Originally Posted by
EI-BUD
Which ever way this goes, my guys is significant pruning of the network will take place. Consider, similar to some AF CDG routes operated in cooperation with BE, BE does the morning flights, meaning AF don't need a night stop.
Apply that to KL and AF across the UK, you've plenty of use for the fleet, and then feeding Virgin at MAN and LHR, maybe even rebrand Virgin Regional, or Virgin Lite ....
you can prune the routes but if you can't drop the airframe leases, you are stuck with the cost. If Flybe had gone bust the leases would have died, but as it has been bought, every liability continues. Maybe there was a restructuring plan in place that needs some money to tide the business over, but given the incompetence of Flybe management over the years that seems unlikely.