Guess who’s back: Flybe to go on sale next week
Almost two years after its collapse, UK regional airline Flybe is set to go on sale from next week.
The carrier announced today a full list of routes and destinations from its Birmingham and Belfast City airport hubs.
“Once we start flying from Birmingham, Belfast and many other cities in the UK and EU, we are confident that a new and improved Flybe will provide customers with great value, more choices, and the opportunity to quickly and more conveniently visit loved ones, go on holiday, and more easily visit customers or attend important meetings,” said chief executive Dave Pflieger.
“Given that goal, Flybe hopes to do its part to help communities across the country bounce back from the dramatic impact of the global pandemic.”
Commenting on the news, aviation analyst Alex Macheras said the airline’s return will provide further connectivity between the UK regions.
“Prior to the pandemic, the airline was the leader of the domestic market, and often provided the only viable route for business travellers working across the country,” he told Morning Wire “It’s good news for the domestic aviation sector, for jobs, and for regional economies.”
According to Francesco Ragni, aviation lecturer at Buckinghamshire New University, it’s too early to tell whether the company will go back to being profitable.
“It’s too early to express an opinion as they haven’t yet communicated what routes they plan to operate,” he told Morning Wire “Choosing which routes to fly is one of the hardest tasks in commercial aviation.
“The new two bases in Leeds and Belfast suggest their network will want to develop a broader UK presence, hopefully tapping into unserved demand. Other sources point to Flybe starting operation at Heathrow, which is an unusual place for a low-cost.”
Flybe, who was forced to declare bankrupt in 2020 because of the pandemic, announced last year its return to the skies.
The regional airline, who was bought in April 2021 by shell company Thyme Opco, announced it would move its headquarters from Exeter to Birmingham, Morning Wire reported.