Flybe

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Flybe is an airline based at Exeter Airport, England. It is the largest independent regional airline in Europe operating on 99 routes to 40 airports. The airline's main base is Exeter International Airport, with further bases at Southampton International Airport, Birmingham International Airport, Belfast City Airport, Norwich Airport, Edinburgh Airport and Glasgow International Airport. It is expected to open its first base in France in 2007. The airline also has codeshare agreements with Air France and Continental Airlines.

Code Data

• IATA Code: BE
• ICAO Code: BEE
• Callsign: Jersey

History

Flybe de Havilland Dash 8 twin-turboprop airliner

Flybe British Aerospace 146 airliner, these will be replaced from 2006 by the Embraer ERJ-195

Flybe started operations on 1 November 1979 as Jersey European Airways, after taking over the operations of Intra Airways but was taken over in 1983 by the Walker Steel Group who were already the parent company of Blackpool based charter airline Spacegrand Aviation. The two airlines were run separately, with partially shared management, until their amalgamation within the Walker Aviation Group in 1985, under the Jersey European Airways name. The airline rebranded as British European Airways in June 2000 and later shortened this title to Flybe on 18 July 2002 and repositioned as a full service, low-fare airline. The airline is owned by James French, Orbis Trustees and Rosedale Aviation Holdings. It has 1638 employees.

Orders

On 6 June 2005 Flybe placed a firm order for 14 Embraer 195 aircraft plus options on an additional 12 aircraft. Flybe will be the worldwide launch customer for the Embraer 195. Delivery of the firm order aircraft will start in August 2006 and be completed in November 2007. The new aircraft will replace Flybe's BAe 146 aircraft, completing the fleet rationalisation started in 2003 which also includes an order for up to 61 Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 aircraft (41 firm orders and 20 options).

On 14 June 2005 Flybe converted four existing Dash 8 Q400 options into firm orders bringing its fleet of Q400s to 45 aircraft when they are delivered (ref: Air International, July 2005). In December the airline announced that passengers will be charged for hold lugguage, although fares would be slightly reduced, with the intention that passengers with handbaggage only will pay less overall. On 24 April 2006 Flybe announced a 3-year sponsorship deal with Southampton Football Club. The company will be the main club and shirt sponsor. Flybe are the main and shirt sponsor of Birmingham City Football Club and Exeter City Football Club On 26 April 2006 Flybe announced a 2-year sponsorship deal with Norwich City Football Club. The company will be the main club and shirt sponsors.

Destinations

• Salzburg (Salzburg Airport)

• Angers
• Avignon
• Bergerac
• Bordeaux (Aéroport de Bordeaux Mérignac)
• Brest
• Chambéry (Chambéry Airport)
• Cherbourg
• La Rochelle (Laleu Airport)
• Limoges (Bellegarde Airport)
• Paris (Charles de Gaulle International Airport)
• Perpignan (Llabanere Airport)
• Rennes (Rennes - Saint-Jacques Airport)
• Toulouse (Toulouse Airport)

• Düsseldorf (Düsseldorf International Airport) (From October 2006)
• Hanover (Hanover/Langenhagen International Airport) (From October 2006)

• Dublin (Dublin Airport)
• Galway (Galway Airport) (from October 2006)

• Amsterdam (Amsterdam Schiphol Airport) (From Septmeber 2006)

• Faro (Faro Airport)

• Alicante (Alicante Airport)
• Almería (Almería International Airport)
• Málaga (Málaga Airport)
• Murcia (Murcia-San Javier Airport)
• Palma de Mallorca (Son Sant Joan Airport)

• Berne
• Geneva (Geneva Cointrin International Airport)

• England
• *Birmingham (Birmingham International Airport)
• *Bristol (Bristol International Airport)
• *Doncaster/Sheffield (Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield) (From October 2006)
• *Exeter (Exeter International Airport)
• *Leeds/Bradford (Leeds Bradford International Airport)
• *Liverpool (Liverpool John Lennon Airport)
• *London
• **(London Gatwick Airport)
• **(London Luton Airport)
• *Manchester (Manchester International Airport)
• *Newcastle (Newcastle Airport)
• *Newquay (Newquay Cornwall International Airport)
• *Norwich (Norwich International Airport)
• *Southampton (Southampton Airport)
• *Southend-on-Sea
• Northern Ireland
• *Belfast (Belfast City Airport)
• Scotland
• *Aberdeen (Aberdeen Airport)
• *Edinburgh (Edinburgh Airport)
• *Glasgow (Glasgow International Airport)

• Guernsey (Guernsey Airport)
• Isle of Man (Isle of Man Airport)
• Jersey (Jersey Airport)

Code-share agreements are also in place with Continental Airlines and ScotAirways.

New Services

It will inaugurate nonstop service as follows :

• Southampton-Amsterdam on September 11th,2006 : 3 flights on weekdays and 2 on weekends.
• Exeter to Aberdeen /Exeter-Amsterdam on October 29th,2006 : daily flight.
• Exeter-Salzburg on December 16th,2006 : weekly flights.

Fleet

The Flybe fleet consists of the following aircraft (at April 2006):

• 3 Boeing 737-300 (Operated by Astraeus)
• 6 BAe 146-200
• 8 BAe 146-300
• 23 Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 (further 27 on order)

In June 2005 the airline placed an order for 14 Embraer 195, with options for a further 12, deliveries of which are to begin late in 2006. These aircraft will replace the ageing BAe 146s and 3 Boeing 737s, operated by Astraeus.

Incidents

• A Dash 8 en route Norwich-Manchester (Flight Number BE441) made an emergency landing at Manchester on July 7, 2006 after the crew reported one of its engines was shut down. The aircraft landed safely.

External links

• [Flybe]
• [Flybe Fleet Age]
• [Flybe Passenger Opinions]
• [Photos of Flybe aircraft]

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