, Editor-in-Chief of Travel News Update, who in a former life had acted for the airline, said he was not surprised.  “The once near one million passenger airline, and the backbone of UK domestic flights, had been controversially resurrected by the US owners one assumes for its Heathrow slots.  Staff, passengers and suppliers have been led astray.  The CAA has to answer questions over its licensing.”

Both Ryanair and Wizz say they are urgently recruiting suitable former Flybe staff.

UPDATED Monday 20 February 

Malcolm Ginsberg’s final say on the Flybe fiasco.

There were some “unusual” moves in preserving slots in a dead airline (Flybe 1) for over a year and then giving them to the phoenix incarnation Flybe 2. 

Where did the new airline backed by an American hedge fund with an American CEO really get its money from? 

And then, as in any new airline, there is supposed to be very close monitoring of a new carriers cash position and performance versus business plan during the first two years of existence. How close was that oversight?

The real losers were the staff and commercial creditors plus would be passengers totally disregarded.  

What happens to the slots?  There is still unfinished business.  

Sister publication Head for Points has a fine review of the Flybe history.
www.headforpoints.com/2023/01/28/flybe-goes-bust-administration

www.flybe.com

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READERS' COMMENT

All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 200 words maximum

George Hooper, Windsor

Ginsberg is right. The whole issue of slots has to be more transparent. But do the (few) British airlines get priority?

George Hooper, Windsor

Ginsberg is right. The whole issue of slots has to be more transparent. But do the (few) British airlines get priority?

Sally Osborne, Uxbridge, Middx

Do airline owners have to pass a suitability test? This lot would not have done.

James Hope, Belfast

As as football fan this idea of Flybe flying again reminds me of the MK Dons fiasco. Another case of a week authority not stopping a very odd business and allowing the brand to continue. I will never fly with them again!

Bill Thrust, Falmouth

Newquay to Heathrow is the obvious route to London and connections. Gatwick is not the same but I did try Eastern in recent weeks, and whilst expensive was OK. Why can’t BA or someone fly into London City. Good continental links as far as I can see and from experience an easy airport to use, plus fast cheap travel to London itself.

James Hope, Belfast

I am a regular user of Belfast Harbour Airport and was caught our regarding Flybe the last time and owned money I have been unable to reclaim. Reading in the local papers it seems to me that the CAA were clearly in the fault by issuing operating licences to what seems to be another example of foreign owners trying to milk our system. I did fly with them some weeks back, and they were OK, but at least this time for a forthcoming booking I hope to get the money returned.