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Join Date: Sep 2010
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Really? Wouldn't be surprised if Belfast has overtaken seing as they seem to operate to every airstrip in the Uk no matter how run down it is. Still looks like Southampton has the most routes though, plus from memory the CAA stats show it carries the most passengers on numerous domestic routes out of any other airport outside London. Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Jersey etc. Maybe Gatwick is carrying more since the took over more BA routes.
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Northern Ireland
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Belfast may take over Southampton for Number 3 with The new routes to Liverpool,Bristol and East Midlands taken over from FR
Now all we need is BHD - CDG (Direct),AMS, BCN etc..
Now all we need is BHD - CDG (Direct),AMS, BCN etc..
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By what Means? Am sure Southampton has more routes than those two and carry more on the key domestic routes. I guess all the routes they took over from BA at Gatwick could have swung things.
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: london
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What sort of expansion could we see at SOU? BCN, MUC, CPH? It's mainly French and Spanish sun spots presently, with a very welcome few Croatian airports. Can't say the German schedule is great timewise though.
Join Date: Sep 2010
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Barcelona is long overdue, plus a route to Scandinavia would make sense with the oil links. Your right about the German schedule but the figures are pretty impressive still. Munich would make a good addition if not Berlin.
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Ireland
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I really can't see what's in it for FlyBe to aquire some of the operators rumoured on this thread.
Surely they could just open a base or two of their own in whatever European Country they choose. They can just expand with their own fleet.
Why would they pay €€ for the likes of Airlinair or Baboo and spend the next couple of years trying to sort the place out.
Surely they could just open a base or two of their own in whatever European Country they choose. They can just expand with their own fleet.
Why would they pay €€ for the likes of Airlinair or Baboo and spend the next couple of years trying to sort the place out.
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Possibly because they have said they are looking at two acquisitions - that is why we think they will take on another carrier. If they were to use their own fleet they would not use this term in a press release....
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: EDI, LHR, NQY
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Cloud1, if you read Vapor's question it was not whether Flybe would do this, but why.
It does seem odd to spend a lot of money just to eliminate some competition, particularly in continental Europe where in some areas the market is arguably less competitive to start with.
It does seem odd to spend a lot of money just to eliminate some competition, particularly in continental Europe where in some areas the market is arguably less competitive to start with.
Join Date: Oct 2003
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Acquiring something doesn't necessary mean money changing hands from Flybe to another owner. It could happen the other way around as in BA Connect, or as per Eastern and Air Southwest.
Acquiring another airline may well be preferable. No route set up costs and a solid base from which to grow the Flybe name. Look at Connect, non profitable routes became profitable under Flybe. They are clearly confident that their business model works, and why wouldn't they, it's delivered profits throughout the recession so the routes of other loss making airlines may turn these routes profitable if the Flybe business model is adopted.
Seems to make solid sense from the Flybe point of view and you can bet there are a few loss making carriers that might be attractive.
Acquiring another airline may well be preferable. No route set up costs and a solid base from which to grow the Flybe name. Look at Connect, non profitable routes became profitable under Flybe. They are clearly confident that their business model works, and why wouldn't they, it's delivered profits throughout the recession so the routes of other loss making airlines may turn these routes profitable if the Flybe business model is adopted.
Seems to make solid sense from the Flybe point of view and you can bet there are a few loss making carriers that might be attractive.
Join Date: Nov 2006
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Just a random suggestions as to possible airlines that Flybe could be looking at especially if it is a vehicle into Europe.
I think I picked up from previous comments both on here and in the media that Flybe had interests in developing in France and in mainland Europe.
So Cityjet as suggested high on the list.
Is BA going to have a long term interest in London City (excluding Long Haul service) with so much focus going to be on Iberia and BA combination. So if Flybe got bot Cityflyer it would have LCY wrapped up. Cityjet are said to have been losing money in recent years as the business travel market tightens up. So is BA Cityflyer any different or is this information available specifically?
Air Nostrum, would the link with Iberia bring an opening to know more about the Spanish regional operator? Is its flying similar to Flybe, niche travel on regional routes. Air Nostrum are witnessing Ryanair becoming very active on alot of domestic routes as well as the Ryanair return of a base at Valencia, I have a feeling that this may be a challenge for Air Nostrum.
In terms of the UK I can only see Bmi Regional and Loganair being the only likely candidates, has anyone considered Loganair?
Apart from that I think that KLM Cityhopper and Brit Air could be potentials. Outside of the above I cant see where else they would be looking.
EI-BUD
I think I picked up from previous comments both on here and in the media that Flybe had interests in developing in France and in mainland Europe.
So Cityjet as suggested high on the list.
Is BA going to have a long term interest in London City (excluding Long Haul service) with so much focus going to be on Iberia and BA combination. So if Flybe got bot Cityflyer it would have LCY wrapped up. Cityjet are said to have been losing money in recent years as the business travel market tightens up. So is BA Cityflyer any different or is this information available specifically?
Air Nostrum, would the link with Iberia bring an opening to know more about the Spanish regional operator? Is its flying similar to Flybe, niche travel on regional routes. Air Nostrum are witnessing Ryanair becoming very active on alot of domestic routes as well as the Ryanair return of a base at Valencia, I have a feeling that this may be a challenge for Air Nostrum.
In terms of the UK I can only see Bmi Regional and Loganair being the only likely candidates, has anyone considered Loganair?
Apart from that I think that KLM Cityhopper and Brit Air could be potentials. Outside of the above I cant see where else they would be looking.
EI-BUD
Join Date: Aug 2002
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Just a random suggestions as to possible airlines
Is BA going to have a long term interest in London City (excluding Long Haul service) with so much focus going to be on Iberia and BA combination. So if Flybe got bot Cityflyer it would have LCY wrapped up. Cityjet are said to have been losing money in recent years as the business travel market tightens up. So is BA Cityflyer any different or is this information available specifically?
As stated before, flybe does not have a good fit on it's busines model for LCY, it differs from both BA and AF by CityJet. I would remind you that flybe also had a large loss making operation from it's Jersey European days at LCY.
has anyone considered Loganair?
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Why not buy them out right...
e.g. Manx taking operational control of Loganair lost the local focus that the whole company was about. It's easy to descend into management speak cliches about cost savings and synergies (I do detest that cliche) but quite often the new owner discovers lots of things he hadn't planned for.
When BA took control of British Regional a lot of the routes went from profit to loss overnight due to different revenue sharing and accounting methods! This was I believe why the entire Jetstream 41 fleet had to go raher sharpish.
Then you have to merge the seniority lists etc etc. There's a rather good reason BA said no thanks to buying out GB Airways even though it was flying for...BA. At the moment the risk on the marginal routes sits with the private firm who know what they are doing in that market. Any acquisition would begin the management merry go round of bungee-bosses.
YouTube - Dilbert Animation: Office Hallucination and Bungee Boss
I'm not suggesting don't take risks as taking on BA Connect was a master stroke, but it was their home market and a workforce that could see that BA saw no way to turn a profit in the market. Quite different kettle of fish with CityJet and Loganair.
Join Date: Sep 2010
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Well Vapor carries on with my argument. The list mentioned was I can only assume sky blue thinking. I can't see flybe buying the likes of flybaboo because they could set up their own base for less and its not like airlines of that size have many routes or a long enough following to prove too hard a competitor. As per the likes of Britair or Nostrum I can't see any legacy carrier selling their regionals as it is inviting competition into their backyard and they just don't need to sell. Yes I know BA did it, but lets be honest they have a history of showing disintrest in regional operations.