Strategic reviews
Flybe are stuck between a rock and a hard place. The costs per seat are too high to be able to compete effectively against easyjet and ryanair. The last figures I saw (2012) Flybe were more than twice the cost per seat of the LCC.
Short haul business routes with sufficient demand are already mostly served by LCC and legacy carriers and the core market in UK is constrained by APD.
So what do I expect when the review is published?
Fewer aircraft, lots of focus on building SOU for access to London and an alternate for passengers to LHR. A loud call to govt to scrap APD especially for UK regions.
Building strength and frequency on key business routes. Especially AMS, DUB, EDI, MAN, GLA, BHD from SOU and Exeter. And from the Channel Islands to SOU.
Maybe a reinvigoration of the KLM interline relationship at AMS and who knows, even a deal with Aer Lingus for transfers to the Atlantic in Dublin.
Less focus on BHX.
The possibility of a lower seat cost aircraft in future. Maybe an alternate to the e170. Perhaps more higher density dash 8.
A modest attempt at leisure routes from SOU and Exeter. These are high risk because of LCC competition, Flybe probably cannot meet the cost levels needed. And finally maybe a holidays business much like jet2 but on a smaller scale...
Last edited by Flitefone; 31st Oct 2013 at 21:39.