Looks like all flight numbers

Indeed it is, I stand corrected. Makes you wonder why they don't just ditch the '76'. From reading this thread, I guess Eastern have got more important things to worry about than flight numbers though!

J41 G-MAJK arrived at EMA a couple of days ago and hasn't flown since (but it's not outside). Repaint into FlyBe livery perhaps?

G-MAJK
 

It's probably gone tech mate, just like the rest of the EA fleet do on a regular basis

A new paint job seems plausible. After all, JK has been wearing its non-standard blue and white for a few years and the Flybe tie-up presents a good opportunity.

Think backbone might be helping out until November now. Not sure how true this is tho. We shall see .

Eastern '76' flight numbers
 

Is this not likely to be in preparation for switch to BE rather than T3 prefix, re forthcoming Flybe franchise, i.e. to then become BE76xx? Loganair's Flybe franchise flights used a 66xx to 69xx sequence, and Blue Islands utilise 63xx to 65xx. 76xx seems like a resonable option for Eastern, and doesn't conflict with any other Flybe flight no sequences? Any thoughts?

I've heard Flybe are getting shot of Eastern's Saab 2000s which may have already been mentioned on here. I can see them eventually getting shot of the Jetstreams and before you know it a franchise arrangement will become a very quiet takeover.

J41 JK is stripped of paint at EMA, so will presumably become the first T3 a/c in BE colours.

Some of these J41s have worn several liveries over the years. Manx, Loganair, British Midland (G-MAJA), one or two BA, Eastern and now FlyBe. I hope the old paint is removed before the new paint is applied, in order to minimise weight gain.

I suspect a bit of weight gain (!) is the least of their worries....

It does sound like they are desperate to get bums on seats ... Particularly in their cockpits :)

Aren't ATR 72s due to join the fleet soon?

i dont think Flybe would want to takeover a company with millions in financial losses, an old fleet, no staff and even less passengers.

Eastern is very much more at risk in this battle than Loganair; and from within. Eastern has owners with an additional raison d'être and who may object to pointlessly incurring losses on an airline.

I would hesitate to say that Eastern is worth as much as £1 as a whole. Someone else might want to try their routes (I have no idea who; there isn't a good fit anywhere), but nobody would buy the company in its present condition.

I thought Eastern had stated from the outset that FlyBe was taking the commercial risk?

I read a report a few months ago that said revenue and risk were shared. Was that incorrect?

It is shared. But I don't know the details.

Over the last 20 years or so, has Eastern not made the owners a shed load of money? Way more than they put in. Genuine question. Anecdotally it seems at least.

excuse my ignorance butvi this why the airline has it's base at HUY but only one route from.there in year upon year ?.
Surely your base is where you'd have ' prestige routes '?.
Maybe they'd be better relocating over to Doncaster to one of those services offices to cut overheads and operate services from.there as a hub.
Leaving DTV And HUY With ABZ/NWI.