Flybe - 7

[OltonPete]

Cologne

virginblue

When I say bad only compared to the network average.

Also this last month last minute fares have been quite high but possibly due to German Markets trade?

Dusseldorf itself has been up each month all summer compared to the previous summer when Cologne didn't operate. There is also anecdotal evidence that Flybe's market share on Dusseldorf has increased since Germanwings took over the route from Lufthansa.

Cologne best pax month was August 3342 and average around 65% load factor and still around about 60% in October from a low of 47% in May, so not too bad but not where the network average was in summer 2014.

From memory fares even the last minute ones were reasonable and I assume part of the problem although as I say these were higher November onwards.

CS

Certainly haven't as the BHX ones make no sense in view the flights flybe have confirmed as lost.

Pete

[cornishsimon]

NQY makes no sense also.

Currently BHX & LGW depart daily around 1100 with tha new STN at the same time when it operates. However they all show ex NQY which makes no sense currently with only 1 "based" Q at NQY.


cs

[Fairdealfrank]

The only think more commercially risky than going head to head with the BA Exec club flying a better product at the same price out of East London would be using an old RAF base in West London with no decent transport links to compete with er.... Heathrow.

That's expansion, or more likely, implosion. Northolt as the next big thing is laughable given what's next door. I mean compare the lounge facilities!!!?

Can’t say for sure, but don’t think it’s intended to compete with LHR. Think access to a lucrative thriving market west of London is what BE could be after, but as an unexpanded LHR is a non-starter for Q400s on thin domestic routes, NHT could be the next best thing.

If Heathrow got a new runway then competing against it would be madness, which means that until 2064 doing so could just work. Northolt's not a million miles from transport links.

Don’t think it could work without infrastructure investment at NHT, including a terminal and stations.

Why not use LCY for point to point? English domestic to London is a very tricky market. LBA got LHR but it's tenuous even with connections, MAN lost LCY when the West coast mainline was fixed, MME is a joke, EXT is having a go with LCY (!), NQY needs taxpayer wonga to make a LGW link work and NCL already has a good LHR connection. BHX/EMA are too close to London, easyJet has INV and ABZ nicely covered from LGW/STN, ABZ also has a LHR link.

LCY is used for point-to-point, but like the other non-LHR London airports, it’s not much use for the the west of London/Thames valley, and nor is rail, which serves London central.

Please explain the gap in the market that you think is profitable from RAF Northolt.

Have no idea obviously, BE management would be the best people to answer that one! Can see the concept of NHT as an interim arrangement for thin routes until they could be transferred to an expanded LHR.

LPL-NHT perhaps? Seriously?

Among others, perhaps. Again, BE management would know the answer, it's their idea. No one was expecting BE to pitch up at LCY either with routes to/from BHD, EXT and INV.

LPL’s management are signatories on a letter signed by 5 airports calling for a third rwy at LHR (the other 4, ABZ, GLA, LBA and NCL, are already linked to LHR). One would imagine that LPL’s management would also like such a link. Maybe BE to NHT would suffice until LHR is expanded? Who can say?

We need the existing airport infrastructure to work better, not add in even more borderline niche airfields which further fragment the market.

True, but realistically, it's not going to happen. If that was the intention, London’s airports would be in the public sector and under one management, like most other major world cities.

It isn’t and they aren’t because it’s all about the market.

[virginblue]

How does this Purple Wednesday stuff work? I have tried a dozen or so routes, but no 15 GBP fare has popped up for the entire sale period. Am I missing something?

[Cloud1]

It's for travel between certain dates and the prices won't necessarily show as GBP15 each way. Some of them are £27 one way and £3 return. EXT-LCY as an example on some days

[virginblue]

Thanks, was not aware that it is only available as a 30 GBP return fare.

[SealinkBF]

Passengers survive "big firebomb".

Gotta love reporters!


FlyBe plane forced to make emergency landing at Belfast airport | UK news | The Guardian

[Shed-on-a-Pole]

The deals are there. I got MAN-INV for GBP30.00 return and MAN-EXT for GBP29.99 return (all-in). Also an excellent deal for MAN-SOU-JER return (four sectors). There seems to be fewer dates available for the continental routes at the lower prices (out of MAN anyway, I didn't check other airports), but flights are available if you're flexible. Offers are for Jan / Feb travel period.

[BOHEuropean]

Embraer E175s leaving the fleet?

Apparently G-FBJG & G-FBJH are leaving the Flybe fleet and heading to join Kalstar Aviation, which will shortly receive G-FBEA. I hadn't heard of Flybe aiming to retire any of their Embraer E175s, but it could explain why so many routes have been axed from Birmingham for next summer??

Kalstar Aviation agreed to lease two Embraer 175s (17000344, 17000351) aircraft with CF34-8E5 engines from Aldus Capital. The 2012-vintage aircraft are currently on lease to Flybe.

I can't post the specific link, but the source is: Flightglobal

[BFS watcher]

Flybe taking a pasting in the local press So, Flybe, what exactly DO you say is an emergency? Anger as airline plays down plane?s engine fire - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk

[insuindi]

As one could reasonably expect: SOU-HAM now also pulled for summer 2015.

[David Sharpe]

Noted on the Manchester Airport departure boards for tomorrow a flight to Lyon (BE 3191) Is this a new route that has not had a lot of publicity ?

It looks like Easy Jet are back on the route weekly for the Winter season, but bmi regional are no longer operating.

I know that flybe have operated from Birmingham to Lyon, but is Manchester a new route ?

[Armodeen]

The deals are there. I got MAN-INV for GBP30.00 return and MAN-EXT for GBP29.99 return (all-in). Also an excellent deal for MAN-SOU-JER return (four sectors). There seems to be fewer dates available for the continental routes at the lower prices (out of MAN anyway, I didn't check other airports), but flights are available if you're flexible. Offers are for Jan / Feb travel period.

I also bagged a pair of MAN - DUS returns for £30 each

[MKY661]

Apparently G-FBJG & G-FBJH are leaving the Flybe fleet and heading to join Kalstar Aviation, which will shortly receive G-FBEA. I hadn't heard of Flybe aiming to retire any of their Embraer E175s, but it could explain why so many routes have been axed from Birmingham for next summer??

As one could reasonably expect: SOU-HAM now also pulled for summer 2015.

I believe EXT to AGP & ALC are coming back though. Also 4 of the E195,s BG, BH, BI & BJ are still in service, so are these staying now? Also heard EN's is only stored temporarily.

[oapilot]

Flybe taking a pasting in the local press

Obviously the world and their dog are all experts these days. Don't know why we need crew anymore.
Can you imagine the press if the crew had said "yes we know the failure of an engine is alarming, however we train for this type of situation all the time and the aircraft is designed to fly perfectly well on one engine. Obviously in the interests of being completely honest, if the other engine packs up, we are in trouble, but please don't panic as speaking statistically, we've more chance of winning the lottery than this happening."

[GCILover]

I see initially, Flybe were down to do 4 flights a day, Mon-Fri from SOU-AMS. During the peak summer season, they have dropped the mid morning flights on tue,wed &thur. I wonder if this is to make way for new flights or other ones that are already showing available

[Expressflight]

Looking at the CAA provisional November figures for LCY it appears that the load factors for BHD, EXT and INV were around 72%, 46% and 45% respectively.

[irishlad06]

That will be why BHD is going to 4 a day on 2nd feb and possibly 5 a day come April. So far confirmed for 4.

[Jet Set Willie]

Any word on any of the routes on which they have some competition?!!

[mart901]

Well LCY-DUB has had some collossal uplift!