Flybe

[TM3]

They have 11 E175s at the moment according to Airfleets so I guess at least 2 are going if they are looking for a fleet of 9.

We shouldn't be surprised to lose routes like this if Easy are being courted to come in.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Conformation from Flybe of the cuts.

Great timing with BHX sending me an email this morning promoting Berlin as a Christmas market break from BHX.

In a statement to Business Traveller the airline said:

“Flybe has recently completed an exhaustive network review to strengthen the commercial viability of its 2019-2020 winter schedules.

“This has resulted in a number of its least profitable routes being cancelled with effect from the end of the 2019 summer season. These include Birmingham to Hanover, Hamburg and London City to Dusseldorf.”

“In addition some seasonal reductions have been made to the winter schedules from 27 October by reducing frequency on routes linking Birmingham with Lyon, Berlin Tegel and Milan Malpensa with some additional flying on certain days over that period.”

Note that the carrier says it may operate some ad hoc services on the above Birmingham routes, hence the wording “reducing frequency” rather than suspension.

Flybe confirms route suspensions from Birmingham and London City – Business Traveller

Routes from Birmingham to Berlin, Milan and Lyon are being suspended until mid-February, while flights from London City to Dusseldorf will be cancelled…

www.businesstraveller.com

 

[Ianbutty]

Conformation from Flybe of the cuts.

Great timing with BHX sending me an email this morning promoting Berlin as a Christmas market break from BHX.

In a statement to Business Traveller the airline said:

“Flybe has recently completed an exhaustive network review to strengthen the commercial viability of its 2019-2020 winter schedules.

“This has resulted in a number of its least profitable routes being cancelled with effect from the end of the 2019 summer season. These include Birmingham to Hanover, Hamburg and London City to Dusseldorf.”

“In addition some seasonal reductions have been made to the winter schedules from 27 October by reducing frequency on routes linking Birmingham with Lyon, Berlin Tegel and Milan Malpensa with some additional flying on certain days over that period.”

Note that the carrier says it may operate some ad hoc services on the above Birmingham routes, hence the wording “reducing frequency” rather than suspension.

Flybe confirms route suspensions from Birmingham and London City – Business Traveller

Routes from Birmingham to Berlin, Milan and Lyon are being suspended until mid-February, while flights from London City to Dusseldorf will be cancelled…

www.businesstraveller.com

Inevitable. Sad....but important business routes so someone should step in. What other choice will the Businesses have? Door to door short haul does not acknowledge transfers for airports 50 to 100 miles away.

 

[58terminus]

Note that the carrier says it may operate some ad hoc services on the above Birmingham routes, hence the wording “reducing frequency” rather than suspension.

Yeeah.There are going to be loads of people scanning the Flybe site so they can organize their travel plans around around whatever days
Flybe decide they might or might not operate a flight.

 

[Jerry]

Heathrow or Manchester or Bristol or Luton.

What other choice will the Businesses have?

 

[58terminus]

Inevitable. Sad....but important business routes so someone should step in. What other choice will the Businesses have?

I hope you are right .The fact nobody had come in to compete with them on these routes could mean airlines not wanting to dilute
their loads from other airports or a limited Midlands market not worth competing for.
Hopefully airlines don't think they can absorb the BHX passengers into their existing networks. We will soon find out.
Personally i fear the worst.

 

[TM3]

Yeeah.There are going to be loads of people scanning the Flybe site so they can organize their travel plans around around whatever days
Flybe decide they might or might not operate a flight.

Some of these routes might be viable for Easy but they will also serve maybe 3 days a week as is the norm for LCCs, I don't see anyone competing with the frequency of Flybe. Probably be cheaper though if you are less fussy about when you fly.

 

[Matt995]

take from airlineroutes:-

flyBe updates W19 Embraer E195 operations

flyBe in recent weeks filed additional changes to its planned Embraer E195 operation. Latest adjustment sees the E195 aircraft scheduled until 05JAN20, instead of 31JAN20.

Birmingham – Amsterdam Last E195 flight on 02JAN20
Birmingham – Belfast City Last E195 flight on 09NOV19
Birmingham – Dusseldorf Last E195 flight on 05JAN20
Birmingham – Edinburgh Last E195 flight on 28NOV19
Birmingham – Paris CDG Last E195 flight on 05JAN20 (Overall last E195 service)
Birmingham – Stuttgart Last E195 flight on 29NOV19

 

[Angie88]

take from airlineroutes:-

flyBe updates W19 Embraer E195 operations

flyBe in recent weeks filed additional changes to its planned Embraer E195 operation. Latest adjustment sees the E195 aircraft scheduled until 05JAN20, instead of 31JAN20.

Birmingham – Amsterdam Last E195 flight on 02JAN20
Birmingham – Belfast City Last E195 flight on 09NOV19
Birmingham – Dusseldorf Last E195 flight on 05JAN20
Birmingham – Edinburgh Last E195 flight on 28NOV19
Birmingham – Paris CDG Last E195 flight on 05JAN20 (Overall last E195 service)
Birmingham – Stuttgart Last E195 flight on 29NOV19

Does this mean we will loose all these routes?

 

[jfy1999]

Does this mean we will loose all these routes?

Fortunately not, just that those are the last routes to see E195 operations.

 

[Angie88]

Fortunately not, just that those are the last routes to see E195 operations.

Thanks jfy1999. So they will be Dash-8s?

Random question but are they less attractive to fly on from a business customer perception?

 

[jfy1999]

Thanks jfy1999. So they will be Dash-8s?

Random question but are they less attractive to fly on from a business customer perception?

They seem to have more tech problems/cancellations than the E75/95s. But on domestic routes, the Dash 8s are more economical (meaning the airline can offer cheaper tickets). The jets only really offer significant reductions in flight time on longer routes.

 

[Nethercote2019]

I did see on another forum recently that on 15 October Flybe were due to be having big meeting at Exeter & announcement?

 

[IanFarquharson]

I did see on another forum recently that on 15 October Flybe were due to be having big meeting at Exeter & announcement?

Big venue booked in Exeter for tomorrows announcement !

 

[andrew.clarkson]

Hi there all, we'll just have to wait for this announcement later.. Andyc

 

[smithy108]

Here it is - Virgin Connect

Flybe to rebrand as Virgin Connect

Regional airline Flybe is to be rebranded as Virgin Connect, following its acquisition by a Virgin Atlantic-led consortium.
In July, the European Commission approved the sale of Flybe to the newly-formed Connect Airways, which comprises Stobart Group and Cyrus Capital as well as Virgin.
The group today announced that the airline would enter a “new era as an independent company under the Virgin brand”.
So far all that has been revealed is the new name, with a wider rebrand set to be completed next year.
A new website, virginconnect.co.uk, states that the brand will say “goodbye to purple and hello to red”.
It confirms that bookings for next year can be made at flybe.com, and existing bookings will not be affected.

Connect Airways CEO Mark Anderson, former managing director of Virgin Holidays and head of customer services at Virgin Atlantic, said Virgin Connect would differentiate itself in the regional market through providing an excellent customer experience.
Virgin has previously said the acquisition will allow it to offer “more choice for customers through improved connectivity between UK regional airports and Virgin Atlantic’s extensive long-haul network, particularly at London Heathrow and Manchester.”
Anderson today said: “We are hugely excited by this milestone in our airline’s 40-year history.
“We will remain true to our heritage and reason for being, which is offering essential regional connectivity to local communities. At its heart, Virgin Connect will be passionately focused on becoming Europe’s most loved and successful regional airline.
“It will offer travel that is simple and convenient with the personal touch. Our customers will naturally expect the same exceptional travel experience as they do with other Virgin-related brands.
“As part of the Virgin family, we now have a tremendously re-energised team. From here on in, we invite our customers, partners and the communities we serve to join us on every step of this exciting journey.”
Connect Airways is owned 40 per cent by Cyrus Capital, 30 per cent by Stobart Group and 30 per cent by Virgin Atlantic Limited, the holding company of Virgin Atlantic Airways and Virgin Holidays.
Virgin Atlantic previously ran a domestic airline called Little Red, which was axed in 2015.
virginconnect.co.uk

 

[Ray Finkle]

Why do I get the feeling that this thread will be full of route cuts and reductions

 

[RichL]

Why do I get the feeling they'll put everything in heathrow or manchester?

 

[Jerry]

Why do I get the feeling they'll put everything in heathrow or manchester?

And can you see Flybe being profitable if it does and the investors in it will want it to be profitable. I believe that the main focus will be the busy trunk routes and profitable inter regional routes.

 

[Kevin Farnell]

The statement seems to use a lot of words without really saying what the future holds.
How does this -

“more choice for customers through improved connectivity between UK regional airports and Virgin Atlantic’s extensive long-haul network, particularly at London Heathrow and Manchester.”

tie in with this -

“We will remain true to our heritage and reason for being, which is offering essential regional connectivity to local communities. At its heart, Virgin Connect will be passionately focused on becoming Europe’s most loved and successful regional airline.

I can't see there being any connectivity from BHX to LHR or MAN.

Kevin