British regional airline Flybe has
canceled all flights and gone into administration, it announced Saturday.
In a statement posted on its website
this weekend, the carrier said: “Flybe has now ceased trading and all flights
from and to the UK operated by Flybe have been cancelled and will not be
rescheduled.” It advised passengers not to travel to the airport unless they
have arranged an alternative flight.
The airline operated 21 scheduled
services from Belfast City, Birmingham and London Heathrow to cities across the
U.K. and to Amsterdam and Geneva. According to aviation analytics company
Cirium, it was due to operate 292 flights next week (Jan. 30 to Feb. 5).
Consumer director at the U.K. Civil
Aviation Authority Paul Smith said: “It is always sad to see an airline enter
administration, and we know that Flybe’s decision to stop trading will be
distressing for all of its employees and customers.”
Business Travel Association CEO
Clive Wrattan took a more urgent tone. “The collapse of Flybe is dreadful news
for leisure and corporate travelers. Their predominantly U.K.-focused network
gave them a vital role in British business. With the train strikes next week,
our economy is once more being brought to a standstill,” he said.
Flybe ceased trading in March 2020 under its former
ownership as the pandemic proved to be the final straw for its survival, but
the airline secured a rescue deal and resumed operations in March 2022.
The CAA posted advice to consumers impacted by the airline’s collapse
in a further statement.
Several airlines and train operators
are offering Flybe customers alternative travel arrangements: British Airways
is offering one-way fares of £50/€60 (plus taxes, fees and charges); Ryanair is
offering flights from £29.99 for travel until Mar. 26; easyJet is offering
domestic flights for £49 and international flights for £79 until Feb. 10. All
Flybe customers who had their flights canceled over the weekend were invited to
travel on any LNER train service to their destination free-of-charge over the
weekend, but that offer has now expired, given the potential impact of worker strikes
scheduled this week.
