The U.K. government’s decision this week to defer a reported £100m ($130m) in Air Passenger Duty (APD) payments from Europe’s largest regional carrier Flybe has been met with celebration and criticism. The deal has given the airline, which is owned by a consortium including Virgin Atlantic's parent company, the opportunity to continue trading and thrown a lifeline to Flybe’s employees. Brian Strutton, general secretary of the British Airline Pilots Association union said: "This is good news for 2,400 Flybe staff…
After years of uncertainty surrounding the future of regional carrier Flybe, the end of 2019 was supposed to bring closure to what had been a turbulent decade. The airline is moving into the new year with a new owner as well as a new name, or so it seems. It…
Two days after announcing a rebranding to Virgin Connect in 2020 and the offer of “more choice for customers through improved connectivity between UK regional airports, "the chief executive officer of Europe’s largest regional carrier, Flybe, has stated that the airline may cease flying on some routes in the future.…
Flybe, one of United Kingdom's biggest regional carriers, has announced that it will rebrand as Virgin Connect in 2020. The announcement was made by Mark Anderson, Connect Airways CEO in a corporate event held on October 15. The announcement is a major step as the airline becomes part of the…
Christine Ourmieres-Widener, the CEO of U.K. regional airline Flybe, has announced that she will leave the airline on July 15 after overseeing Flybe's sale to a consortium which includes Virgin Atlantic and Stobart Air. Ourmieres-Widener has been in the role since January 2017 after holding senior leadership positions at CityJet…
Last weekend, British regional carrier Flybe began flying between Newquay Airport in Cornwall and London's Heathrow Airport, in a continuous effort to connect small towns and cities across Britain with the world via the London hub. Flights are set to run throughout the year, with four frequencies each day, offering…
British long-haul carrier Virgin Atlantic is actively looking to broaden its profile on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. The efforts are based on two pillars aimed at strengthening cooperation with other transatlantic carriers and for connecting flights within Europe. To this end, Virgin Atlantic is working with Delta Air…
The Flybe Group has announced an agreement for the sale of the airline to a consortium of airlines. The announcement was made at the beginning of the week with the new owner, Connect Airways, purchasing the airline for £2.8 million ($3.2 million). Connect Airways is made up of Virgin Atlantic…
U.K. airline Flybe is to be involved in a consortium led by Virgin Atlantic that will effectively rescue the regional airline. The news comes after months of uncertainty of the carrier, which carried 9.5 million passengers in 2017/2018 with an average load factor of 75.6 percent. The Downfall Although a…
Following last week’s news that U.K.-based Flybe is up for sale, Reuters this week reported that Virgin Atlantic is interested in the regional carrier, which has suffered from falling demand, a weaker pound and high fuel costs. In a four-line statement, Virgin Atlantic, which is 49 percent owned by Delta, stated…
