Flybe

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Flybe
Image:Flybelogo.gif
IATA
BE		ICAO
BEE		Callsign
JERSEY
Founded1979 (as Jersey European Airways)
HubsManchester Airport
Birmingham Airport
Belfast City Airport
Southampton Airport
Exeter International Airport
Focus citiesEdinburgh Airport
Glasgow Airport
Isle of Man Airport
Jersey Airport
Norwich International Airport
Frequent flyer programRewards4all
Fleet size80
Destinations46
Parent companyJersey European Airways Ltd
HeadquartersExeter, United Kingdom
Key peopleJim French, Jack Walker
Website: http://www.flybe.com

Flybe is a British airline based at Exeter Airport, England. It is the largest independent regional airline in Europe operating over 100 routes to 40 airports. The airline's main base is Exeter International Airport, although its largest is now at Southampton International Airport. It 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]

Contents

[edit] History

Image:Flybe.dash8.750pix.jpg
De Havilland Dash 8 twin-turboprop airliner
Image:Flybe dash8 g-jedn arp.jpg
De Havilland Dash 8
Image:Embraer 195 flybe 01 - Recoloured.jpg
The airline's first Embraer 195
Image:Flybe.bae146.arp.jpg
British Aerospace 146, to be replaced from 2006 by the Embraer 195
Image:Flybe mansion colours.jpg
Bae 146 in the colours of an Internet gaming company. Glasgow International Airport (2006)
Image:Embraer-g-erjc.jpg
Embraer 145
Image:Flybe erj145 g-erja arp.jpg
Embraer ERJ 145 landing

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 Jack Walker's 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. On 3 November 2006 it was announced that agreement in principle had been reached for Flybe to acquire BA Connect, with the exception of London City Airport services. The acquisition was completed in March 2007. The airline is owned by Rosedale Aviation Holdings (69%), staff (16%) and British Airways (15%) as a consequence of the acquisition of BA Connect. It has 1,638 employees at March 2007.[2]

[edit] Acquisition 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 routes) has significantly increased Flybe's route network in both the UK and continental Europe making Flybe Europe's largest regional airline.[3]

[edit] Destinations

Flybe flies to the following destinations (as of May 2007):[4]

[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] Fleet

The Flybe fleet includes the following aircraft (at November 2007):[5]

Aircraft Total
BAe 146-200 4 (4 Stored)
BAe 146-300 8
Bombardier Dash 8 Q300 3 (Not in service)
Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 33 (27 on Order)
Embraer 145 24
Embraer 195 AR 8 (6 On Order)


In November 2006, the Flybe fleet average age was 8.3 years[6].

[edit] Aircraft 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.[7]
  • 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.
  • In May 2007 the airline signed a deal for 15 Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 aircraft valued at $394 million, with options for a further 15. It is the world's largest Q400 operator and this order will increase its Q400 fleet to 60[8].

[edit] Aircraft sales

In an annoucment of Flybe's year end results, the airline stated that it has successfully sold all Embraer 145 aircraft inherited from BA Connect, and has made significant progress to sell the small number of BAe 146s remaining in the Flybe fleet. This is with the aim to operate a two aircraft type fleet (comprising the Dash 8 Q400 and Embraer 195) by 2009. [9]

[edit] Codeshares

  • British Airways - Flybe codeshares on routes primarily out of/into Manchester, Birmingham, London Gatwick and Edinburgh. This is following Flybe's takeover of many BA Connect routes in March 2007.
  • Brussels Airlines - Flybe announced on 1 August 2007 that they were to start codesharing with Brussels airlines on Flybe routes out of Manchester and Southampton and on Brussels Airlines routes into Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and Newcastle[10].

[edit] Sponsorship

[edit] References

  1. ^ Operating Licence
  2. ^ "Directory: World Airlines", Flight International, 2007-04-03, p. 83. 
  3. ^ announced that they have completed the acquisition of BA Connect
  4. ^ http://www.flybe.com/map/default.htm
  5. ^ UK CAA Aircraft Register
  6. ^ Flybe Fleet Age
  7. ^ Air International, July 2005
  8. ^ Air Transport World 9 May 2007
  9. ^ Year end results announcement. Flybe press office. Retrieved on 2007-12-01.
  10. ^ [1] 1 August 2007

[edit] External links


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