Originally Posted by
01475
We can't really know who potential suitors might be without knowing what the strong parts of their network are. If Belfast or London City; IAG? If the SW of England, the European routes, or the Scottish Routes... Sector? If it is a mish-mash of random stuff across the network; either Eastern or nobody? And potential matches for the SAS flying... I guess that's CityJet or Nordica?
I posted this link a week or two ago - an
estimate by an aviation consultancy firm (with which I have no connection) of flyBE profitability by airport. Of course these are averages and will vary by route. I note from the comments below the chart, that the consultants estimate that for example out of 32 BHX routes there are 10 profitable, 4 marginal and 18 loss-making. I believe their numbers are based on screen-scraping fares, estimating averages, and looking at flyBE's published accounts to estimate the cost base, so they are not gospel, but they seem a reasonable first estimate.
Overall the network seems enough of a mixed bag that I'd agree with some other posters: I don't see the attraction for another airline in buying the company, warts and all, when it could just cherry-pick the routes or bases it wanted.
Incidentally here is flyBE's
results presentation from 2 days ago which gives an overview of the financials.