British regional airline Flybe has cancelled all flights and
gone into administration, it announced today.
In a statement posted on its website this morning, 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 UK and to Amsterdam
and Geneva. According to aviation analytics company Cirium it was due to
operate 292 flights next week (30 Jan – 5 Feb).
Paul Smith, consumer director at the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority,
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.”
Clive Wratten, CEO of the UK’s Business Travel Association, said: “The collapse of Flybe is dreadful news for leisure and corporate
travellers. Their predominantly UK 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.”
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
today.
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 26 March; easyJet is
offering domestic flights for £49 and international flights for £79 until 10
February; and all Flybe customers who have had their flights cancelled can
travel on any LNER train service to their destination free-of-charge on 28 January
and 29 January.