Flybe to cut flights from four UK airports as airline struggles with wave of cancellations

Regional airline Flybe will reduce flights from four UK airports as part a previously announced strategy to return all of its 118-seat Embraer 195 aircraft to its lessors.

Flybe, which was recently sold to a Virgin-led consortium for £2.8m, will stop flights from Cardiff, Doncaster, Exeter and Norwich with the jets, but will continue to fly the 78-seat Bombardier Q-400 from the airports.

This morning Flybe cancelled dozens of flights, blaming a mix of operational issues including a shortage of pilots and staff holidays.

Planes due to leave Southampton, Newcastle, Aberdeen and Edinburgh were affected, as well as five flights from Belfast City Airport and four from Birmingham.

The airline, bought recently by a Virgin-led consortium, said it wanted to “sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused”.

Read more: Flybe shareholders approve airline sale to Virgin-led Connect Airway

Flybe said the current flight cancellations were are not linked to this decision to cut flights at the said airports.

Flybe chief executive Christine Ourmières-Widener said: “Our fleet reduction has always been core to improving our profitability. We are committed to assisting all our affected employees across the impacted Flybe bases. We remain fully committed to Exeter, Cardiff and Doncaster airports and will continue to offer a comprehensive choice of regional and European destinations operated by our 78-seat Bombardier Q400 aircraft."