Flybe-9
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Hemel Hempstead
Posts: 939
I would suggest something along the lines of what they did with British Airtours - the same British Airways colourscheme - but title the aircraft 'British European'. Caledonian they did a similar thing with, but revised the branding to include the lion.
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: London
Posts: 262
I like the idea another poster had of making better use of Flybe aircraft for a take-over of the Aer Lingus Regional operation. After all, this should 'ideally' be in-house rather than lining the pockets of a completely separate business (to the group).
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Denmark
Posts: 351
From a strategic perspective IAG could see value in Flybe as follows
Eliminate competition at LCY.
Bring EI-R and Cityflyer contract flying ‘in-house’
Reduce AMS flows and reorientate to Dublin
BMI slots default back to BA (Would Loganair give it a go?) Tactically, BA could ring fence Flybe Heathrow for domestics such as JER GCI LDY DND rather than EDI ABZ.
Well trained and respected future pilot base for BA and EI.
Eliminate competition at LCY.
Bring EI-R and Cityflyer contract flying ‘in-house’
Reduce AMS flows and reorientate to Dublin
BMI slots default back to BA (Would Loganair give it a go?) Tactically, BA could ring fence Flybe Heathrow for domestics such as JER GCI LDY DND rather than EDI ABZ.
Well trained and respected future pilot base for BA and EI.
Join Date: May 2018
Location: DK
Posts: 26
Not sure whether this has already been mentioned but in addition to the new LHR-Newquay 4x daily from 31 March 2019 they are adding a fifth rotation on LHR-EDI. This means they will have 12 weekday departures at LHR from Spring 2019.
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Northern Ireland
Posts: 2,551
Couple of things here from my perspective;
- Willie Walsh said at the time of the withdrawal from regional flying that regional flying was better suited to low cost carriers - why would this perspective have changed when the LOCOs are stronger than ever?
- The non London routes do not fit in terms of a network carrier strategy and on the high volume routes these are again hotly contested
- Good suggestion that the Flybe vehicle could adopt EIR routes, but these are not up for renewal until 2022/3. What happens in the mean time?
- For slots sake, LCY and LHR. BA are now contracting Stobart to do some of their flying at LCY. They are unlikely to be pursuing this take over for the sake of an LCY operation the size of a 4 aircraft operation at the airport? Approx.
- Competition concerns will be raised, BA will not get the domestic slots at LHR, that would open up opportunities for easyJet to access LHR. Easyjet and Ryanair would definitely raise competition concerns, for sure.
Last edited by EI-BUD; 27th Nov 2018 at 17:07.
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: UK
Posts: 204
No one appears to have mentioned Lufthansa as a potential acquirer. LH group has been quite acquisitive over the years in Central Europe but their UK presence is fairly modest in comparison with say AF/KL. It would also strengthen Star Alliance in the UK as it is clearly the weakest airline grouping here at present.
But then again, maybe they got their fingers burnt with BMI.
But then again, maybe they got their fingers burnt with BMI.
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: East London
Age: 37
Posts: 997
Some fair points by EI-BUD though I would pick up on a couple.
While regional flying outside of London isn’t done by BA currently and is something WW got out of in the past, it doesn’t mean they couldn’t or shouldn’t do it now under the right conditions. For example, if routes or a base (I’m thinking the likes of SOU, EXT) are profitable and aren’t so likely to see LCC competition, why not keep them? There is precedent for this within IAG already, for example EIR have some relatively oddball routes out of ORK and SNN to the UK and France and Air Nostrum/IB Regional fly around regional Spanish cities and the Balearics.
You question a lead-in to 2022 for EIR routes but that isn’t too ridiculous. We’re almost in 2019 already with summer ‘19 on sale, pruning would likely occur in 2020 along with back-office integration, further transition in 2021 and you’re there already.
While regional flying outside of London isn’t done by BA currently and is something WW got out of in the past, it doesn’t mean they couldn’t or shouldn’t do it now under the right conditions. For example, if routes or a base (I’m thinking the likes of SOU, EXT) are profitable and aren’t so likely to see LCC competition, why not keep them? There is precedent for this within IAG already, for example EIR have some relatively oddball routes out of ORK and SNN to the UK and France and Air Nostrum/IB Regional fly around regional Spanish cities and the Balearics.
You question a lead-in to 2022 for EIR routes but that isn’t too ridiculous. We’re almost in 2019 already with summer ‘19 on sale, pruning would likely occur in 2020 along with back-office integration, further transition in 2021 and you’re there already.
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: London
Age: 38
Posts: 429
It would also strengthen Star Alliance in the UK as it is clearly the weakest airline grouping here at present.
AF/KL is arguably Delta though the back door.
Last edited by Skipness One Foxtrot; 28th Nov 2018 at 15:42.
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: EGCC
Age: 69
Posts: 925
I know Oltonpete was having problems posting spreadsheet data in post #1175 dated 25th November.
I have taken the liberty of reproducing his file as a screenshot......

Hopefully I have done credit to your post, although I notice that you have the Newquay flight going to Newquay, and I'll PM you the full process.
I have taken the liberty of reproducing his file as a screenshot......

Hopefully I have done credit to your post, although I notice that you have the Newquay flight going to Newquay, and I'll PM you the full process.
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Solihull
Age: 55
Posts: 3,108
Flybe
I know Oltonpete was having problems posting spreadsheet data in post #1175 dated 25th November.
I have taken the liberty of reproducing his file as a screenshot......

Hopefully I have done credit to your post, although I notice that you have the Newquay flight going to Newquay, and I'll PM you the full process.
I have taken the liberty of reproducing his file as a screenshot......

Hopefully I have done credit to your post, although I notice that you have the Newquay flight going to Newquay, and I'll PM you the full process.
That looks good and this part of the post was pretty accurate I believe for last Monday, I did slip up on the number of active aircraft - it is 69 with around 3-4 in maintenance but still around 8 and 12 spare although aircraft 11 is back at BHX next week on certain days.
Pete
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: solihull West Midlands
Posts: 967
BE and MAEL part company
Been reported that Monarch Engineering will no longer provide maintenance for Fly Be.
Allegations that Fly Be fell behind with its payments and MAEL have excluded them .
Big loss of business for MAEL probably 2 or 3 planes a night go through the BHX facility.Still if BE are not keeping up payments MAEL have little choice.
Nigel
Allegations that Fly Be fell behind with its payments and MAEL have excluded them .
Big loss of business for MAEL probably 2 or 3 planes a night go through the BHX facility.Still if BE are not keeping up payments MAEL have little choice.
Nigel
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: East Midlands
Posts: 446
Been reported that Monarch Engineering will no longer provide maintenance for Fly Be.
Allegations that Fly Be fell behind with its payments and MAEL have excluded them .
Big loss of business for MAEL probably 2 or 3 planes a night go through the BHX facility.Still if BE are not keeping up payments MAEL have little choice.
Nigel
Allegations that Fly Be fell behind with its payments and MAEL have excluded them .
Big loss of business for MAEL probably 2 or 3 planes a night go through the BHX facility.Still if BE are not keeping up payments MAEL have little choice.
Nigel
I'm sure Flybe will find a new contract soon enough and it may be a nudge to bring more maintenance where possible back in-house. If anything, this going to be a loss for MAEL due to short term restructuring.
Flybe themselves have even gone as far as saying; " Flybe are sympathetic to the many employees of MAEL who may be affected by the loss of work at MAEL and will be offering employment opportunities for engineers at Birmingham and Manchester, increasing the size of Flybe bases at those locations and benefitting from establishing our own comprehensive maintenance operations.”
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Sheffield
Posts: 22
They have also I believe lost or will soon lose the Boeing contract at Gatwick. MAEL will soon be no more IMO, sadly.
The decision to move some engineering back in house is a good one and outsourcing main bases was never a good idea. Again IMO it is being driven by the main suitor. The figure I have been quoted that Flybe we’re paying MAEL while very high was not something they couldn’t afford. Heaven forbid Flybe we’re trying to find a way to get out of the MAEL as part of the sale transaction...
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: UK
Posts: 1,648
Been reported that Monarch Engineering will no longer provide maintenance for Fly Be.
Allegations that Fly Be fell behind with its payments and MAEL have excluded them .
Big loss of business for MAEL probably 2 or 3 planes a night go through the BHX facility.Still if BE are not keeping up payments MAEL have little choice.
Nigel
Allegations that Fly Be fell behind with its payments and MAEL have excluded them .
Big loss of business for MAEL probably 2 or 3 planes a night go through the BHX facility.Still if BE are not keeping up payments MAEL have little choice.
Nigel
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: cornwall, uk
Posts: 1,497
Just curious. How long after a route launch do the codeshares get added ?
have tried to book a connecting flight post April ex NQY and can’t get any connections offered apart from BHX and MAN when we’re after connecting at LHR to JFK
cs
have tried to book a connecting flight post April ex NQY and can’t get any connections offered apart from BHX and MAN when we’re after connecting at LHR to JFK
cs