Originally Posted by
brian_dromey
flyBe does have a number of challenges, the double APD is one and the props don’t help the reputation much either. Fundamentally, it was hamstrung with expensive leases for aircraft which meant the aircraft could never make money. I’m not sure that Virgin/Stobart is the solution for all these problems, but they might be able to refinance/negotiate leases on the jet fleet.
I still think a mixed fleet of Q400s and A220/used A319/73G could work, in place of the Embraers. A UK version of Volotea, if you like. I don’t think any low-cost airline has made p2p E175/195 service work? BA Cityflyer from LCY is an exception, but quite a high yield market, apparently.
I totally agree , thevA220 1/300 and planned '400' stretch. Are outstanding aircraft.
But I don't agree with getting rid of the ' Evjets unless they are to be replaced with 'E2' series .
Having seen them in action they take off ( take the E175 for example, flying out of DSA , ) it climbs like a rocket .
I am not sure how Flybe got it wrong , they chose decent aircraft.
Sadly one cannot help but wonder if the problem with Bmi Regional was just two very small types of Aircraft.
Perhaps if they had used E170/5 190 series .
And Q400. They might have survived .
But definitely the A220 , it's everything the A319 ' Neo isn't ' .
Airbus saw a clean sheet design, that can be a new ' base to work from ' , given their A319/320/321 even with the Neo , are a Thirty year old design.
Still good aircraft of course, and I much prefer them to a Boeing .
Anyway let's hope the merger / rescue goes ahead . As for increasing prices , that would be the fastest route to failure.
And I doubt Branson wants his second go at ' regional flying ' to go belly up .
However I can't see why it can't be called
' Connect Airways ' and include ' By Virgin Group as a logo somewhere on the paint scheme .
It's been done with Eastern / Stobart and Flybe. Even Stobart on ex Aer Arran .