Flybe-9
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: mids
Age: 59
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
They have said they have been happy with quiet a few other bases that are now shut even after swapping aircraft types there and training all the crew up to fly the new type sometimes less than a year after they heavily invested in training.
You will just have to wait and see what the financial types decide. punters tend to always favour there local base and think everything is great there, mind you so do the crew. But when it comes down to seat yield and competition the bean counters will win.
I do have empathy for the pax but after having several mates be made redundant by flybe then weeks later be asked to return (which thankfully they refused as they were just so pissed off with them) what ever happens it will cause a great deal of stress to a vast number of family's which won't be affected by if their base closes or not. From the last round of redundancy's I think everyone I know is pretty glad they left. Several operators are now sniffing out the crew both on jet and Q400 and also technicians. It could be they have no option with some bases if they have to many people move on. I have already stuck 3 cv's through of Q400 Captains to other mates who are looking for heavy TP drivers. A reluctance to move the family or go sideways to ATR will be the handbrake for most. Now Ryanair have thrown a carrot out for PIC time quickly on a 737-800 for Q400 PIC then it maybe carrot enough to abandon ship.
This is all speculation on my part.
You will just have to wait and see what the financial types decide. punters tend to always favour there local base and think everything is great there, mind you so do the crew. But when it comes down to seat yield and competition the bean counters will win.
I do have empathy for the pax but after having several mates be made redundant by flybe then weeks later be asked to return (which thankfully they refused as they were just so pissed off with them) what ever happens it will cause a great deal of stress to a vast number of family's which won't be affected by if their base closes or not. From the last round of redundancy's I think everyone I know is pretty glad they left. Several operators are now sniffing out the crew both on jet and Q400 and also technicians. It could be they have no option with some bases if they have to many people move on. I have already stuck 3 cv's through of Q400 Captains to other mates who are looking for heavy TP drivers. A reluctance to move the family or go sideways to ATR will be the handbrake for most. Now Ryanair have thrown a carrot out for PIC time quickly on a 737-800 for Q400 PIC then it maybe carrot enough to abandon ship.
This is all speculation on my part.
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 888
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Is there no way the remaining E95’s could be handed back to the lessor early with a financial agreement being struck? I’m sure there are early term penalties but this might be more cost effective than keeping hold of, just a thought!
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: derby
Posts: 143
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
How to rescue Flybe:
1) Bring back Saad
2 Get rid of the Jets
3)Focus on Belfast, Birmingham, Exeter, Glasgow, Manchester and Southampton. Close all other bases and cut routes that are loss makers.
4) Sell or park non Q400 fleet.
5) Sell simulators and out source line and base maintenance.
1) Bring back Saad
2 Get rid of the Jets
3)Focus on Belfast, Birmingham, Exeter, Glasgow, Manchester and Southampton. Close all other bases and cut routes that are loss makers.
4) Sell or park non Q400 fleet.
5) Sell simulators and out source line and base maintenance.
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 239
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Id imagine they'll ditch Glasgow long before Edinburgh, even despite their unhappiness with current arrangements at the airport. More inbound tourism and business traffic, so I'd guess money will talk.
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Isle of Man
Age: 44
Posts: 79
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Any thoughts on the Isle of Man? Currently they have Stobart Air on a wet lease operating MAN LPL and BHX. They plan to re open the base from 1 Apr next year. Some insiders who want to relocate home have yet to have their basing letters.
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Leeds, UK & Cork, Ireland
Posts: 1,080
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
How to rescue Flybe:
1) Bring back Saad
2 Get rid of the Jets
3)Focus on Belfast, Birmingham, Exeter, Glasgow, Manchester and Southampton. Close all other bases and cut routes that are loss makers.
4) Sell or park non Q400 fleet.
5) Sell simulators and out source line and base maintenance.
1) Bring back Saad
2 Get rid of the Jets
3)Focus on Belfast, Birmingham, Exeter, Glasgow, Manchester and Southampton. Close all other bases and cut routes that are loss makers.
4) Sell or park non Q400 fleet.
5) Sell simulators and out source line and base maintenance.
Do you really think flyBe could obtain line maintenance and training cheaper on the open market? How much guaranteed business would they have to give to the new owners? With the level of expertise flyBe has built up wit the Q400 and E-Jets I think outsourced maintenance could increase their costs, reduce fleet reliability or both.
I agree that flyBe needs to focus. It might be that smaller, regional bases with limited competition make sense. The reality is without the numbers everyone will cheer for their local airport. Domestic connections at MAN/BHX/GLA/EDI seem unattractive to me, low yield, long journey times - let that market to trains and coaches. Subsidised flying at CWL and DSA is a game out of the FR playbook. these different things can work - but with focus. Is flyBe a local airline for local people or a low cost airline with ruthless revenue generation that happens to fly 70-120 sear aircraft?
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: derby
Posts: 143
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
.
2Excel Aviation at Lasham, Bruce Dickinson at Cardiff or KLM UK at Norwich would, I am sure be very competitive for base maintenance.
would it be out of the realms of possibility for Stobbarts to buy Flybe?
would it be out of the realms of possibility for Stobbarts to buy Flybe?
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Leeds, UK & Cork, Ireland
Posts: 1,080
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The thing is, I suspect that relatively modest revenue generation combined with APD makes it a tough space to make money in. Painting the aircraft white, purple or lilac won’t make much difference. Equally ATR, Q400 or E-Jet themselves aren’t going to make or break the airlines. Stobart couldn’t make SEN-GLA/MAN work for example, with ATRs.
I do think there is a role for an airline like BE, but domestic U.K. opportunities aren’t endless. Franchising, connections and code-shares can all add complexity, but little revenue. It’s a well trodden road to extinction. Focussed airlines like Ryanair, easyJet, TUI, Thomas Cook and KL Cityhopper have thrived in U.K. regions. Unfocused, confused airlines like bmi and bmibaby haven’t.
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Cardiff
Posts: 800
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Using CWL as an example, are only operated from there;
VCE MXP MUC
How well does MAN and SOU do as a hub? Could a better hub setup be created in order to feed onto quiter routes to mainland Europe within 2 hours?
I've looked at BEs route network in the past and the German/French etc routes are randomly operated from some Airports and not others.
Is their route network strong enough or just randomly picked? Using CWL as an example, MUC FCO and VCE are only operated from CWL, nowhere else. Given they have a number of jets in the fleet, are they being wasted being used on domestic routes where they could be building up the network on longer routes from other airports?
SOU has quite a variety of routes, especially in France. It would be interesting to know how many people connect through SOU onto these routes? Similarly at CWL with the above routes which are offered as connections when booking from Airports like BHD and EDI
I'm not sure what the issues are at EDI but I have read that Airport charges are starting to play a part for other Airlines. If that's the case, could they build a route network out of EDI but with less aircraft based there, thus saving on overnight parking charges if they can get a good deal at cheaper regional Airports?
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Milton Keynes
Posts: 1,070
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
How about setting up a base at EMA. It’s central location would help and it already operates a number if routes into there
Does anyone know if LHR is profitable - if not that would be one of my first targets.
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Sydney
Posts: 729
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
East Midlands growth has been stunted by the development at Doncaster and Birmingham. It does well to handle 4.5m pax every year! Location of that airport perfect for cargo but not high yielding pax.