FlyBE looks at cancelled BUZZ routes!

[Jobs-a-Goodun]

It appears that FlyBE may be able to offer a lifeline for those passengers let down by Ryanair in the cancellation of BUZZ operations at Bournemouth.

Further to the 5 new routes announced on December 18th to Jersey, Dublin, Belfast, Geneva and Milan Bergamo, FlyBE is looking at the possibility of adding at Southampton, some of the destinations BUZZ was offering at Bournemouth.

It appears a good plan and I would imagine that both the Murcia (likely to be Alicante) and Malaga would prove very popular as the nearest scheduled carrier is currently at Heathrow or Bristol.

According to BUZZ, many seats have already been sold so it would appear that most of the work has already been done. It would also be clear that their are aircraft and crews available, previously with BUZZ, to operate any extra flights if required.

I guess it is a case of 'watch this space' however this type of move in light of recent events with Gill Airways and Sabena is becoming a FlyBE trend! :D :D

[richardhall99]

they do have a lot ideas that never actually leave the runway so dont get to carried away. There were a number of routes that they announced in the local press here in Newcastle that they never actually got of the ground there are aslo others from other airports too. Where are they going to going to get all these new aircraft from do operate all these routes....there is also talk of them taking over Maersk Air aswell.....so I think it is just best to wait and see what they say officially before over specualting

[Jobs-a-Goodun]

Well just repeating what was said in the Southampton Daily Echo last night, here it is.

'LOW-cost airline Flybe, due to expand services from Southampton International Airport next month, could help salvage the plans of tens of thousands of the south's travellers who have seen their flights from Bournemouth thrown into chaos.

It was with the briefest of announcements that up to 55,000 people were given the news their hopes of flying to distant destinations had nose-dived after budget carrier Ryanair took over the no-frills operator buzz, set to begin flights from Bournemouth Airport in a few weeks time.

Quick to react, rival Flybe said it will now be exploring the possibility of introducing some of the proposed Bournemouth services at its new Southampton hub.

It was last week that Ryanair, which also operates in and out of Bournemouth, announced it had bought buzz, owned by Dutch airline KLM, in a £15m deal.

Then the bombshell, as far as would-be buzz passengers and Bournemouth Airport were concerned, dropped.

A message surfaced on buzz's internet website saying simply: "Further to KLM's announcement on Friday regarding the sale of buzz to Ryanair, an immediate decision has been made to cancel the buzz contract with Bournemouth Airport.

"As a result of this, all flights from Bournemouth, which were due to launch on 30 March 2003, have been taken off sale. Flyers already booked to travel on these services will be contacted shortly by Ryanair.''

Jim French, Flybe's managing director, said: "It is crystal clear that Ryanair/buzz are concentrating their expansion at London Stansted and with Go merged into easyJet, these two carriers will now be battling to increase their share of London traffic.

"The regions are the markets we know best. We have been serving them for more than 20 years and this development vindicates our decision to create a low-cost hub at Southampton, where we want to duplicate the strong presence we have at Birmingham.''

However Mr French said he was sad for all those involved at buzz who had worked so hard in preparation for the Bournemouth start up. '

Now I know that this is probably a publicity move drawing attention to the new Flybe services, however their are now 8 BAe 146's with leases up for renewal by early 2004 which will no longer be used on BUZZ services. Finding the aircraft certainly won't be a problem their are loads of 146's kicking around in storage at various airfields in the UK.

[puddle-jumper]

Richard,

What routes are you referring to regarding Newcastle, as far as I'm aware Fly-Be did Newcastle a great service by moving in there and within a day of Gill going bust, taking over the NCL-CDG and NCL-BHD routes and honouring all previous tickets sold.

Don't underestimate Fly-Be, I would not be surprised at all that they are looking at capitalising on the demise of Buzz at Bournemouth.

When it comes to it they can react VERY QUICKLY.

Watch this space ;)

[newswatcher]

If you have a flight booked during the summer holidays, then you are not going to wait while FlyBE decide what they might do. I have already switched my BOH/MJV flight to Stansted, whilst there is still space!

I can think of better places to get to than Stansted, living as I do in North Hants, but better than having no hols!

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

Using BAe146's out of Bournemouth to fly to the likes of Alicante and Malaga on a low-cost sales model doesn't strike me as a particularly compelling business case.

WWW

[puddle-jumper]

WWW,

That depends on how much the lease is for those 146's. :=

[stalling attitude]

can you get a leash that will stretch all the way to malaga;)

[puddle-jumper]

:D Laugh !

Thats the trouble when you have a lisp and you try to spell phonetically.;)

P.S. A leash would suit the old dog, (146) but I still love flying it.

PJ