Reality of the market
Flybe may still collapse at a certain point. A cynic might say that this has always been the plan of its new billionaire owners: let the airline go bankrupt; seize its assets and airport slots in Gatwick and Heathrow (worth millions); and avoid having to pay out pensions, redundancies and expensive aircraft leases.
But even if the owners try their best to genuinely make it work, they are up against the harsh reality of a cut-throat market where profit margins are very small. Moreover, as a domestic airline, it is also being hit harder by the APD tax, as passengers are charged the short-haul duty cost (£13) twice, since they depart from two UK airports versus a single charge for those travelling abroad.
...
The calls by mainstream green activists to simply let the airline collapse are shortsighted, failing to see the bigger picture. These only alienate the people working for Flybe, and do not provide a real solution.
Regional connectivity is a good thing. It is a fundamental part of the British economy. Of course it is absurd to have flights that can perfectly-well be served by train. But therein lies the rub. Due to privatisation and underinvestment, transport infrastructure in the UK is a shambles. For most people, taking the train is simply not an option.
Flybe crisis: we’re all going on a ‘tax’ holiday