Originally Posted by
EastMids
Virgin is putting its code on almost all (all?) Air France and KLM services between the UK and Amsterdam and Paris Charles de Gaulle (as well as on AF / KL long-haul to North America). So where does that leave the competing Flybe / Connect Airways services on routes such as Birmingham - Amsterdam and Birmingham - Paris? I can't see Virgin competing with its own codeshares and the services of its partners, so maybe there will now be some consolidation (dropping competing Flybe routes), with AF and KL upping capacity where necessary and releasing a few valuable slots at AMS and CDG for other routes.
The sensible thing to do here is a tie up between all Airlines. Flybe have too many aircraft flying unprofitable routes. Provided AF/KL play ball, they will regain aircraft availability to place elsewhere on their network. Flybe can take over the routes and slots that match the capacity required. EG replace AF/KL routes flown by the ATR/E170/190 of KLC and Hop! with BE Q400/170/195, freeing up AF/KL to open new routes elsewhere through Europe. AF/KL can also save on nightstopping aircraft and crews out of base in the UK with BE taking on the early flights.
AF/KL mainline continue to fly with their own metal where Airbus & Boeing size are required.
Not sure how that would play out with AF/KL unions however...