I doubt flyBe would be disastrous for SOU, at least they will get some passengers through the door. I doubt a serious attempts at an SOU base/focus city by easyJet or Ryanair would be scuppered by a few Q400s on Domestic routes. Who knows how long flyBe will survive and what their business model will evolve into. Mid-life Q400s will need to be replaced at some point and they are not made anymore. If they stay with turboprops it will have to be the ATR, maybe they will graduate to the A220 or secondhand 737NG/A32X.

Certainly Ryanair will never come to SOU!
Easy jet possible limited operation ,due stand space,
However I can't see FYbe 2 making any indentations on the domestic routes,and A220/737, purchase
Is in the realms of fantasy!!

BHD/EDI starts on 23 June,

There is talk flybe may have to lease 1 or 2 ATR 72-600,
not sure where is this coming from though as there is delay in parts for the Q400

Sorry, I am an idiot; I checked the Flybe website before posting, and still managed to type July instead of June!

Little bit of schadenfreude if the promoters of how much better the dash 8 is than the ATR have to be bailed out by a couple of 72s.

My post was trying to understand why you thing flyBe offering flights from SOU would be a disaster for the airport and its future? My point was that easyJet/Wizz/Ryanair or IAG would not be too bothered one way or the other about flyBe. The kind of routes flyBe are likely to offer are of little interest to any of them - other than BHD and DUB for EI who seem unfazed by flyBe at other airports.

My point about the future fleet is that the Q400 is out of production and Bombardier have sold off the remains. Assuming flyBe survive for long enough, they will have to re-fleet at some stage. Far from being a fantasy, if maintenance and support aren’t forthcoming (which it appears it may not be) flyBes fleet will become a pressing question.

I understand the owners just wanted to pick everything up from before - but flyBe did operate the ATR as well. Teh leases on these Q400s must be peanuts….

Wet lease or dry lease ? If a wet lease, who are the likely airlines with spare ATRs ?

Probably one of the more stupid posts I have seen on here for a while and there's been a few!
How can an airline starting operations from a restricted airfield that is crying out for operators with the right type of aircraft be "not the answer" when it would probably be a housing estate by now were it not for Flybe mk1?

Flybe1 was the ONLY airline prepared to make a significant investment in the airport previously and is probably the best hope for the airport today.

Let's face it, the airport hasn't exactly covered itself in glory in getting the significant operational restrictions sorted out in the intervening years, has it?

As a local you should be welcoming them in with open arms instead of pinning your hopes on a ridiculous dream of painting the airfield orange because that will never happen.

As for BA (Cityflyer..not mainline)..the only reason they are there is because LCY is closed Sat pm through Sun am. No other reason.

Marathon Airlines E170 is presently winging its way towards BHD as BEE170P to operate BE142 to GLA. It will be interesting to see whether this is just for a couple of rotations, or a longer term arrangement. Have they bitten the bullet and brought capacity in short term to cover maintenance of the current fleet?

It's not maintenance, it's damage caused by a heavy landing

Whoops! So probably will require longer term sub-chartering, and not a little extra expense. I suppose they should be thankful they could lay their hands on cover at all given the state of the European industry at the moment.

Reported elsewhere that G-ECOR is the aircraft involved. Hasn't flown since last Friday 10/6

It was last seen on Monday afternoon performing engine runs outside the LBA hangars.

TartinTon..Quote="Probably one of the more stupid posts I have seen on here for a while"

Well I don't recommend you reading the SOU thread as there are many similar posts!. They are beyond ridiculous at times and always the same rhetoric. As SOU is my local airport I find the thread quite depressing with the same individual 's' rehashing the same garbage.

Pressing the 'like' button....

Operating LBA-LHR this morning

Stupid posts on this forum? I DON'T BELIEVE IT
Not

BE142 seems to be Marathon Airlines E175 today

G-ECOR has flown to Exeter for some TLC this lunch time.

Ridiculous posts abound which is a shame. However , Southampton really doesn't need a three way battle between Eastern , Loganair and FlyBe2 over all the same old same old destinations. This is only good for the consumer in the short term until one or two pull away from the fight leaving the one remaining who then whacks the price back up to eye-watering and an airport that hopes that they don't repeat the example of FlyBe1.There are only so many people that want the same old seats to the same destinations.

A small variety of carriers serving a variety of destinations is what the demographic requires here IMO. The Orange team and the Purple team have "gently" been enquiring but neither are talking about being "full-on" and obvs, not until the changes are made.