Flybe

[louis_walton]

Could we envisage a situation in which FlyBe base a couple of Dash 8's at LBA to operate existing routes to BFS and DUS plus JER and CDG (replacement for DSA services) and perhaps a BRU?

I just don't see it happening at this time it will all be reductions at the moment unless it's Heathrow because Heathrow gets it all... it would be great but i don't think much will happen for a while.

 

[lbaspotter]

OK it's confirmed the Embraer base is closing at DSA but I understand Flybe will continue to operate into the airport using Dash 8s based elsewhere.So you can forget them moving routes into LBA anytime soon as that's not going to happen, we simply don't have the room!

Flybe just issued the following statement on its website: https://flybe.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1592

Embraer 195 = Fleet to be withdrawn from service and returned to Lessors
Exeter = to lose its Jet operations, But no impact to the Dash 8 operations.
Norwich = to lose its Jet operations, Franchise flights operated by Eastern Airways continue as normal
Doncaster & Cardiff = to lose Jet operations and bases to close. Some routes will continue to be operated using Dash 8's crewd from other base

 

[a300boy]

That being the case Jerry what we have with them now must be likely to be culled too.

 

[Starflyer]

BHD will likely be safe as it should be making decent money. I'd fear for DUS and NQY.

 

[Bigman]

It seems to just be the ER195's that are going. , presumably Manny

 

[Bigman]

Try again with that post.!! It seems to just be the ER195's that are going. Can DH8's actually do all the routes from DSA or CWL? I am thinking in terms of the bucket and spade routes. Presumably their CDG or AMS routes would also end up being middle of the day services with the crate ending back up at it's home base for the night (MAN/BHX).

I do hope that we hang on to our routes at LBA.

 

[White Heather]

I am sure DSA can kiss goodbye to their longer routes down to Spain and the like. You can't do those on a Dash 8, so they are likely only to have a few shorter routes operated on W legs. I seem to recall they have had services like this before and then all failed so it will be interesting to see how things pan out down the A1 longer term.
As I understand it the routes out of LBA operated by Flybe themselves do well. Belfast has always seen good loads and presumably good profits - it is a route LBA has never lost, which says something. I was told by airport management that the loads on Dusseldorf were pretty good, and there is no mention of services being axed out there in Germany, which may have happened if they were looking to re-position Dash 8s to other bases to cover for the lost Embraers. I also understood that Newquay had decent loads too. However, the situation faced by Flybe means that even some routes that do OK may be sacrificed if they don't 'fit' into their new flight programme.
There is of course the possibility they will offload the jets and lease some additional Dash 8s on better terms, but it seems that if they are going to do that, they need to find people to fly them!

 

[LBAYORKIE]

The airport marketing team have an opportunity here to persuade Flybe to move their DSA short haul operations to LBA, thereby retaining at least part of their DSA passenger base but also adding pax from our area that would use the services. As mentioned in an earlier post this could justify basing two Dash 8's at LBA and thus optimising their utilisation.

 

[lbaspotter]

Yeah we would all like a 2x Flybe Dash 8 base but it's not going to happen at the moment. It's the same problem Jet2 has with the airport.

How are we going to handle more passengers in that terminal at peak times and where we going to park them without more new stands?

Sadly until that work is completed I think we stuck with what we've got. Now that's the reality we've got to live with until summer 2020 at the earliest or possibly even 2021.

 

[louis_walton]

That's only based aircraft wise. We could see more flights coming from other bases such as Ryanair or any other airlines LBA may be in talks with. Isn't their room for a smaller aircraft at the beginning of the apron or just enough room for the Saab? If Flybe really wanted to they could take over Southampton from Leeds and use their own aircraft for other routes but thats more of a dream than reality.

 

[a300boy]

Do I not remember the phrase "Infrastructure and stands will be built when needed" being banded about some years ago.
I hope this terminal and possible extra stands that are to be built bring the benefits and extra traffic so many on this group seem to thinks it will.

 

[Finger66]

AMS, CDG and LHR all announced from LBA. Oops sorry 3.5 days late with that info! Correct me if I am wrong, which I am frequently at the moment, and that isn't aimed at this forum, but don't Jet2 also have bases abroad. LBA management could create space by trying to encourage LS to use more away based units. It is two UK BE bases closing but they poss get away based units still operating so why not into LBA too on other routes to those that already op that way. Whenever I check BE loads in GDS they always look healthy across all LBA routes. But this doesn't give any clue to yields. Just like my footy team I think BE do need to take a step back to move forwards in the future. Having a "full" airport is no bad thing. There are several others that would cry out for that. Let's hope all our BE routes are safe.....at least for now

 

[lbaspotter]

Flybe have made so cut backs on the Leeds/Bradford - Belfast City service. This is due to an on going issue of shortage of flight crews meaning the service will only operate 4x daily instead of the planned 5x daily. Normal service seems to resume Monday, June 17th 2019.

Cancelled rotations
Early Morning - BE729/BE730 = Wednesdays, Thursdays & Friday
Late Afternoon - BE735/BE736 = Mondays & Tuesdays

 

[The Pole]

Well my partner had booked onto the Thursday morning flight to Belfast tomorrow well before xmas. This was cancelled as was put on tonights flight. Guess what cancelled, I heard over r/t that incoming flight had to be towed to stand. Anyone know why?

 

[lbaspotter]

Well my partner had booked onto the Thursday morning flight to Belfast tomorrow well before xmas. This was cancelled as was put on tonights flight. Guess what cancelled, I heard over r/t that incoming flight had to be towed to stand. Anyone know why?

Looks like the Flybe Dash 8-Q400, G-JEDT has gone tech after it arrived inbound this evening on the "BE737" service. Hence the outbound BE738 has being cancelled. So I'm guessing the aircraft and crew are night stopping here at Leeds.
It's due to depart back out to Belfast City tomorrow morning as we have a "BE7979" showing due out at 09:50.

 

[The Pole]

Looks like the Flybe Dash 8-Q400, G-JEDT has gone tech after it arrived inbound this evening on the "BE737" service. Hence the outbound BE738 has being cancelled. So I'm guessing the aircraft and crew are night stopping here at Leeds.
It's due to depart back out to Belfast City tomorrow morning as we have a "BE7979" showing due out at 09:50.

I know it went tech as I stated in my original post, I wanted to know why? Cant have been that serious? Had to be towed to stand? Cant have been nose wheel steering issue as vacated runway?

 

[The Pole]

I know it went tech as I stated in my original post, I wanted to know why? Cant have been that serious? Had to be towed to stand? Cant have been nose wheel steering issue as vacated runway?

Anyone know the reason for the tech issue on the above aircraft? All Flybe are stating is technical issue

 

[louis_walton]

So far so good however the full timetable isn't released until tomorrow:
Belfast City: Mon,Tue,Wed,Thur,Fri X5 Sat X2 Sun X3
Dusseldorf:MonTue,Wed,Thur,Fri,Sun X1 Sat N/A
Southampton:Mon,Tue,Wed,Thur,Fri X2 Sat N/A Sun X1
Newquay:Is not showing as of yet..

(X=frequency per day)

 

[White Heather]

It will be interesting to see what happens with Newquay. I suspect that the subsidy has run out now, although my understanding is that the loads on the route have been good. The question is have they been good enough and is the route profitable enough?

 

[AirBingley]

There's also an Eastern aircraft sat idle for the day which could quite merrily do that run but we've been there before on the use of that aircraft and the sustainability of its owner.....