Flybe

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Flybe
IATA
BE		 ICAO
BEE		 Callsign
JERSEY
Founded 1979 (as Jersey European Airways)
Hubs Birmingham Airport
Southampton Airport
Exeter Airport
Belfast City Airport
Focus cities Edinburgh Airport
Glasgow Airport
Manchester Airport
Norwich International Airport
Frequent flyer program Passport to freedom
Fleet size 80
Destinations 46
Parent company Jersey European Airways Ltd
Headquarters Exeter, England, United Kingdom
Key people Jim French, Jack Walker
Website: http://www.flybe.com

Flybe is an airline based at Exeter Airport, England. It is the largest independent regional airline in Europe operating on 99 routes to 40 airports. The airline's main base is Exeter International Airport, although its largest is now at Southampton International Airport, the airline has further bases across the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and Isle of Man.

The company holds a United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority Type A Operating Licence permitting it to carry passengers, cargo and mail on aircraft with 20 or more seats.[1] Flybe has received some criticisms following its re-branding as a low-cost airline. Some customers feel that it does not offer low fares and involves hidden extras. [2]

Contents

[edit] History

Flybe de Havilland Dash 8 twin-turboprop airliner
Flybe de Havilland Dash 8 twin-turboprop airliner
Embraer 195 (G-FBEA), Flybes first 195
Embraer 195 (G-FBEA), Flybes first 195
Flybe British Aerospace 146 airliner, these will be replaced from 2006 by the Embraer 195
Flybe British Aerospace 146 airliner, these will be replaced from 2006 by the Embraer 195
Flybe Bae 146 wearing the colours of an Internet gaming Company. Glasgow International Airport. July 2006.
Flybe Bae 146 wearing the colours of an Internet gaming Company. Glasgow International Airport. July 2006.

Flybe started operations on 1 November 1979 as Jersey European Airways, after taking over the operations of Intra Airways but was taken over in 1983 by the Walker Steel Group who were already the parent company of Blackpool based charter airline Spacegrand Aviation. The two airlines were run separately, with partially shared management, until their amalgamation within the Walker Aviation Group in 1985, under the Jersey European Airways name. The airline rebranded as British European Airways in June 2000 and later shortened this title to Flybe on 18 July 2002 and aimed to reposition itself as a full service, low-fare airline. The airline is owned by James French, Orbis Trustees and Rosedale Aviation Holdings. It has around 1600 employees.

In December 2005 the airline announced that passengers will be charged for hold luggage, with the intention that passengers with hand baggage only will pay less overall. It now costs up to £6 per flight to check a bag in.[3]

[edit] Aquisition of BA Connect

On 5 March 2007 Flybe completed the acquisition of the former regional airline business of British Airways. The purchase was first announced on 3 November 2006. British Airways will ensure that Flybe has sufficient cash funding (£96m) in order to achieve its growth targets and the transition out of the BA Connect fleet. In return British Airways has acquired a 15% stake in the airline. The acquisition (which did not include BA Connect's London City Airport or Manchester Airport to JFK routes) has significantly increased Flybe's route network in both the UK and continental Europe making Flybe Europe's largest regional airline.[4]

[edit] Orders

On 6 June 2005 Flybe placed an order for 14 Embraer 195 aircraft plus options on an additional 12 aircraft. Flybe is the worldwide launch customer for the Embraer 195. Delivery of the aircraft started in September 2006 and will be completed in November 2007. The new aircraft will replace Flybe's BAe 146 aircraft, completing the fleet rationalisation started in 2003 which also includes an order for up to 61 Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 aircraft (41 firm orders and 20 options).

On 14 June 2005 Flybe converted four existing Dash 8 Q400 options into firm orders bringing its fleet of Q400s to 45 aircraft when they are delivered.[5]

[edit] Destinations

Flybe flies to the following destinations (as of March 2007):

[edit] Austria

[edit] Belgium

[edit] Croatia

[edit] France

[edit] Germany

[edit] Ireland

[edit] Italy

[edit] Netherlands

[edit] Portugal

[edit] Spain

[edit] Switzerland

[edit] United Kingdom

[edit] United Kingdom Crown Dependencies

[edit] New services

It will inaugurate nonstop service as follows :

Cardiff

  • Cardiff - Belfast City on 17 May 2007: 2 daily flights
  • Cardiff - Paris-Charles De Gaulle on 29 April 2007: 2 daily flights

Exeter

  • Exeter - Rennes on 8 May 2007: 3 weekly flights
  • Exeter - Nice on 9 May 2007: 2 weekly flights

Newcastle

  • Newcastle - Limoges on 26 May 2007: 1 weekly flight

Manchester

  • Manchester - Brest on 5 April 2007: 3 weekly flights
  • Manchester - Rennes on 5 April 2007: 4 weekly flights
  • Manchester - Gatwick begins early 2007: 2 daily flights

Edinburgh

  • Edinburgh - Bergerac on 26 May 2007: 1 weekly flight

[edit] Cancellations

Customers booked on flights from London Luton to Jersey will be notified that they are entitled to a full refund, following the suspension of flights between the two cities. Passengers are still able to fly from London Luton to Jersey, on flights with Thomsonfly.

On 6 March 2007 Flybe announced that they would be cancelling all of the former BA Connect services from Bristol when they take over BA Connect on 25 March.

[edit] Fleet

The Flybe fleet includes the following aircraft (at March 2007):[6]

In November 2006, the Flybe fleet age was 8.3 years.

In June 2005 the airline placed an order for 14 Embraer 195, with options for a further 12, deliveries of which began in September 2006. These aircraft will replace the ageing BAe 146s.

On 1 September 2006 the airline received its first 118-seat Embraer 195, the launch customer of the product. Fitted with single Head-up Guidance System (HGS) and configured to offer single-class service, the aircraft is intended to be used extensively within Flybe’s existing and expanding network, replacing the airline’s BAe 146s.

[edit] Sponsorship

  • Flybe also sponsor the weather bulletins on STV and ITV Westcountry as well as the sport bulletins on UTV.

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ Operating Licence
  2. ^ Fares criticism
  3. ^ Luggage charging
  4. ^ announced that they have completed the acquisition of BA Connect
  5. ^ Air International, July 2005
  6. ^ UK CAA Aircraft Register


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