by LONDON, Jan 28 (Reuters) – British regional airline Flybe on Saturday ceased buying and selling for the second time in three years, with all flights cancelled and 276 staff made redundant.
A press release on Flybe’s web site stated the airline, which operated scheduled companies from Belfast, Birmingham and Heathrow throughout the UK and to Amsterdam and Geneva, had entered administration, a type of safety from collectors.
“Flybe has now ceased buying and selling and all flights from and to the UK operated by Flybe have been cancelled and won’t be rescheduled,” it stated.
It suggested individuals on account of fly to not journey to airports.
A spokesperson for directors Interpath Advisory stated about 75,000 Flybe clients had future bookings that may no longer be honoured.
Headquartered in Birmingham, Flybe operated flights on 21 routes to 17 locations throughout the UK and Europe utilizing a fleet of eight leased Q400 turboprop plane.
David Pike and Mike Pink from Interpath had been appointed joint directors to Flybe.
Pike stated Flybe had struggled to face up to numerous shocks since its relaunch final 12 months, not least the late supply of 17 plane from lessors which severely compromised its efforts to construct again capability and stay aggressive.
He stated scaled-back parts of Flybe’s working platform can be preserved for a brief interval whereas there was a risk of a rescue transaction. He inspired any get together to make contact urgently.
A spokesperson for Interpath stated 45 members of Flybe’s 321-strong workforce had been retained in the meanwhile.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) stated it might present recommendation and data to affected passengers.
“It is at all times unhappy to see an airline enter administration and we all know that Flybe’s resolution to cease buying and selling can be distressing for all its workers and clients,” stated Paul Smith, the CAA’s client director.
Hurt by Britain’s COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, Flybe first fell into administration in March 2020, impacting 2,400 jobs.
In October 2020, it was bought to Thyme Opco Ltd, a agency managed by Cyrus Capital, and in April 2022 it resumed flights, albeit on a smaller scale.
Flybe’s demise contrasts with a post-pandemic pick-up in demand for air journey.
Low price airways Ryanair (RYA.I), Europe’s largest airline, and Britain’s easyJet (EZJ.L) have reported document bookings for summer season holidays, in an indication that buyers are nonetheless eager on journeys regardless of a looming recession.
Louise Haigh, the opposition Labour Party’s transport spokesperson, stated Flybe’s collapse was “devastating information” for employees and clients.
“Protection for passengers is just not robust sufficient – and ministers have sat on their palms for years and did not introduce long-promised airline insolvency legal guidelines,” she stated.
The Unite commerce union stated the federal government had did not study classes from Flybe’s first collapse.
Reporting by Mrinmay Dey and Akriti Sharma in Bengaluru and James Davey in London, enhancing by William Mallard and Jason Neely
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