FlyBe - 6
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Yeah but BA had a typical airline model where as flybe has a unique one which can exploit niches. None of the of the other low cost operators can compete with their larger aircraft. Personally I think the should amass a few hundred Q400's and fly them all around Europe as you can not beat this aircraft on regional routes.
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Passengers logging onto the previous airlines website and being transferred to FlyBE's, using established booking methods, still cashing in on the brand awareness of the bought airline etc.
This is counter-intuitive if you think of BA Connect in the regions but London City is a different ball game entirely.
Personally I think the should amass a few hundred Q400's and fly them all around Europe as you can not beat this aircraft on regional routes.
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Good point echo, guess LCY passengers would want a simple model but it works with the business passengers flybe already has.
Yeah, thats why I think its such a strange order. Its going against everything they have built their airline on and what has made them the success they are today. The only reason flybe have managed to grow so fast is the q400, to choose another aircraft with jet engines must mean a hidden motive.
Yeah, thats why I think its such a strange order. Its going against everything they have built their airline on and what has made them the success they are today. The only reason flybe have managed to grow so fast is the q400, to choose another aircraft with jet engines must mean a hidden motive.
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Back to airliners.net please.
Folks in Flybe have no clue as to what the master plan is with the European plan, suffice to say that it has been talked about for several years. The headache & heartache that the merging of seniority lists & T&Cs caused by Flybe's acquisition of BaCon still persists to an extent within the company. To have to endure that one or two more times would be hell.
However, the board at Flybe are doing a good job on growing the airline, and for those who have examined the recent financial results the directors also seem to be doing their very best to position themselves for the biggest windfall they can justify if/when the company floats. The small matter of a disgruntled and underpaid workforce won't bother them too much as long as aviation continues to flatline.
Expect the unexpected, but I imagine whatever happens in Europe, it won't be part of mainline Flybe. I also wouldn't bet against a decent percentage of the E-175s coming to the UK to improve the dispatch reliability of the company.
Folks in Flybe have no clue as to what the master plan is with the European plan, suffice to say that it has been talked about for several years. The headache & heartache that the merging of seniority lists & T&Cs caused by Flybe's acquisition of BaCon still persists to an extent within the company. To have to endure that one or two more times would be hell.
However, the board at Flybe are doing a good job on growing the airline, and for those who have examined the recent financial results the directors also seem to be doing their very best to position themselves for the biggest windfall they can justify if/when the company floats. The small matter of a disgruntled and underpaid workforce won't bother them too much as long as aviation continues to flatline.
Expect the unexpected, but I imagine whatever happens in Europe, it won't be part of mainline Flybe. I also wouldn't bet against a decent percentage of the E-175s coming to the UK to improve the dispatch reliability of the company.
For me the 175 purchase (at least the initial 35) could be justified purely to facilitate organic expansion, and to replace the Dash on some "prestige" routes:
- the example of the latter they have already trumpetted is LGW-GCI, which we are told will get the first 175. I expect there are others that fall into this category (operated from the main bases)
- the Q400 would continue to be utilised on many existing routes where there is no benefit in deploying a pure jet, with a few more seats (ie, many short UK domestic routes), and will be used to expand the route network and frequencies as demand picks up.
- the 175 could then be used on many routes, where we know the Dash can do the job (and does today, eg, SOU-VRN, the IOM-PMI charter), but where a jet would be preferable. Also to expand the network with new routes that also better suit a jet (because of distance and also because they should achieve the necessary yields) from bases like SOU - the publicity that came out around the 175 purchase suggested that this is one of the ways the new a/c would be used.
- the example of the latter they have already trumpetted is LGW-GCI, which we are told will get the first 175. I expect there are others that fall into this category (operated from the main bases)
- the Q400 would continue to be utilised on many existing routes where there is no benefit in deploying a pure jet, with a few more seats (ie, many short UK domestic routes), and will be used to expand the route network and frequencies as demand picks up.
- the 175 could then be used on many routes, where we know the Dash can do the job (and does today, eg, SOU-VRN, the IOM-PMI charter), but where a jet would be preferable. Also to expand the network with new routes that also better suit a jet (because of distance and also because they should achieve the necessary yields) from bases like SOU - the publicity that came out around the 175 purchase suggested that this is one of the ways the new a/c would be used.
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I hope so wycombe. Southampton may be thier biggest base but still feel there are many routes left to exploit. Barcelona, One to Italy, Scandinavia and poland would be a good start. Think they will do well on the longer thinner routes but domestic flights should stick to the q400.
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No ones denying Rutter is one hell of a tough 
and he's done a real ace job but let's all be honest here. The reason for scaling back commitment to the Q400 is the thing keeps going tech
and he's done a real ace job but let's all be honest here. The reason for scaling back commitment to the Q400 is the thing keeps going tech
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Good point Jetstream. Still think it would be better to keep a few extras lying around. Why not keep the old SAS ones as back ups, doubt there going to be many takers for them so could still be cost effective to have them as back up.
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The Q400's might appear to be tech a lot of the time but thats only because there are 70 odd in the fleet and therefore it is more apparent. The reason that the E175 is coming in is because its more bums on seats at the same cost of a Q400 and the public perception is that a jet is a nicer aircraft to fly in than a prop. End of 
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The only reason E-Jets will replace Q400s is reliability. They will also appear on higher yielding routes first, eg bhx-str, sou-cdg, don't expect Southampton-Poland to appear, as the yield will be low, no matter what the load. On that note, don't expect lcy to appear, as flybe could not justify the fares required to operate from there, unless every flight was a codeshare.
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I'm just gonna throw this out there and see what you all think but would a merger between Flybe and Aer Lingus make any sense? Is it worth a discussion?
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Depends how you measure it Burpbot. All I know it has been frequently referred to as their biggest base by not only numerous media but themselves.
I would be surprised if any jet can operate lower costs than the q400. I stand to be corrected though with figures.
I would be surprised if any jet can operate lower costs than the q400. I stand to be corrected though with figures.
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Cloud1
The Q400 appears tech alot of the time for one reason, and one reason alone, because it is. Speak to any engineer and they will tell you they barely touch the 195, but the Dash is a different beast. In recent weeks I'm sure the majority of pilots have had disruptions due to tech Dash 8s.
CC
p.s. There's 56 Dash's in the fleet
The Q400 appears tech alot of the time for one reason, and one reason alone, because it is. Speak to any engineer and they will tell you they barely touch the 195, but the Dash is a different beast. In recent weeks I'm sure the majority of pilots have had disruptions due to tech Dash 8s.
CC
p.s. There's 56 Dash's in the fleet
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Sorry yes think I included the jets in that by mistake
What you need to remember is the Q400s operate more sectors each day, thus many more landings and takeoffs. With 56 of them in the fleet you will get more tech issues....it would be like chucking in a couple of A320s in to Ryanairs fleet and then slagging off the B738 for being tech.
Anyway this is all sidetracking, the facts are the E175s are coming in for one reason only - economics. Even if Flybe wanted jets to fit in more with other LCCs they wouldnt if it meant a higher cost attached to it. You all know what Flybe are like......keep costs low.
With regards to expansion, JF has already confirmed he is looking at two acquisitions. I therefore see no reason why a start up is more likely when the words acquisition of two other airlines has already been mentioned. As far as I am concerned it has to be a French carrier but not CityJet (maybe Arlinair, Regional ?) and another one a little further a field in a country that BE may not already serve. What that is though I do not know....maybe Wideroe opened their eyes to something during the recent wetlease agreement?
What you need to remember is the Q400s operate more sectors each day, thus many more landings and takeoffs. With 56 of them in the fleet you will get more tech issues....it would be like chucking in a couple of A320s in to Ryanairs fleet and then slagging off the B738 for being tech.
Anyway this is all sidetracking, the facts are the E175s are coming in for one reason only - economics. Even if Flybe wanted jets to fit in more with other LCCs they wouldnt if it meant a higher cost attached to it. You all know what Flybe are like......keep costs low.
With regards to expansion, JF has already confirmed he is looking at two acquisitions. I therefore see no reason why a start up is more likely when the words acquisition of two other airlines has already been mentioned. As far as I am concerned it has to be a French carrier but not CityJet (maybe Arlinair, Regional ?) and another one a little further a field in a country that BE may not already serve. What that is though I do not know....maybe Wideroe opened their eyes to something during the recent wetlease agreement?