Originally Posted by
cBoxMungo
Using the numbers from Wikipedia looks like an average load factor of about ~40%*
Maths seems to be OK, and load factors like these used to be no problem with business fares about a decade ago. When the CRJ was introduced at my then company it reportedly needed 13 seats filled to break even, the other 37 providing profits. Companies happily paid the equivalent of more than 1000 EUR for a return ticket for a 1:15 flight. No carbon tax, less fees (and not to forget lower salaries).
Add higher cost pressure by corporate travel departments and availability of low-fare "next door" with people weighing the inconvenience of a 1-2 hour drive to the airport against a business fare as well as the increase in high-speed rail across Europe and the niche for regionals gets ever smaller. Not many true independent regionals remain and the advantage the UK enjoyed with all the water around making air travel the only option in many cases diminishes as its economic future is clouded over Brexit.
I found the figure of less than 400 staff interesting for an airline this size. Seems rather lean.