Flybe has decided to suspend plans that would have seen the United Kingdom’s largest regional airline expand by significant proportions and, according to a report in The Guardian, the carrier will instead proceed to cut back on existing capacity. The Exeter-based airline plans to decrease its passenger capacity by around 400,000 seats over the course of the winter travel season.
Jim French, Flybe’s chairperson, pointed out that the airline is noticing softening demand among business and corporate passengers. But the airline executive was quick to add that none of this “scares” Flybe, since the slowdown is not of dramatic proportions. Yet Flybe’s original plan to augment the carrier’s capacity by 16 percent has not been put on hold. Most of the major cutbacks will be to key continental European destinations, such as Brussels and Paris, as well as Frankfurt.
Despite the expected decline in the number of business passengers, Flybe notes that around 45 percent of its passengers use the carrier to fly on official business trips. This may very well serve as a blessing for the airline, as companies-such as Ryanair-which rely much more heavily on leisurely travelers are in for a bumpier ride. The current economic downturn, credit crunch and high petrol prices tend to turn people off taking a vacation and encourage them to stay closer to home, even while many company employees will continue to travel on business, despite the economic woes.
Above from The Guardian.
Dwindling pax numbers also confirmed after yesterdays "drama":
A passenger plane from Scotland was at the centre of a drama after developing engine problems as it approached Southampton Airport this afternoon.
The pilot radioed for help after shutting down the right hand engine.
Emergency services were scrambled into action when the call came through just before 2pm but the Flybe plane, carrying 27 passengers and four crew, landed safely.
Hampshire Fire and Rescue sent four appliances from Eastleigh, headquarters and St Mary's.
They stood but the airport's own firefighters dealt with the situation.
An airport spokesperson said: "Flybe flight BE394 travelling from Inverness experienced technical problems this afternoon.
Just 27 pax on a Dash - more economical on a 145. Thought Flybe were meant to be green? Mind, on one engine they probably are.
