Flybe

[Foxlimayankee]

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/busin...com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=wales_main

Nothing concrete in Deb Barbers statement about route losses, just potential job losses.
She does state the winter routes would be on sale soon but that doesn't specify if CWL is included.
Last time BE did this there was no forewarning to CWL, and judging by staff apparently finding out by Email, it's a pretty poor show from Flybe.

 

[Jerry]

From Debra Barber in Wales Online
We understand Flybe is in the process of consulting with a number of its employees, including its crew at multiple bases across its network, which includes Cardiff.

Flybe’s plan to restructure and reduce its jet operations across many bases is part of the company’s long-standing objective to stabilise the business.

This is a further sign to UK Government that more needs to be done to support regional flying; the uncertainty of Brexit, currency and fuel costs are all impacting on the industry. Air Passenger Duty (APD) presents an additional cost burden, especially with the ‘double hit’ on domestic services which make up the majority of the Flybe network.

We are working closely with Flybe to ascertain its plans moving forward and the role it will continue to have in connecting Cardiff with key routes in the UK and Europe.

The winter programme will be launched shortly, but in the meantime, we would reassure passengers that the summer schedule is underway and operating as normal.

If passengers have any queries, they should contact Flybe in the first instance.”https://www.walesonline.co.uk/busin...com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=wales_main

 

[Jerry]

Will be interesting now to see the strength of the contract of the 10 year deal between the airport and Flybe.

 

[Jerry]

The airports reply to me on Twitter and not just me either.
View attachment 12788

 

[Foxlimayankee]

Just had this response from Flybe:

Hi there, thanks for getting in touch. We are not stopping all flights from Cardiff. We will still offer a schedule but operated by Q400 aircraft and not jets. - Denny

 

[Jerry]

Just had this response from Flybe:

Hi there, thanks for getting in touch. We are not stopping all flights from Cardiff. We will still offer a schedule but operated by Q400 aircraft and not jets. - Denny

But if the jets are going I wonder where they'll find the Q400s from even for away based flights to CWL.

 

[Foxlimayankee]

Nothing to say the jets are going. Theres talk of them not taking the new ones that are due. Likely the current ones redeployed on other routes to free up Q400s and better fleet utilisation. No doubt other bases will see unprofitable routes cut as well.
Best case scenario is CWL keeps EDI, GLA and BHD, and those aircraft can W pattern to DUB, CDG, JER and ORK.

 

[Jerry]

With flybe cancelling flights and short on crew you have to wonder where they would be able to squeeze in flights to CWL.
I'm also finding all this ironic as the UK government cites one of its reasons for not devolving APD the effect that it'll have on English airports yet the based Embraers will end up going to English airports and Wales will suffer the loss of connections and Bristol and Manchester and Birmingham will reap the rewards. And I'm not saying that this wouldn't have happened if APD was devolved but those 3 airports look like they'll benefit the most from this with BHX and MAN getting the Embraers and Bristol no doubt picking up the thousands of passengers Cardiff will lose.

 

[Tinkerman]

A sad day for CWL, but one of which where the writing has been on the wall for sometime, even moreso with BE’s new owners.

CWL will no longer be a BE base from the end of Summer, with a relatively small selection of routes will be operated from other bases using Dash 8’s.

That’s not saying someone else will step in and pick up some of the top performers. FR are well placed to take on some sort of Rome service, in addition to something DUB based.

At this time, i’m hearing CWL will retain UK domestic services only (All rumours at the minute) !

 

[Jerry]

I don't see the domestic routes being viable as non based. I think you need the business friendly schedules like we have now for them to be sustainable. They need based aircraft. Flybe will lose 10000s of passengers from Cardiff because of this decision and I'll probably be one of them.

 

[louis_walton]

I just don't think Ryanair will take on many of the routes as some couldn't even fill a E-175 never mind the 737-800 (today I heard Milan had something like 25 pax). That's why FlyBe were so ideal for CWL it is a massive disappointment. They may continue with some routes but it just won't be as affective without multiple daily or daily services (especially business wise). Rome is unlikely Dublin may happen but Aer Lingus would be better as they could offer twice daily on the ATR and it would have a much higher load factor. Everyone seems to think Ryanair can perform miracles for CWL. The steady expansion shows they are clearly weary of a base or else they would have just done it? They don't normally mess around. They probably see sun routes as much more viable from CWL. The sad question is theres not many airlines left to fill the blanks. Easyjet are too big at BRS, BMI's gone, national carriers don't seem to touch regional airport in the UK (even BA don't which is ridiculous but thats another topic).

 

[Cardiffbay]

I can see Ryanair increasing faro to 4 or 5 a week if they have the aircraft available next year and I believe they might be tempted to give Rome a go. We know Flybe use to be able to pull 110 or so on this so with Ryanair factor it could make it viable.

As for the uk routes. Flybe should stay on these and try to entice Aer Lingus back for Dublin and maybe Cork.

As for Paris the only real option i can see is something from HOP.

The German routes and other Italian routes though I think are sadly gone. We know Bristol couldn’t get good loads on the German routes and we won’t see these come back if Bristol can’t encourage anybody to take them.

 

[geoff]

I wonder what the legal position is with the 10 year agreement, between CWL and FLYBE, will FLYBE have to pay compensation for breach of contract?

 

[Jerry]

I wonder what the legal position is with the 10 year agreement, between CWL and FLYBE, will FLYBE have to pay compensation for breach of contract?

Unknown but I'm sure the lawyers will be pouring over it.

 

[Tinkerman]

All contracts have get-out clauses, and this is no exception ...

 

[Foxlimayankee]

I don't see the domestic routes being viable as non based. I think you need the business friendly schedules like we have now for them to be sustainable. They need based aircraft. Flybe will lose 10000s of passengers from Cardiff because of this decision and I'll probably be one of them.

There's no reason why EDI and BHD couldn't be business friendly. If you look at a CWL based aircraft, the flights could arrive at those airports about 0730-0800, making the return to CWL about 0900-0930 so a bit later for people coming into South Wales. All you're doing is flipping that around, so people coming into CWL get in earlier and those going to EDI/BHD will get in at the later time. It doesn't necessarily make it unfriendly to business passengers.

What is annoying is how Flybe are now saying it's due to reducing the jet fleet. If that is the case, then make CWL a Q400 base. But clearly there's more to it than that.

 

[Tinkerman]

There isn’t anything more to it, there aren’t enough Dash 8’s to redistribute 3 or 4 of these to CWL and as such our flights will have to be squeezed in around some wider re-organisation of flights times/schedules.

 

[Cardiffbay]

I don't see the domestic routes being viable as non based. I think you need the business friendly schedules like we have now for them to be sustainable. They need based aircraft. Flybe will lose 10000s of passengers from Cardiff because of this decision and I'll probably be one of them.

I can’t see they become unviable. They worked ok during Flybe’s first run at the airport. The main thing is it to have one of the best summers the airport has had for some time to encourage airlines to look at the airport for 2020

 

[TheLocalYokel]

The Welsh Government issued this statement in the past couple of hours.

This will be very disappointing news for the Flybe staff who are set to lose their jobs and our thoughts are with them and their families.

Cardiff Airport has gone from strength to strength since being purchased by Welsh Government in 2013, but this decision by the operator highlights the commercial pressures which regional airlines are under, including the increasing cost burdens such as Air Passenger Duty.

Today’s news further strengthens our call on the UK Government to devolve APD in order to support the growth of regional airlines and regional connectivity.

We will continue to work closely with the Airport to manage the situation and maximise future opportunities.

 

[Selig]

What was the Virgin consortium’s purpose in buying Flybe, to dismantle it and cut jobs?
The sooner a real airline like Ryanair base in Cardiff the better, they’ll draw the passengers in with their cheap fares.