Outrageous that the government are even considering this.
What other business would be allowed to keep £100m+ in tax because it's struggling to stay afloat? I'm sick and tired of big businesses trying to privatize profit and publicize losses. There should be a full investigation as to why they've been allowed to withhold over a year of tax payments!
Mothercare had a similar amount of staff -- why weren't they allowed to pocket the VAT collected on sales to allow them to continue business? Because it's bonkers, that's why.
If Flybe provides a needed service with a high loadfactor (which I believe it does) then another company will be able to set up and perform, or alternatively another airline will take those routes over.
Besides this tidy corporate welfare handout to the Virgin consortium, what's going to miraculously change at Flybe to allow it to continue? What happens next year when they're burnt through the cash?
Yes, it's sad for the frontline staff but the government shouldn't be in the business of emotional corporate welfare. If Flybe as a business can't perform its duties due to poor business decision then it needs to fail. Simple.