Flybe

[Ray Finkle]

New route to Geneva, Sat and Sun from Dec 17th.

 

[A400]

New route to Geneva, Sat and Sun from Dec 17th.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1567524252923871234

 

[rollo]

There's been an ongoing discussion on another forum claiming Flybe are suspending all flights from BHX to Glasgow and Edinburgh from the end of October for four weeks due them starting new routes involving BHD, IOM, NQY and LHR. Reasons given are shortage of aircraft, the ATR at BHX at its end of lease and possibly the most important reason to protect the LHR slots as its suggested Flybe's end game is to eventually be able to sell them.

I have looked on the Flybe booking system and it does indeed show no flights available for most of November to Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Can any of our in the know members shed some light or is it just a rumour however the website definitely shows a four week halt in flights and will have EasyJet rubbing their hands.

 

[IanFarquharson]

There's been an ongoing discussion on another forum claiming Flybe are suspending all flights from BHX to Glasgow and Edinburgh from the end of October for four weeks due them starting new routes involving BHD, IOM, NQY and LHR. Reasons given are shortage of aircraft, the ATR at BHX at its end of lease and possibly the most important reason to protect the LHR slots as its suggested Flybe's end game is to eventually be able to sell them.

I have looked on the Flybe booking system and it does indeed show no flights available for most of November to Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Can any of our in the know members shed some light or is it just a rumour however the website definitely shows a four week halt in flights and will have EasyJet rubbing their hands.

That is correct

 

[nwoody2001]

There's been an ongoing discussion on another forum claiming Flybe are suspending all flights from BHX to Glasgow and Edinburgh from the end of October for four weeks due them starting new routes involving BHD, IOM, NQY and LHR. Reasons given are shortage of aircraft, the ATR at BHX at its end of lease and possibly the most important reason to protect the LHR slots as its suggested Flybe's end game is to eventually be able to sell them.

I have looked on the Flybe booking system and it does indeed show no flights available for most of November to Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Can any of our in the know members shed some light or is it just a rumour however the website definitely shows a four week halt in flights and will have EasyJet rubbing their hands.

This route being paused for 4x weeks is not at the cost of any other routes, just simply an issued of aircraft availability (lease returns)... i believe BHD-EDI and other routes are also being halted for 6+ weeks so not just BHX. The reality is, the lease company Flybe are using have overpromised and there is a gap between when the q400s will arrive in the fleet.

 

[rollo]

Thank you nwoody and Ian.

 

[Brum X]

However to all the passengers who have booked on GLA/EDI, this new venture is FlyMAYbe V2

 

[Kevin Farnell]

The reality is, the lease company Flybe are using have overpromised and there is a gap between when the q400s will arrive in the fleet.

I hope that Flybe got a good compensation clause written into the contract. It's not just about cancelling flights, but also Flybe's reputation.

Kevin

 

[nwoody2001]

You'd like to think so. This was why the launch of the BHX-ABZ route was delayed until early 2023 so its has an impact on Flybe

 

[Matt995]

I have to admit, I can't understand what Flybe's plan is...

Normally when an airlines starts flights, they concentrate on their home base, so why did they not just start building up the BHX routes first, with the aircraft they have, and then once established, expanded from other UK airports.

when Easyjet started, they only operated their flights to/from Luton for several years, before expanding to other uk airports.

Why couldn't Flybe do the same, instead of announcing new routes from various uk airports, and then having to cancel them, or drop them all together?

makes no business sense at all, it affects they reputation, and upsets the passenger who have had the flights cancelled.

 

[JENNYJET]

Did Flybe by some indiscretion 're employ those managers of the original outfit? I had misgivings about a relaunch using Flybe as it's name given it's reputation as Fly maybe! Perhaps Virgin saw something then walked, I don't know, it's all a bit de ja vous to me. I watched that executive speech on the plane when inaugural flight took to the skies and a squeeky bum moment occurred! Via YouTube.

 

[HPsauce]

Not sure about that side of things, Jenny. However, i find it very odd that Flybe can halt flights on two routes from BHX for a period, having just got established again, while competing with EasyJet. It doesn't send good vibes to clients they may have regained in recent months.
Obviously they have their reasons for this ( late delivery of expected aircraft for example). To leave the field to EasyJet will be a risk for Flybe.

 

[nwoody2001]

I have to admit, I can't understand what Flybe's plan is...

Normally when an airlines starts flights, they concentrate on their home base, so why did they not just start building up the BHX routes first, with the aircraft they have, and then once established, expanded from other UK airports.

when Easyjet started, they only operated their flights to/from Luton for several years, before expanding to other uk airports.

Why couldn't Flybe do the same, instead of announcing new routes from various uk airports, and then having to cancel them, or drop them all together?

makes no business sense at all, it affects they reputation, and upsets the passenger who have had the flights cancelled.

its worth stating that Flybe is a regional airline which only have 2 bases - BHD and BHX and so whilst they have indeed started flying from lots of uk airports, they have been focusing on just 2 uk bases. To use the same comparison to easyjet at luton is like saying "why dont easyjet just focus on luton before starting routes to other european airports"

the number of airports a UK regional airline can fly to is limited... yes there are some that are unserved, but with Eastern, Logan, Aer Lingus, easyjet and ryanair a vast majority already have competition.

with the exception of wanting/needing to cling onto their LHR/AMS slots which has resulting in a few odd routes, i think their strong focus on growing and developing their 2 main hubs at BHD and BHX and then making sure they utilise their A/C as much as possible on secondary "W routes" is a strong one approach... and i cant think how else they should do it...

yes like every start up, their is teething... Can flybe be blamed for the delay in delivery of their aircraft? probably not though we dont know how soon they did know. and to my knowledge, the only route scrapped so far is LBA-LHR. i cant think of any others that have been scrapped?

 

[Matt995]

@SeanM1997 is reporting that Flybe have now dropped Aberdeen again, with no flights bookable on their website

Does this airline have a clue what its doing? Considering BHX is meant to be it base, they can't afford to upset their passengers.

 

[YorkshireLad]

Does this airline have a clue what its doing?

Clearly not judging by what they've done everywhere, let alone BHX

 

[HPsauce]

Last week Flybe MK2 dropped the summer only route to Avignon from all UK airports, including BHX.
I think they are simply an embarrassment at the moment. How to ruin any lasting trust for customers!. The Scottish routes are so unreliable it's hard to see passengers risking booking with them.
We need easyJet to up their flights a little more ASAP.

 

[Easy289]

They're heading towards the same fate as Flybe MK1. Utter shambles. They do not deserve their AOC

 

[Brum X]

What a complete and utter 💩💩💩💩 show

 

[Matt995]

G-ECOE appears to have gone tech (again) at EMA today, causing the cancellation of our inbound Amsterdam flight, and evening Belfast flights, meaning they have had cancellations for at least the last 3 weekdays from Birmingham.

meanwhile G-ECOR has been in Exeter since the 22nd November, presumably for work on it.

 

[Easy289]

These Q400s do seem to have reliability issues Would they be better moving to an ATR fleet?