Flybe

[lbaspotter]

Yeap it sure was known that all of Flybe's Embrear 195's would be eventually leaving the fleet as leases were not going to be renewed. They needed to find something to do short term with the aircraft, hence Project Blackbird was launched at Cardiff, Norwich/Exeter & Doncaster-Sheffield which is by all accounts all highly subsidised work.
What I find more interesting is the fact the also set to lose 3x of the Dash 8-400's as well.

For sure it will be a real knock for DSA if Flybe was to pull the entire operation after just 18 months. Also not good for the based crews at DSA to hear rumours like this.
But Flybe did the same at Bournemouth last year and previously with the, "Flyshuttle" Aberdeen-Leeds-Southampton-Jersey service. I bet for one the management at LBA will be glad they didn't get involved with Project Blackbird afteral.

 

[Jerry]

What I find more interesting is the fact the also set to lose 3x of the Dash 8-400's as well.

They'll have 3 extra as they are receiving 6 Q400's from Republic Airways. They've also have 4 E175s arriving at DSA.
Yes the project Blackbird ops have been subsidised but i do have a feeling it would've been more successful at LBA than DSA. At DSA 1 of the 195's was taken away and replaced by a 175. At CWL Flybe do seem to be doing quite well especially on the leisure routes to Portugal and Italy. The base is now 2 e195s and a dash. They also seem to do quite well out of NQY as well. If they pull the base at DSA it doesn't mean they won't continue to operate with non based aircraft. It'll be a case of wait and see what the the winter 2017/18 schedule is like.

 

[lbaspotter]

Flybe's LBA winter 2017/18 programme now on sale. 32x weekly flights operating 2 routes to Belfast City (29x weekly) & Newquay (3x weekly)

Mondays
BE729 = BHD 06:40 - LBA 07:40 / BE730 = LBA 08:05 - BHD 09:05
BE731 = BHD 09:50 - LBA 10:50 / BE732 = LBA 11:15 - BHD 12:15
BE733 = BHD 12:30 - LBA 13:30 / BE734 = LBA 14:15 - BHD 15:15
BE735 = BHD 15:40 - LBA 16:40 / BE736 = LBA 17:05 - BHD 18:05
BE739 = BHD 18:35 - LBA 19:35 / BE740 = LBA 20:00 - BHD 21:00
Tuesdays
BE729 = BHD 06:40 - LBA 07:40 / BE730 = LBA 08:05 - BHD 09:05
BE731 = BHD 09:50 - LBA 10:50 / BE732 = LBA 11:15 - BHD 12:15
BE733 = BHD 12:05 - LBA 13:05 / BE753 = LBA 13:50 - NQY 15:05
BE754 = NQY 15:30 - LBA 16:40 / BE736 = LBA 17:05 - BHD 18:05
BE739 = BHD 18:35 - LBA 19:35 / BE740 = LBA 20:00 - BHD 21:00
Wednesdays
BE729 = BHD 06:40 - LBA 07:40 / BE730 = LBA 08:05 - BHD 09:05
BE731 = BHD 09:50 - LBA 10:50 / BE732 = LBA 11:15 - BHD 12:15
BE733 = BHD 12:30 - LBA 13:30 / BE734 = LBA 14:15 - BHD 15:15
BE735 = BHD 15:40 - LBA 16:40 / BE736 = LBA 17:05 - BHD 18:05
BE739 = BHD 18:35 - LBA 19:35 / BE740 = LBA 20:00 - BHD 21:00
Thursdays
BE729 = BHD 06:40 - LBA 07:40 / BE730 = LBA 08:05 - BHD 09:05
BE731 = BHD 09:50 - LBA 10:50 / BE732 = LBA 11:15 - BHD 12:15
BE733 = BHD 12:30 - LBA 13:30 / BE734 = LBA 14:15 - BHD 15:15
BE735 = BHD 15:40 - LBA 16:40 / BE736 = LBA 17:05 - BHD 18:05
BE739 = BHD 18:35 - LBA 19:35 / BE740 = LBA 20:00 - BHD 21:00
Fridays
BE729 = BHD 06:40 - LBA 07:40 / BE730 = LBA 08:05 - BHD 09:05
BE731 = BHD 09:50 - LBA 10:50 / BE732 = LBA 11:15 - BHD 12:15
BE733 = BHD 12:05 - LBA 13:05 / BE753 = LBA 13:30 - NQY 14:45
BE754 = NQY 15:10 - LBA 16:20 / BE736 = LBA 17:05 - BHD 18:05
BE737 = BHD 17:55 - LBA 18:55 / BE738 = LBA 19:20 - BHD 20:20
BE739 = BHD 18:45 - LBA 19:45 / BE740 = LBA 20:10 - BHD 21:10
Saturdays
BE729 = BHD 06:40 - LBA 07:40 / BE730 = LBA 08:05 - BHD 09:05
BE731 = BHD 09:50 - LBA 10:50 / BE732 = LBA 11:15 - BHD 12:15
Sundays
BE733 = BHD 12:05 - LBA 13:05 / BE753 = LBA 13:30 - NQY 14:45
BE754 = NQY 15:10 - LBA 16:20 / BE738 = LBA 17:05 - BHD 18:05
BE735 = BHD 14:35 - LBA 15:35 / BE736 = LBA 16:00 - BHD 17:00
BE739 = BHD 18:35 - LBA 19:35 / BE740 = LBA 20:20 - BHD 21:20

 

[752]

Is this an increase in flights or the same as winter 16/17?

 

[lbaspotter]

Is this an increase in flights or the same as winter 16/17?

It's definitely a slight increase with extra flight to Belfast added on both a Friday and Sunday evening.

 

[Sherburnflyer92]

It's such a shame that flybe won't expand a bit more at LBA - SOU, ABZ and EXT i'm sure are missed. Mind you APD doesn't probably help.

 

[tleeds]

As sad as it is that one airport, albeit a competitor in the region, is potentially losing not just some routes but a whole airport operating from there, I only hope they return to LBA.

They could easily reinstate the SOU route and potentially even the Exeter route with based a/c from there. One step at a time an all that but hopefully then, after operating routes they knew worked OK, then look to expand which clearly we know they want to do within the Yorkshire region.

 

[Tarn Spotter]

Flybe have a lot of financial and management issues not helped by the Chief financial officer jumping ship.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business...ancial-officer-jumps-ship-struggling-airline/
Not sure there in a position to make significant route changes.

 

[Finger66]

It's such a shame that flybe won't expand a bit more at LBA - SOU, ABZ and EXT i'm sure are missed. Mind you APD doesn't probably help.

Maybe, just maybe, part of the reason Eastern have gone back to a J41 on LBA -SOU is that Flybe are about to re-enter the route. They never wanted to drop it in the 1st place, it was an a/c shortage that was apparently the issue. What is concerning for the UK domestic market as a whole, not just LBA, is the problems both BE and T3 seem to be having. I think there is a curse on the airlines that operate the CWL - VLY - CWL route. Links air, Citywing/Van Air. Let's hope that curse doesn't strike T3. If the worst does happen to BE and/or T3 then I can only see BM and LC being some major beneficiaries. I can see LBA's no1 fan (up at LC) watching the situation very closely indeed. Anyone have further thoughts around all this?

 

[a300boy]

The Doncaster Airport thread suggests Flybe are reducing to one based E170 for the winter months.
So maybe we are back on the agenda for the future.

 

[Jerry]

The Doncaster Airport thread suggests Flybe are reducing to one based E170 for the winter months.
So maybe we are back on the agenda for the future.

Yes it is. They have reduced their schedule to 1 aircraft.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

The Doncaster Airport thread suggests Flybe are reducing to one based E170 for the winter months.
So maybe we are back on the agenda for the future.

Flybe is reducing its fleet size later this year.

http://atwonline.com/airline-financials/flybe-predicts-small-annual-loss-tough-conditions-continue

The airline said seat capacity in the 4Q would grow 10%, compared to 12.7% in 3Q. The company has taken delivery of nine Bombardier Q400s under a legacy contract in the current financial year, but intends to start reducing capacity later this year, as it hands back six leased Q400s by the end of FY2017-18. Flybe currently has more than 50 of the Canadian turboprops on strength.

The fleet will peak at 85 aircraft in April 2017..................

Flybe has suffered from weak demand, overcapacity in the market and rail competition, with French ATC industrial action also not helping.

 

[whoshotjimmi]

Flybe has suffered from weak demand, overcapacity in the market and rail competition, with French ATC industrial action also not helping.

French ATC industrial action will affect every airline in Europe to various extents. If Flybe were to have financial issues, that would not be the reason why. When it comes to weak demand and overcapacity, Flybe needs to operate many of it's flights at the frequency it does otherwise they would not work at all. I would suggest their prices are more of an issue when it comes to weak demand. They are consistently more expensive than their rivals, including the train, which can't be helping matters. It will also be interesting to see how the loss of Loganair as a franchisee affects them. That is bound to affect numbers to the likes of Glasgow and Edinburgh to some extent.

In response to Finger66, Flybe have been in the doldrums for so long that it's hard to see a way out for them. Every few years or so they announce a scaling back of their route network to eliminate the loss makers which will make them financially sound but every single time they have done this, they have then gone and announced some madcap new ideas right in the middle of it that are doomed to failure. Doncaster, Bournemouth, The Aberdeen - Jersey shuttle - it just doesn't make sense. If they are going to strip back their route network to make it more profitable, then they need to do it and leave it for a few years to make sure it works and get themselves on a sound footing before tentatively entering other markets. When it comes to Eastern (apologies for the off topic), they have a similar problem with their ludicrous financial acquisitions (Humberside airport, Air Southwest etc) and uncertainty as to what product they are offering. It is not a case of declining business; more that the airlines involved simply aren't delivering what they need to deliver. BMI went exactly the same way, offering the wrong product to the wrong markets. They have stripped right back, completely reorganised themselves and are now slowly starting to make a success of things again. One feels that Flybe and Eastern need to do the same.

When it comes to LBA specifically, I'd be happy to see them make another fist of things with Southampton, particularly as our finance offices are in Portsmouth, but they have been back and forth on the route so often that I don't believe that they can make a success of it. I'd rather they tried something new but, as they have proven time and time again, they seem completely incapable at the moment of expanding their business in a way that will ensure the future financial viability of the routes. It would be more beneficial to LBA - and, indeed, to Flybe themselves - to have regular, strong performers that expand gradually than uncommitted slot fillers that flit in and out causing passengers to look elsewhere and, perhaps, never come back.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

French ATC industrial action will affect every airline in Europe to various extents. If Flybe were to have financial issues, that would not be the reason why. When it comes to weak demand and overcapacity, Flybe needs to operate many of it's flights at the frequency it does otherwise they would not work at all. I would suggest their prices are more of an issue when it comes to weak demand. They are consistently more expensive than their rivals, including the train, which can't be helping matters.

I can't disagree with your comments about the effects of French ATC industrial action. I was paraphrasing that part of the article I had linked which actually said:

Exeter-based Flybe, Europe’s largest regional airline, said the 4Q had been characterized by weak demand, overcapacity in the market and sharpened price competitiveness from rail operators. Strikes by French air traffic controllers had also affected business.

 

[rangieowner]

It can't be all doom and gloom for Fly-be as they are still recruiting aircrew, My mate has just been taken on as a pilot and is currently in Exeter on a company training programme.

 

[White Heather]

It can't be all doom and gloom for Fly-be as they are still recruiting aircrew, My mate has just been taken on as a pilot and is currently in Exeter on a company training programme.

Perhaps they are recruiting to replace aircrew who have bailed out whilst they can?

I fully agree with the sentiments of Whoshotjimmi. The entire management of Flybe seems, to me, muddled. Why if a company has 'issues' take the risk of setting up a new base at an airport that has consistently failed to hold on to most of its scheduled carriers (I am thinking of DSA of course), when they could have reduced the risk by starting up a few well chosen routes that are either not served or under-served from LBA, which is an airport with clear demand. The risk was less and chances are that had they picked the right routes they would have had better load factors than they have had at DSA. They may well have got a deal of the century at DSA but if the seats are not booking up, in the long run the operation will fail and they will be back to square one.

 

[Tarn Spotter]

With its range of codeshares with other airlines for me LBA would be an ideal hub to feed in to utilise codeshare agreements.
When you look at Amsterdam, Dusseldorf, Charles de Gaulle etc the links to Etihad, Cathy Pacific, Singapore Airways etc a lot of traction for onward journays.
My son and family just done a trip to Disney World in Paris, from Birmingham out with Flybe, return Air France, there are so many options with Charles de gaulle.
Many people would love a LBA - Madrid service, talk to BA about a South American onward link, Dublin another ideal tie with Aer Lingus and BA.
LBA with its catchment area must be fruitful business for hub traffic, I use Amsterdam or LHR as my link worldwide, however, would chose any other option if the connections good.

 

[cmj]

I've always thought that Flybe on a 2x daily to Paris would be a good choice, with the AF connections at CDG.

 

[jason1-11]

Dusseldorf - Get In !!!!

 

[dmrodgers]

Dusseldorf - Get In !!!!

http://www.leedsbradfordairport.co.uk/media/2578/01062017.pdf