I did a quick check today on the flybe website. It seems that the majority of SEN routes is no longer available for booking after early January and under a sort of fixed high price regime until then. What is still bookable until late March are at least DUB, Antwerp, Goningen and Rennes and these routes have lower and varying prices.

What is actually bookable during March is ANR, CFR, CGN, DUB, GRQ, LYS and RNS all at normally to be expected fare levels.

Caen, Lyon and Cologne are also available at reasonable fares. Six of those destinations (DUB, ANR, GRQ, RNS, CGN, CFR) are "thin" and "short" routes that are ideally suited to the ATR72 and which should not attract LCC competition with a larger jet aircraft - Dublin being the exception as far as morning/evening flights are concerned. Lyon is an oddball as it requires a faster aircraft, but probably not the capacity the E95 has. Gone without a replacement are apparently MAN, GLA and VIE, whereas PRG and BUD will be served by easyJet and Milan by Ryanair (I would not be surprised if part of a deal regarding a new base is an agreement that the airport-owned airline must not serve routes in competition with based airlines if these do not agree to a complementary service). What I find surprising is that MAN appears to face the axe as it allowed for helpful domestic connections.

All in all, this is far from Stobart axing its SEN base. I also sense more opportunities, e.g. on the ANR route should VLM go under at LCY, or to BRN that is now unserved from London as a result of Skywork's insolvency. However, the ATR network from SEN will always be rather small as there are not a lot of destinations within the type's ideal range that have potential and are not served from STN and/or LCY (stuff like MST, FMO has already been tried unsuccessfully).

I love your positivity virginblue, but a short while back Stobart were giving it large about delivering domestic flights for both business and leisure users. Ok, it may be the right decision to axe MAN and GLA, but they said they were in it for the long term. Apparently not. And if SEN - MAN or GLA can't be made to work, exactly what chance does SEN - CAX have next year?

Of the SEN destinations that were released in the original Flybe winter timetable as operating next March all except MAN and GLA will operate at the original frequencies and schedules. Both MAN and GLA will cease to operate after 6th January 2019 and, as others have said, this seems an odd time to withdraw them rather than run them through to the end of March. The MAN route has certainly produced much more traffic that I had expected it to and I'm surprised they are not persevering with it for longer. I know yield was probably poor but they now seem to be increasing fares in an effort to improving it and yet they cancel the route before the effect of those fare changes can become known.

According to website ch-aviation.com, Stobart " has since confirmed to ch-aviation that the two aircraft will indeed be coming off service for flybe. and will be redeployed elsewhere. A formal announcement is expected to be made in the coming weeks."

I am also a bit puzzled. It may only be an indication that there will be more changes to be announced.

Yes. The two based on the Isle of Man which has already been confirmed. Flybe will re-establish a crew base of their own in the IOM, basing two Q400's from the end of March 2019.

Does this refer to the IOM ATR's or the SEN EMB-195's as per the Irish Independent article?

The ch-aviation piece says:
Clearly it is referring to the E195s. But the ch-aviation story is essentially based on the Irish Independent article.

The two ATR72-500s currently based on the IOM are going back to the leasing company at the end of March 2019 when the contract with Flybe ends.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.gmf...8e7f322a43.jpg
FlightRadar24 log

Good old Stobart, consistent as ever.

I see tonight BE6258 was due to arrive from DUB to SEN at 22:00 but it's enroute and not due to arrive until 23:32.

Quite unbelievable how they persistently can't run on time schedules. I've never seen a carrier to habitually cock it up so often.

What the hell was the reason this time for a 1 hr 30 min late arrival at SEN.

Let's see can this aircraft push back on time for tomorrow's rotation back to DUB.

They've switched out G-FBEF from last night, using EI-GGC for the first flight rotation on this morning's BE6251 SEN to DUB.

Here we go again.

Pushed back on time. Value opening to ignition start faulting. Pulled back onto stand reconnected to ground aux power.

Looks like these E195s have seen their days.

Bssed on everthing I'm reading re schedules, the Embraers, and the route withdrawals, my assessment is Stobart will go ACMI for another airline with the existing Flybe-Stobart aircraft. They've got FR to assist easyJet in driving the business at Southend.

Given the level of consolidation in the market and challenging environment around cost (fuel as main item), the case for a big tie up of regionals is greater than ever. Will Flybe get into the Cityjet/Nostrum deal? Otherwise, they'll likely face a big competitive challenge in maintaining the EI contract in a free years when that expires. Equally, is the Flybe takeover question?

Then consider the remaining regionals... the case for many of them standing alone is challenging without specific niche business.

My goodness. You do hate this operation. Go for a fresh air morning stroll then come back and enjoy some porridge with blueberries.

Correct. They are pathetic.

I, too, posted about the delays but I don't believe anybody in Stobart or FlyBe reads this site, so I felt my frustrations should be directed elsewhere. Six months from now, things will have changed. We don't know the full details yet, but it will be different. Hopefully SEN can then recapture it's reputation as a great little alternative London airport to fly from.

Pray where are they going to get ACMI work for E195s (size) and with the 'reputation' they seem to getting!