Many thanks, WATABENCH, for information re FCA based aircraft.
As for the BAConnect and Flybe matter, it seems to me that the reason Flybe appears to be vacillating over what it intends for the South West is that it is still in dialogue with the preferred bidders for EXT (who clearly were not Flybe’s preferred bidders) to try to get a deal that will satisfy the airline.
It probably will get the deal, especially in view of Friday’s announcement, but sensibly (from its point of view) Flybe wants to keep all options open at this stage, which conceivably could include a reversal of its falling out of love with BRS.
If Flybe ultimately decides to pull all the current BRS BACon routes there are, as others have said, some intriguing possibilities with regard to who might fill some of the gaps.
Given that Greater Bristol provides around 25% of the GDP of the entire Government South West Region (it extends from Gloucestershire in the north, to Cornwall in the west and to Swindon and Bournemouth/Poole in the east) and is the largest conurbation by some measure in that region, and that Bristol itself has the highest GDP per capita of the eight English core cities, it would be a surprising move for any airline to move primarily business routes to an airport elsewhere in the region.
Of course, that is not to say it would not do so or even cease to operate all or some altogether.
I hope this is sorted quickly because I am aware that an increasing number of local business people are using the BACon routes to the likes of Milan, Zurich and Frankfurt (albeit the lack of a day return option can sometimes be a pain and better timings would increase their popularity further still), and it would be pity if they reverted to using LHR now they are being weaned from that habit.